Bald Knob Cross of Peace- Bald Knob, Illinois - Christian Crosses on Waymarking.com

(from BaldKnobCross.com)

In 1937, Wayman Presley, a native of Jackson County in Southern Illinois was walking and conversing with Reverend W. H. Lirely. The two spoke about the need for a place where people of all denominations could gather for worship. As they pondered the possibilities, their attention was drawn to nearby Bald Knob in rural Union County. Bald Knob stands prominently at over 1,000 feet above sea level in the beautiful Illinois Ozark Mountains of Southern Illinois. What came out of that initial conversation was the first Easter Sunrise service in 1937. There was a small, but enthusiastic crowd of 250 in attendance. Attendance grew the following years into the thousands. The popularity of the Christian community gathering led to a plan being put in place to purchase the Bald Knob hill.

From 1948 to 1951 Presley secured 116 individuals who would be willing to commit $100 each to purchase the land (that commitment approximates $890 in today’s money). The 116 individuals were the first members of a newly formed not-for-profit organization which purchased the land. They were from 34 communities in 5 states.

By 1953, funds had been raised locally to construct the foundation of the western hemisphere’s largest Cross. The Cross began receiving national support when the General Federation of Women’s Clubs took on challenge to raise funds and received another boost when Wayman Presley was featured on the wildly popular nationally syndicated program, This Is Your Life. Even though contributions to the effort increased, it was still not enough. Wayman took leave of absence from his postal service position to throw himself completely into fund raising. A strategy was devised to challenge people to raise pigs, sell them, and turn the profits over to the Cross. A staggering $30,000 was raised through the campaign.

The formal groundbreaking ceremony was held in conjunction with the 1959 Easter Sunrise Service. The framework of the Cross stood for several years until enough money was raised to cover the superstructure. The Cross was completed in 1963 when the last of over 900 heavy gauge steel panels with a bright white porcelain veneer was affixed to the framework creating a spectacular night sight which could be seen for 7500 square miles after it was illuminated with 40,000 watts of lighting. The Cross quickly became the most popular tourist attraction in Southern Illinois, attracting visitors from literally all over the world.

Type of cross: Latin cross Material used: Metal (steel, bronze, aluminium, ...) Characteristics of this cross: 111 foot high cross composed of steel framing and rigid aluminum and foam core panels. Stone panels encircle the base up to eight feet and are engraved with the words Peace, Faith, Hope and Charity. Describe the location: Bald Knob Cross is atop Bald Knob - part of the Illinois Ozark Mountains in the Shawnee National Forest near Alto Pass, Illinois. Parking is located nearby with a gift shop/information center. Year of manufacture: 05/30/1959 Is this cross commemorative ?: No

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/13/2013 Team AZMO visited it