Photos by Pat Shumway
A few weeks ago, Blind Pig reader Pat Shumway sent me the photos above of a Harrison Mayes Cross that’s along the old road between Marble and Andrews NC. You can see the top of the Western Carolina Regional Airport buildings in the background of the lower photo.
Back in 2011 when I wrote about Harrison Mayes I was thinking there was another one of his pieces somewhere close to Marble but never got around to hunting it down-thanks to Pat I don’t have too.
If you missed my post on Harrison Mayes go here to read it. Pat said she had seen an episode of the tv show American Pickers where the guys came across one of Harrison Mayes messages in a bottle.
Tipper
p.s. THANK YOU Pat : )
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
There is one in Moncure, NC on Old US#1. Construction work is being done now. I hope it will continue to stand. We ask the wood yard over 20 years ago to let us clean up around it and they refused are request. We all can learn a lesson of dedication to our Mighty God through this one man!
I hope ya’all will click the links to learn more about Harrison Mayes, it’s very interesting information.
Thanks for sharing this with us Tipper.
So many think spreading God’s love and His word is a lengthy burdensome task, when in truth, one can often do it exceedingly well in the quietest simplest manner too.
God bless.
RB
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I’m glad some of these still stand. It seems that in these times now society tries to squelch people like Harrison Mayes. Well, they ain’t yet!
I think this is so interesting, wonder how many of these crosses there are out there!
Have always seen these and wondered who created them. Tipper, how did you first find out that Harrison Mayes was responsible for these? Thanks for sharing such a fascinating story!
Tipper,
It always amazed me that Harrison
Mays went all over the country
puttin’ up these Crosses. Coming
from Andrews going toward Bryson
City there are Three Wooden Crosses.
About a quarter mile above the
lower Red Marble Road, look to the
left, across Valley River and you
can see them. The one in the Middle is a different color, and they’re made out
of LightPoles…Ken
I never knew about Coalville but I do now. I used live up on the hill above the coal chute in Connelly Springs. There was coal all over the ground. It was were the steam trains picked up coal and water. The foundation for the wooden water tank is still there.
Tipper: As a child when we made our ‘slow moving’ treks in our horse drawn wagon, I always knew that Daddy would comment again about the roadside crosses and tell us of how “Ole Man Mayes walked all over creation putting his crosses up.” I am so glad some crosses still stand.
Eva Nell
This cross has intrigued me since as long as I can remember and I am 67 years old. We would visit my great grandparents who lived in Coalville (if you know where that is, you are deeply rooted in Cherokee Cty). I would always look for it after we got through Andrews on the old highway and there it would stand. I am still amazed that after some 60 odd years later it still stands and looks as sturdy as ever.
I used to see those crosses frequently but I guess I travel more on the interstate so don’t see them so much now.
They were part of a time, and I guess their time is gone.
I returned to your previous post that I had missed to read about Harrison Mayes. I remember seeing the messages in many places but did not know the originator until “Blind Pig” informed me! Thank you. Let us be more cognizant of passing scenes; behind each may be a story we need to know!