The Centerville Cross Has a Moving History
![Centerville Cross [Photos by Dorre Kidd Howard]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220616_091906.jpg)
Centerville Cross taken this week at its new location. [Photo by Dorre Kidd Howard]
In January of 1860, the SS Northerner hit a rock and began taking in water. Attempts to get passengers and crew to shore were hampered by a storm. Thirty-eight people drowned desperately attempting to get to Centerville Beach. Read the dramatic tale here.
A monument was erected in 1921 to commemorate the event. That monument fell during the series of high magnitude earthquakes in 1992. In 1995, a new monument was installed.
Then in 2016, the cross once again was in danger of destruction. The cliff on which it was perched was crumbling.
The last photo likely taken of the Centerville Cross just before it was rescued. [Photo by Dorre Kidd Howard]
However, earlier this year the hill the cross was relocated to began to obviously to deteriorate. On June 4, members of the Native Sons of the Golden West along with help from Diamond R Ranch and MCI of Ferndale moved the Centerville Cross from its perch on the hill to the parking area of Centerville Beach.
![Centerville Cross [Photos by Dorre Kidd Howard]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/20220616_075829.jpg)
A view of the cross showing the parking area to which it has been relocated. [Photo by Dorre Kidd Howard]
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“Moved from its perch on the hill to the parking area of Centerville Beach, where it will soon be washed out to sea”! Doh.
Yeah, that parking lot is prone to be flooded by ocean. Farther up the hill is a way safer location.
and now on county property.
It maybe a problem of private owner ship/land use permission to put it in a good spot. It truly marks a horrible event at that time! Although am not Christian the effort of rememberence was kind and it certainly deserves to be located in a good spot.
You don’t have to be a Christian to be a good person. Conversely, some of the people that died that day were not Christians, yet they were still honored by Christians. There is a lot of good people in the world, it is sad that it sometimes takes a tragedy make that apparent.
Well said!
This will allow for mucho hilarious photo ops.
Poorly said! I’m a non-believer, but I do accept good and positive wishes from anyone and everyone, and offer such in return. An expression of grief for tragic death is different than a public display of “we’re better than you” that we occasionally see.
If anyone has a positive suggestion, for placement of the cross, why not contact the Native Sons of the Golden West, Diamond R Ranch and MCI of Ferndale and share your ideas, in a productive manner.
Wow, such interesting history. Great article, and I’m glad it’s in a (somewhat) safer place, at least for now.
Before it was looming over the road , poised to smash some unwary sinner..
It’s admirable that the attempt was made to put the memorial in a safer and more visible location. The man-made berms trying to stop the wave action over the road and the ever present vandalism may not make it the ideal final resting place.