Inspired by a similar cross in Groom, Texas, visited in the spring of 1997, John and Fran Schultz envisioned a comparable cross in their hometown of Effingham, Illinois. John assembled a team to build it, and together they sought to create an ecumenical site offering messages and programs that promoted faith and family in daily life. After years of searching for land and researching building materials and fabrication companies, construction began in January 2001. The Cross Foundation and the Cross at the Crossroads exist to share the Christian message of love, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life through Jesus Christ through programs, activities, and the symbolism of the cross. The cross was dedicated on September 16, 2001, when more than 2,500 people gathered to witness its permanent illumination, and just five days after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the dedication focused on the cross as the most universal symbol of Christianity and an emblem of hope. Located at the intersection of Interstate 57 and 70 in Effingham, Illinois, along one of America’s most traveled interstate corridors, the cross rises nearly 200 feet, its arms span 113 feet, and it is seen by more than 55,000 people each day as a symbol of love and hope. The site offers visitors opportunities for thought, reflection, and prayer, while more than 200 volunteers support its operations and a local interreligious board of directors oversees the non-denominational foundation.