It was first lit as a Christmas decoration in 1940 and was meant as a reminder to people on both sides of the nearby Mexico–United States border that America was at peace during the holiday season.

[7][8] It was constructed by the El Paso Electric Company, which hoped that the star would "contribute something toward the festive appearance of [the] city during the holiday season.

[14] It also shined every night from December 1990 until August 21, 1991, the day when the last soldier from Fort Bliss returned from the Gulf War.

[1] As part of an international Earth Run for UNICEF, on December 14, 1986, Tanzanian athlete Suleiman Nyambui passed a flame to El Paso Electric Company president Evern Wall, who dipped it into a ceremonial vessel at 6 p.m. and lit the star at the same time.

[19] The project also allows individuals to sponsor a lighting of the star in honor of a loved one or a special occasion.

In 2010, the city council approved a 50-year lease with 88 Investments Inc., the company that owns the land that the star resides on.

[22] The star was lit up orange on April 17, 2024, to commemorate National Work Zone Awareness Week.

[25] Vandalism of the star typically consists of breaking light bulbs and discarding empty beer bottles at the site and has been known to result in criminal citations from El Paso police.