You have to admit, that is a funny name for a town.
Anyway, the most notorious sight in Effingham is this HUGE cross that was constructed on the side of the interstate highway as you drive into town. The cross stands 198 feet tall and it really does take you by surprise as you enter the city.
Apparently, some guy with a lot of money decided to construct this cross here to signify Effingham's Christian heritage.
I've driven by this cross many times whenever I travel through Effingham, but this is the first time I've ever actually stayed overnight in Effingham. So, after checking into my hotel, I took a drive out to the famous Effingham Cross.
See? It really is an effing BIG cross.
Around the cross are ten smaller monuments, each with one of the Ten Commandments written on them. Visitors can press a button on each of them and here a recorded sermon-ette correlated to each of the commandments. 
The Cross in Effingham isn't the only monstrosity here. Oh no!
Just a couple of miles south of the cross is The Giant Nasty Porno Emporium. Both of these sights are very well lit up at night. (I took these photos on a previous trip)
I have an idea that the rich guy who built the cross wanted to somehow offset The Giant Nasty Porno Emporium. Perhaps he thought that if any Effinghamidian driving out to the Nasty Place would see his cross and be deterred by the sight of that gargantuan Christian symbol as they drove out of town.
My guess is that there are just a lot of Effinghamidians driving back in to town with car-fulls of adult-type purchases.
Sometimes, you just gotta laugh at life's juxtapositions.
I can only imagine which one does more business.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be funny if the cross was there first and somebody built a porn shop right next to it.
ReplyDeleteKind of like the way Burger King always used to build new stores next to all of the McDonalds.
One represents an ancient method of torture and death. The other, a celebration of the manner in which we keep our species alive. Talk about your juxtapositions.
ReplyDeleteI really like what your brother said here--quite true! :)
ReplyDeleteWe have an Effingham in South Carolina, too.
ReplyDeleteWe drive through Effingham, NH on our way to Freedom, NH.
ReplyDeleteThe Adult Time sign needs a HUGE set of steer horns...a double entendre if there ever was one.
ReplyDelete