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Commuters on Interstate 580 heading east toward the Altamont Pass at night are no longer greeted by an illuminated cross on the hillside that reads “Jesus Saves”.
While the 550 feet tall by 240 feet wide grass carving of the cross is currently still present and visible in the daylight for now, it is not being lit at night anymore as of July 7 — which community members are concerned signifies plans for its removal.
For more than two decades, the Cross on the Hill landmark as it is known today has served as a sentimental symbol of hope and faith for both residents of Livermore and the San Joaquin Valley.
“I am deeply saddened to see the removal of the ‘Jesus Saves’ cross on the hill in Livermore,” said Jody Amos, owner of Livermore-based event production company Amos Productions.
“While I understand that not everyone shares the same faith, this symbol has been a significant part of our community for many years. It feels as though the world is changing rapidly, and in these times, it’s important to hold on to the values and symbols that bring us together and provide comfort,” he added.
When word began to spread that the lights on the cross would be going out in anticipation of its purported removal, Amos’ aerial drone photo of the site took off on social media.
“I live near the cross and I see it every night when I come home. I had the vision for the photo in my head for over a year. Finally, I took my drone out one night and snapped a bunch of photos and it wasn’t until l posted it on social media when I realized how much this message meant to so many in our community — and beyond. My photo has had over 3,000 shares,” Amos told Livermore Vine.
He noted that the cross’s significance to him is personal as it reminds him of his brother’s battle with alcoholism before looking toward religion to help turn his life around. “He was living in the streets and fighting for his life when he finally turned to Jesus. He’s been sober for over 20 years now, and living a happy and productive life,” Amos said.
The roughly 32 acres of land where the cross sits is situated outside Livermore’s urban growth boundary, approximately a half mile east of Greenville Road and Altamont Pass Road.
While the land is privately owned by a family that moved out of state decades ago, the cross has been maintained by a nonprofit organization called Capstone Christian Ministries made up of volunteers from a number of congregations throughout the Tri-Valley, according to the Cross on the Hill website. The cross is financially maintained entirely by private donations that are 100% utilized for the maintenance of the cross through the nonprofit.
Earlier this year at its Feb. 26 meeting, the Livermore City Council was confronted by a number of residents and motorists urging them to keep the cross intact as it was believed the city was considering purchasing the land at the time.
While the city confirmed that it had at one point been in talks with the property owners about acquiring the Cross on the Hill parcel, officials said that transaction is no longer in the works.
“The City of Livermore has a long-standing open space program with a history of acquiring properties for the purpose of permanent preservation, that prioritizes property acquisitions based on their biological, scenic, and environmental value. While the City of Livermore has had conversations with the property owner about potentially acquiring the land north of the 580 freeway for open space, at this time, this property is not recommended to the City Council for purchase,” city officials told Livermore Vine in an email.
At the time of publication, representatives from Capstone Christian Ministries did not respond to a request for comment about the future of the cross and whether the land has actually been sold, but the extinguished lighting of the landmark has already made an impact on many who have noticed a much dimmer drive home at night.
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