Well, it is not looking good for Bald Knob Cross. It is really starting to fall apart now and the parties seem content to fight it out in court rather than actually try to make repairs. It may be just a matter of time before this symbol of Southern Illinois is gone. I was there about 2 years ago and it was looking bad, but most of the panels were still on. If the panels go, it won't last long. Now that the wind can get in, it will start to push the rest of the panels off. The more water that gets in the thing, the more rust and deterioration of the structure. If they can't keep the panels on it, it might not last but a couple more years.

The towering symbol of peace before them, however, will not look as solid and unified. More than a dozen of the panels covering the cross' exterior have fallen, exposing interior rust and the stairs used to reach the top. Other exterior panels waver in the wind, appearing ready to fall.



While the cross stands in a physical state of ill repair, governance and control of the cross continues deteriorating as past and present officers of its governing body continue a legal battle rooted in past policy and a perceived sense of attempted takeover.



Source

Picture: (the Southern) EDIT: Sorry the picture seems to have trouble loading, so here is the link.

Yeah, I was there about two years ago also. As you said, it wasn't looking good.

I'm sure it's a matter of "okay, who's going to pay?", rather than "do we really want to fix it?"

Aren't there any fund-raising groups trying to save it? I can't imagine that the people of Southern Illinois would just stand by and let this awesome symbol fall apart.

Heck, there are plenty of well-monied folk who belong to some area churches who could easily band together and pay for the repairs.

citysoul wrote:I'm sure it's a matter of "okay, who's going to pay?", rather than "do we really want to fix it?"

Aren't there any fund-raising groups trying to save it? I can't imagine that the people of Southern Illinois would just stand by and let this awesome symbol fall apart.

Heck, there are plenty of well-monied folk who belong to some area churches who could easily band together and pay for the repairs.

I agree everyone wants to fix it, but 2 churches are fighting for control and neither one wants to step up and fix it if in the end the other church gets control. Yeah, there is plenty of money, but the church dispute is scaring off all the potential money to fix it.



It is sort of like that story of King Herod in the bible splitting the babies in 1/2. The courts should just say whomever cares enough about the cross to fix it first, regardless of ownership, should get it. For Christian churches, you would think they would know better.

Little Egyptian wrote:


It is sort of like that story of King Herod in the bible splitting the babies in 1/2.

Solomon...just a clarification.

Little Egyptian wrote:
I agree everyone wants to fix it, but 2 churches are fighting for control and neither one wants to step up and fix it if in the end the other church gets control. Yeah, there is plenty of money, but the church dispute is scaring off all the potential money to fix it.

Do you know which churches are the ones involved in the dispute for control? Just curious.



I understand there is a new visitor's center there. I wonder who paid for that?

Ongoing ... and no progress.

Luckily most people see it from afar, because that thing is depressing (oh, the irony!). Hopefully an agreement is reached soon.

A new effort has emerged to raise money to repair the cross. The effort is called The Friends of the Cross. Here is their website.



Here is an example of what they are doing to raise money.



Glad to see something happening. I am not sure if they can raise enough in these tough times to get the cross back in shape, but I am at least glad they are trying.

I think they should have called the fundraising event "Pork butts for Jesus"!

But seriously, I am very happy to know that people are concerned for the fate of this noble Southern Illinois landmark.

I guess the cross is undergoing renovations. I hadn't heard anything (of course I have not been paying attention), but this photo in a story about bikers making their annual trek shows some pretty significant renovations. It looks like they are replacing the entire skin.