It has been the site of many ceremonies and important events, including a visit by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and its dedication in honor of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans, "Tech's greatest benefactor.

Georgia Tech students have several times stolen the letter 'T' from one of these signs, a prank once tolerated but now strictly forbidden.

[21] One of these shingles and a small marker inside the Tech Tower entrance lobby commemorate Clary and his donation.

As part of Phase I of the Georgia Tech Master Plan of 1997, the area was made "more pedestrian-friendly" with the removal of access roads and the addition of landscaping improvements, benches, and other facilities.

[23] Further renovations to Tech Tower were completed during 2015–2016, which cost $7.5 million, and addressed fire, safety, and accessibility issues.

[28] Also near the main entrance to Tech Tower is a marbled pair of benches donated by the Class of 1925 in memory of those who died in World War I.

[29] A few feet away stands a marbled bench memorial to Paul Howes Norcross, a 1902 Georgia Tech alumnus and former ASCE president who perished in the Norman boat disaster of May 8, 1925.

[33] A staircase donated by the ANAK Society in 1921 connects Tech Tower to the adjacent D. P. Savant Building via a continuous sidewalk.

[34] Finally, a steam-driven air compressor, colloquially known as the "steam engine," sits prominently at the top of the hill near Tech Tower as a reminder of the school's industrial roots.

Pervasive rumors of a detailed plan held in the Institute's archives to execute "the perfect T theft," crafted by an unnamed Georgia Tech fraternity, are apparently spurious.

[44] Inspired by a similar prank that had taken place in 1968 at Harvard University, the students planned the theft as a means of commemorating Institute President Edwin D. Harrison's retirement.

[45]On the evening of November 6, 1997, the 'T's were nearly stolen from the north, south and west sides of Tech Tower by five students wielding hacksaws, tin snips, and rappelling equipment.

[47] The stolen north 'T' was recovered in the back of a blue Ford Explorer that was parked at the Copper Kettle on Howell Mill Road, also in response to an anonymous tip.

The perpetrators wrote a letter detailing the theft to the editorial staff of The Technique, Georgia Tech's student newspaper.

The letter, an abridged version of which was subsequently printed in the summer issue of The Technique, described the process of stealing the 'T' by lowering it via a rope and moving it to a secret location.

Finally, the perpetrators indicated plans to return the 'T' during the Georgia Tech Homecoming Parade, according to tradition, as long as no criminal charges would be brought against them.

The replacement 'T' on the north face of Tech Tower was stolen on May 28, 2001 by three students, two of whom were found guilty of numerous conduct code violations by the Undergraduate Judiciary Cabinet and subsequently suspended.

[52] In this case, the thief admitted guilt after detectives approached him at his residence that afternoon, and was suspended through the following summer, while also having to pay a restitution fee and tuition to retake his nearly completed Spring 2014 classes.

In late 2001, a group of Georgia Tech students calling itself the "Caldwell Liberation Army" stole 32 'T's from signs on 16 campus buildings over a period of two nights.

The students, who were not caught, vandalized the signs to express their bitterness at being displaced from Caldwell Residence Hall while renovations were taking place.

[58] In February 2006, it was noticed that small vinyl 'T' stickers were being stolen from informational signs located around the Georgia Tech campus, creating confusion for visitors and new students.

[50] Clough also expressed concern over the "incredibly expensive liability litigation" Georgia Tech could face in the event of an accident.

[44] To discourage climbing, security features such as pressure-sensitive roof tiling, fiber optic cabling running throughout the letters, and an audible alarm have been added to the 'T' to help prevent its theft.