Harrison Mayes Cross - Tazewell, TN

Kentuckyan Harrison Mayes survived a mining accident and spent much of the rest of his life making crosses like this one and placing them on major roads all throughout the country. These "Get Right With God" signs, made of concrete, usually weigh 1400 pounds. There might be 20 of these left in public at their original location, while some have been on display at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, TN.

This sign is in Tazewell, TN along highway US25E. It's amazing it is still standing as the highway has been widened and rerouted through the area. There are several in Claiborne County as it is only one county away from where Mayes lived.

Sewanee Memorial Cross - Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the approx. 60 ft. tall Memorial Cross on the campus of University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The cross was built in 1922 in honor of war veterans and is near the edge of a western bluff of the mountain, where you can see it for miles away.

The Island Cross - Pensacola Beach, FL

Today we're venturing way outside of Tennessee for a story.

This cross marks the site of the first religious service in the Pensacola area, which was a mass celebrated on Aug. 15, 1559 here at Santa Rosa Island. It was the Feast of the Assumption by the Dominican Friars who accompanied Tristan De Luna.

The Cross was placed atop the dune at the Quadricentennial Celebration in 1959. The cross is ten feet tall, made of concrete and dedicated by the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus. Since then, the cross has become a local landmark and is notable for surviving multiple hurricanes where many other nearby buildings haven't. (For instance, a corresponding marker at the base of the dune was blown away by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and rededicated in 2006.)

Sewanee Memorial Cross

This is the approx. 60 ft. tall Memorial Cross on the campus of University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The cross was built in 1922 in honor of war veterans and is near the edge of a western bluff of the mountain, where you can see it for miles away.

Sewanee Memorial Cross

This is the approx. 60 ft. tall Memorial Cross on the campus of University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The cross was built in 1922 in honor of war veterans and is near the edge of a western bluff of the mountain, where you can see it for miles away.

[Made] Right With God

Kentuckyan Harrison Mayes survived a mining accident and spent much of the rest of his life making crosses like this one and placing them on major roads all throughout the country. This sign probably originally said "Get Right With God" but I have no idea why there's a change. This sign is in Smyrna, TN and located on the Old Nashville Highway, which is a 150+ year old road connecting Nashville to Murfreesboro and eventually became part of the Dixie Highway. The other side says Jesus is Coming Soon. These signs, made of concrete, usually weigh 1400 pounds.

For more information, see Jacob K's Set or This website. There is also a section at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, TN dedicated to the work of Mr. Mayes.

Nashville's Billy Graham statue

The people at Lifeway Christian built this statue of Billy Graham on their property in downtown Nashville.

The funny thing is it took me an hour to find this. I knew their building was across the street from Union Station, but I guess I never realized how much property they owned. I started on Broadway and walked the length of their property across 10th avenue when I concluded it wasn't at "gulch-level." I walked up through the TSU parking lot to McLemore Ave to Church Street, and it wasn't on Church St. either. From there, I examined Lifeway Plaza, 9th, Commerce Street, and then finally its actual location on 8th. so I got a few shots of it, and then my batteries died.