While more than 55 million cars annually head eastbound on the Interstate 580 freeway in Livermore, most of those riding in these vehicles see a local landmark: A light display of a cross spanning 550-by-240 feet on the Altamont Pass, inscribed with “Jesus Saves.”
A favorite site to many passersby of all faiths, the “Cross on the Hill” along Livermore’s Altamont Pass is on privately owned property that was reported earlier this year to be for sale by owners Doris and Terry L. Brooks.
However, in July, the Brooks’ decided to not sell the land after local concern arose regarding the fate of the cross and who could soon own the land.
“The concern was, and I think it was wildly held by the people that are maintaining [the cross], was that the city owned the property, and that ‘they’ would not be allowed on the property to maintain the cross,” Livermore Vice Mayor Robert Carling said. “But the city, at this point, we’ve broken off negotiations with the owners. And right now, there’s no intent for the city to purchase that property.”
The “they” Carling referred to is Capstone Christian Ministries – the nonprofit organization responsible for mowing the lawn in a special way so that the cross can be seen in daylight and setting up the lights so that the cross is visible at night. If not properly maintained, the grass and vegetation on the land would grow over the cross.
So where did all the confusion about the fate of the “Cross on the Hill” come from?
Earlier this year, after the Brooks’ of Hawthorne, Nevada, listed their property for sale, community members and members of Capstone Christian Ministries stepped forward with interest to purchase the land and applied for a grant through the Altamont Landfill Open Space Committee (ALOSC). The city of Livermore did, as well, hoping to use the land for open space and wildlife preservation.
Potential buyers applied for grant
ALOSC consists of four members from different parts of Alameda County: One from the county Board of Supervisors, one from the Pleasanton City Council, one from the Livermore City Council and a member from the Sierra Club. The group provides grants for potential buyers of Altamont open land. In order for a grant to be given, the buyer must be financially sound and must use the land for open space only.
“We’ve had a contract with a wildlife biologist to study the wildlife crossings of 580 to see where valuable pieces of land might be to enable the wildlife to get around the freeway or under the freeway,” Pleasanton City Council member Jeff Nibert said. “But the main thing the money is to be used for is to preserve open space, and the committee awards partial grants. They don’t award enough money to buy an entire parcel, but they help to fund it, usually around 50%.”
Capstone Christian Ministries, in their grant application, requested $510,000 from ALOSC in order to preserve the cross and help buy the $1 million property.
When it was announced that the city was the only entity awarded the grant, public concern rose. Livermore “abruptly ended the negotiations for the property and did not bring it up for a council vote,” The Independent reported. Soon after, the Brooks changed their minds on selling the property.
“We had two parties applying for the grant for the Cross on the Hill property, and so it came down to the committee deciding which one. [Capstone Christian Ministries] had put together a great proposal at the very last minute, but the committee has a fiduciary duty to spend the money wisely and make sure that the person applying for the grant, or organization applying for the grant is financially viable,” said Nibert, who also is an ALOSC member. “And unfortunately, the group that came in at the last minute to propose it didn’t have all the required financial backing lined up, so they just didn’t have the [finances], compared to Livermore.”
Members of Capstone Christian Ministries spoke over the course of multiple 2024 ALOSC committee meetings during the open forum segments. At each, Capstone’s leader, Pastor Bill Turnquist, had expressed his interest in buying the property from the owners, saying that the “Cross on the Hill” is a symbol of positivity for Bay Area and Livermore residents who drive past it on the freeway.
(CCYJ made several attempts to reach Turnquist. He initially did not respond; and when CCYJ finally was able to set up an interview, Turnquist failed to meet with this writer.)
Concern for fate of cross
Jan Higdon, a Livermore resident, expressed concern for the fate of the cross, which her husband, Al Higdon, had been helping to maintain as a volunteer for more than 15 years.
“I got cards, letters, texts, emails, thanking us (that) the cross is there,” Higdon said during a February City Council meeting. “It brings encouragement, hope and comfort.”
Carling said the main concern for the city was that a religious symbol could not be actively maintained on municipal government-owned land.
“I think the issue was whether or not we the city, if the city had owned the property, would those people be allowed to get back on city property and maintain a religious symbol because it goes against our country’s separation of church and state,” Carling said. “And I think, in fact, this in some respects, the city didn’t want to get in the middle of that argument, that’s why we withdrew our interest in purchasing that property.”
Keerthi Eraniyan is a 10th grader at California High School in San Ramon.
