The History of the Cross

In 1963 a cable and communications tower was built on the hill overlooking what would become Lake San Marcos.  The builder of the community, Citizen´s Development Corp (CDC) owned the land and wanted to provide cable television to the newly planned community.  They hired Bob Layton, owner of Cable Tronic Systems to build and maintain the tower and provide cable service to the residents.  During Christmas 1963, he  built a cross arm and strung Christmas lights up the tower to celebrate Christmas and to promote the fledgling community above which it stood.  The lights were 15 watt bulbs and were easily seen for miles.  The response from the community was overwhelming and the newspapers picked up the story.   Soon the story had made the Associated Press newswires, bringing publicity that translated into making the cross part of the growing system of landmarks used by pilots to navigate across North County.  So, Layton said, he just kept it up, occasionally replacing light bulbs as they flared out. During the early 1980´s, the cable company was purchased by Daniels Cablevision who continued to maintain the cross.  Occasionally lights would go out and take a week or more to repair and always the public called to complain whenever that happened.  Residents in the area considered it a landmark and had strong feelings about keeping it lit. 

In 2000 Adelphia Communications bought out Daniels Cablevision.  When the power crisis hit shortly after that, Adelphia decided to turn off the lights to conserve energy. Another big outcry occurred and the lights were turned back on.  "How much could it cost to burn those little lights?" the residents asked. The land that the tower sits on is now owned by San Elijo Hills Development.  In 2006 Adelphia Communications sold the tower to the Lake San Marcos Community Association for $1.  The Lake San Marcos Kiwanis Club pays for the maintenance of it through donations.  San Elijo Hills Development gave LSMCA the yearly easement right to access the cross.  During the winter 2006-2007, electrical repairs and re-wiring are being undertaken to keep the cross burning brightly.  Low energy but brightly burning bulbs were installed to keep the costs down.  Electric bills were reduced from approximated $75 a month to under $30 a month. John Steever, a general contractor living in Lake San Marcos has volunteered his time to make the repairs and keep the cross lit.  For Christmas 2006, he added his own touch by adding 4 additional arms with lights to make an 8 point star.  The "star" was well received by the community.

A resident of Lake San Marcos, Barbara Feeney, recently passed away.  Barbara loved looking at the cross and towards the end of her illness, her bed was placed near a window where she could easily see it.  It gave her comfort in her final days. Her husband, Bill Feeney of Panorama, requested that in lieu of flowers that donations in memory of Barbara be made to the Barbara Feeney Memorial Fund set up by the Lake San Marcos Kiwanis Cross Foundation. Bill Feeney says that " I made a promise to Barbara to see to it that the cross remain for everyone to enjoy". Donations are arriving daily from several memorial services, in San Marcos, Venice Florida and Boston, Massachusetts.  We wish to publicly thank Bill Feeney and his family for forming this fund in Barbara´s name and to express our sympathies for their loss.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them. If you wish to donate to the Barbara Feeney Memorial Fund for the Cross, please do so to John Andrew, 1282 San Pablo Dr. Lake San Marcos, Ca 92078.  The Lake San Marcos Kiwanis Club has set up a fund to collect donations to pay for the maintenance of the cross.

Photos of the Cross structure above Lake San Marcos.





Phil Urbina (Adelphia Communications), Edgar Engert and Bob Kreis (LSMCA) 1/12/2006.



Nightfall looking down from above Lake San Marcos










Made into a "star" for the 2006 Christmas Season

Articles in the North County Times about the Lighted Cross

January 6, 2005

December 20, 2002

August 20, 2002

September 29, 2001

September 24, 2001

September 1, 2001

August 27, 2001

August 25, 2001


Photos of Lake San Marcos taken from the Cross Area.


Looking Northward across Lake San Marcos



Lake San Marcos Country Club