ALTO PASS - Wayman Presley's travel business took him all across the world, allowing him to see granite monuments that survived centuries.

When he and William Lirely set out to construct the Bald Knob Cross of Peace in Alto Pass, Presley proposed using similar rock to build the monument meant to be an ecumenical beacon.

"He was worried that when he passed away, the cross would get into disrepair and rust down," said Donald Presley of Carbondale, Wayman's son.

The cross' governing board, however, ensured Presley they would keep the 111-foot tall, steel-framed structure in good condition.

Now, 70 years after construction of the cross, several exterior panels have fallen off the structure and interior rust can be seen through the gaping holes.

A continuing lawsuit regarding control of the cross' governing body has prohibited any repair work from being completed. A status hearing for the case is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Union County Circuit Court.

If Wayman Presley would see the cross its current condition, he would realize his worst fear had come true, Donald Presley said.

The Presley family plans to stay out of the legal battle unless serious concerns arise that someone wants to use the cross for a single denomination.

While the lawsuit's battling parties argue that Cross of Peace board president Steve Babb and other board members want to use the cross for their church, Eagles' Nest Watch Ministries in Cobden, Donald Presley said he met with Babb, who assured him that's not the case.

But that doesn't mean the Presleys are not remaining involved with the cross.

D.W. Presley, Donald's son and Wayman's grandson, has joined the board of directors of the Friends of the Cross, the group aimed at raising money to repair the cross.

"A lot of people said, 'Somebody should do something about that,' and that's all people were saying," said D.W. Presley, who inherited the names of both his father and grandfather. He credits Rev. Bill Vandergraph, president of Friends of the Cross, for stepping forward and taking the helm of the fundraising campaign.

"This is a good way to get the money ready now for when the day comes, rather than wait until the legal proceedings are over," D.W. Presley said.

Both Donald and D.W. Presley share the same hopes for the cross after the clouds of controversy have settled. They want to see a group in charge that will continue to upkeep the cross and maintain its original vision as being a beacon for people of all religions.

Donald Presley would also like to see the return of volunteers at the site, selling food and memorabilia to continue renovation efforts. He knows how much work repairs can take, as he helped his father replace fallen tiles and install the tops on the arms of the cross.

"It was a constant battle," he said, remembering upkeep efforts, adding that most of the disrepair seen now has happened since his father died in 1990.

The upkeep battle will continue, no matter the outcome of the legal battle, Donald Presley said.

"Personally, I think it will be a continuing battle to maintain it. People have no idea how much work my dad put into that cross."

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

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