Fort Jefferson Hill Park and Memorial Cross — Attraction in Wickliffe

The story of the cross at Wickliffe began in 1937 when a few members of a community choir, spearheaded by Mrs. Noah Geveden, erected a small wooden cross on a hill at the Ancient Buried City (now known as Wickliffe Mounds Research Center) in Wickliffe, KY. Then in 1951, Mr. and Mrs. Noah Geveden furnished the materials to construct 35-foot pole with cross arms to replace the smaller cross. Bill Howle wired it with 325 bulbs. The bulbs were lit during Easter and Christmas each year. When Murray State University purchased the location in 1981, it became necessary to seek another location for the cross. It was then the idea was born to build a cross tall enough to be seen from the tri-states of Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky. The cross would be 90 feet tall and lit at night for all to see.

Site selection took a long time. The highest point along the river was Fort Jefferson hill and in 1989 the 38-acre property came up for auction. Several citizens, with the encouragement of Margaret Phillips who was terminally ill at the time, requested the Wickliffe City Council to purchase the tract and lease or sell two acres as a site for...

As of this update (April 2023); the road marked "enter" has orange barrels up as if closed but you can still enter through the road marked "exit." Semi trucks were getting stuck so they did away with the entrance. I've gone here several times since the entrance has been "closed." I assure you this is not an April Fool's joke and if it was it wouldn't be a very good one .

Great little walking trail by the river. Giant lowercase t is weird...

Awesome. On hill overlooking confluence of Mississipi and Ohio Rivers. Cross seems overlaid in stainless steel that gleams in sunlight. Floodlggts illuminate cross at night. View from river, especially at night, must be inspiring. Names of well over hundred donors suggests crowd (private, no public...