Bald Knob Cross
Bald Knob Cross |
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The cross is located southwest of Carbondale just off route 127 near Alto Pass. Alto Pass is a small rural community (don't blink while driving by), and the sign to Bald Knob is just out the north end of town. The drive up to Bald Knob is a delight. The bluffs here are unusually high, indeed nearly twice as high as the surrounding bluffs up or down river. Bald Knob is 1,034 feet above sea level. The narrow road is winding, steep, and often shaded by the surrounding forest. The story of the Cross begins in 1936 when the local postal carrier Wayman Presley and Rev. William Lirely happened to be chatting after the Easter morning service. They both agreed that Bald Knob (the highest point around) would serve ideally as a site for an Easter Sunrise Service. The next year they held that Service and so continued yearly to establish a tradition. Each year more and more people came for the annual Easter Service, and various crosses of one form or another crowned the top of Bald Knob including the three wooden crosses you see in the photograph above which were erected in 1945. The construction of a large permanent cross was the dream of Wayman Presley and it was through his tireless effort that the large white cross standing there now was completed in 1963 when Presley was 66 years old.  The Cross is 22 feet square at the base and 16 feet square on top. It is 111 feet tall and it's arms span 63 feet. It is covered with reinforced porcelain steel panels which has a lot to do with my perception of the Cross being rather quirky, as it appears upon close inspection to bare considerable resemblance to your typical kitchen appliance.
The miracle of Myrta's pigIn the early 1950's Wayman Presley was diligently fund raising for the proposed cross. A foundation had been established and enough money raised to purchase the land at the top of Bald Knob. A favorite fund raising tactic of Mr. Presley's was to encourage individuals to make a pledge of $100.00. Mrs. Mryta Clutts who lived in Cobden Ill. was a poor farmer and a widow. She pledged the $100.00 even though she didn't have that much money. It is recorded that she told Mr. Presley; "But I have lots of faith and know that the Lord will help me raise it." Soon thereafter one of Myrta's pigs gave birth to a litter of 21 piglets--three times the size of an average litter! The pig wasn't able to suckle so many extra mouths and some of the piglets would have died except for Myrta's dog. That dog had just lost a litter of puppies and so gladly pitched in and raised five of the piglets. At market those extra piglets easily brought in Myrta's $100.00 pledge for the cross. The Cross and Myrta's pig go Prime TimeIn 1955, Wayman Presley, Myrta Clutts, the Rev. Lirely and Jim Deal (who's role in the project I am unaware of), traveled to Hollywood and appeared on the national TV show This is Your Life. And although Myrta's pig was unable to make the trip, her photograph and photos of all 21 piglets were prominently featured. The publicity from the program brought in over $100,000.00. Inspired by Myrta's pig, Wayman, with Myrta's assistance, began raising pigs. He took three years off (vacation and leave) from his job with the Post Office and raised over 1,500 pigs. All told he was able to add another $30,000.00 to the Cross fund. With enough money in the bank, ground was broken March 30th 1959 and construction began. The Cross was completed in 1963. In 1973 a Save the Cross Committee was organized. Wayman Presley died in 1990 at the age of 93. The Rev. William Lirely died in 1992 at the age of 87, and Myrta Clutts passed away in 1994 at the age of 90. The Easter Sunrise Service is still held at the base of the Cross. The Service begins at 6:30 a.m. and all are welcome. Other special yearly events include:
Contributions for the upkeep of the Cross may be fittingly mailed to: The Bald Knob Cross, P.O. Box 100, Alto Pass, ILL. 62905. For information call 618-893-2344. Below is a view looking southwest into the Mississippi flood plane from the top of Bald Knob. If you squint you can see the river. 
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Bald Knob Cross, located in southern Illinois on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi flood plain, has an inexplicable quirky character in it's appearance that feels just right when you learn it's somewhat quirky story complete even with a quirky miracle.