“Topping Off” Ceremony-Beam Placement

On May 13, 2023, the Farmington High School Building Committee hosted a “Topping Off” Ceremony, marking a milestone in the construction of the new Farmington High School. At this ceremony, construction crews put a ceremonial steel beam in place, marking the successful completion of the structural phase of the Farmington High School project. Thank you to everyone who contributed to and participated in this special event. To view the placement of the beam, click here.

What is a “Topping Off” Ceremony?

A Topping Off, or Topping Out ceremony is a tradition that began years ago by Scandinavians, who believed their gods lived in trees.

Early Scandinavians placed the top-most branches of trees on top of their completed buildings to prevent upsetting the gods. The Topping off was accompanied with celebration to ensure good luck for future occupants of the building. These traditions continued throughout Europe as a result of Viking conquests and made their way to America by immigrant ironworkers.

In the modern topping off ceremony, we honor the tradespeople who build the facility for their quality construction. We honor the ancient traditions with the symbolic tree on the beam, and we honor our country with the American flag.

The placement of the ceremonial steel beam is a major milestone in construction and is viewed as the first introduction of the building to the public.