The cross at the curve stands as a reminder.
The cross at the curve is a landmark for all that make that drive on Hwy 87 along the beaches of Bolivar Peninsula, Texas. And for all purposes, it stands as a marker for great beachcombing and fishing spots. When giving directions on the east beach, all points are either east or west of the cross in the curve.
For years, visitors and residents of the Peninsula stop in the curve to photograph the cross. The west end of the peninsula boasts a beacon of hope in our beautiful lighthouse. But on the east end, we love the cross. It is viewed by many on the only highway that connects the peninsula to the mainland community of High Island, TX. On any given day you can see people stopping to photograph the cross.
But who put it there? And why?
I have wondered about that cross for several years. Every time we visited Bolivar, the cross in the curve stirred my curiosity. I had decided that when we retired, I would research that cross.
We finally retired and landed in High Island. We live about a quarter of a mile from the beach and the cross in the curve. In a casual conversation, the manager of the RV park we live in revealed that the owner’s late husband built and erected that cross. I was intrigued and excited to talk to Mrs. Marie. She was so gracious to spend some time with me and shared the story of the cross and her photos.
A little background about Hurricane Ike
On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall near Galveston, Texas. Ike evolved from a tropical disturbance that moved off the west coast of Africa at the end of August and by September it had become a Category 4, and nearly a Cat 5, just before slamming into the island of Great Inagua. Ike made landfall twice over the Cuban coastline, which reduced the hurricane to a Category 1. But as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico, the warmer waters intensified the storm and Ike grew to a very strong Category 2 hurricane. Although the storm remained a Cat 2, the storm continued to grow in size. Hurricane Ike was the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The diameter of the storm covered a total of 425 miles from the northwest to southeast as it approached the Texas coast. Ike made landfall at 2:10 am on Saturday, September 13th near Galveston, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.
Ike produced damaging, destructive and deadly storm surge across the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines and became the third costliest natural storm on record.
Mandatory evacuation!
The Texas coast was under a mandatory evacuation, including the Bolivar Peninsula. Residents prepared for the storm, and most left for higher ground inland. State officials issued dire warnings to people that didn’t want to evacuate and told them to write their names with markers on their bodies if they stayed so they could be identified after the storm. Everyone was urged to leave for higher ground and most did, but sadly some didn’t or couldn’t for whatever reasons.
Baxter Correll and his wife Marie lived in High Island. As the storm approached Marie packed and was prepared to evacuate. Her husband, Baxter, or “Bat” as he was lovingly known, had decided to ride out the storm despite the calls to evacuate. Marie urged him to leave, but he refused, and she sadly left him to guard their home as she evacuated inland. After several calls and pleading, Marie convinced Bat to get out just before the storm made landfall.
Deadly storm surge
The hurricane made landfall bringing a deadly storm surge over Bolivar Peninsula. The Peninsula suffered 8-11 hours of tropical storm force winds and a storm surge of 15-17 feet of water. For those not familiar with “storm surge”, it is the tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water associated with hurricanes. It is measured as the rise in water level above the normal tidal level and does not include waves.
The Aftermath
The storm had almost destroyed the peninsula with water standing over 10 ft deep in many areas. Many people that stayed were rescued by boat and helicopter, but sadly, some did not survive. Hurricane Ike’s storm surge took 15 lives on the peninsula as it was almost wiped off the map. Over 85% of the structures between High Island and Crystal Beach were damaged or destroyed. A single house, (the yellow house, known to all the peninsula) was the only house left standing on the beach side in Gilchrist.
After two weeks the waters had gone down and the residents were allowed to return the Peninsula. High Island sits around 30 feet higher than all the surrounding area. The high waters did not reach the Correll’s home, but the wind was a different story. Marie recalled how several RVs in their park were turned over and one was blown into the side of their house. Along the beach highway, cars had floated from the beach side and were in ditches and fields across the highway. Sand covered them and only the tops of the cars were visible.
Bolivar Peninsula was barely recognizable. The hurricane took most of the houses and other buildings, and the ones that were not completely blown away were badly damaged. Palm trees and utility poles were down, and no landmarks were left. Bat and Marie had recently sold their property on the Peninsula that had 100 palm trees growing there. Only one survived. Bat later dug up that lone palm tree and transplanted it at their High Island RV Park.
Bat’s Project
When the reconstruction began, replacing the utility poles was a major job. Most of them on the peninsula had been blown down or broken. As the power companies worked at restoring the poles and power, Bat asked for two of the downed poles that were being replaced and permission was granted. He took his backhoe and dragged them back to High Island.
After a few hours of working over on his lot he came back to the house to get Marie. He wanted her to come see what he had built. So, Marie rode over to the lot to inspect Bat’s project. There she saw the cross Bat had made. He told her this. “I built this for the people of Bolivar, so people will remember. I am going to put it up on the beach, at the curve.”
Marie worried that he would get into trouble because the location he chose for the cross was the property of the State of Texas. But Bat was determined to stand that cross at that location. With Bat on the backhoe and two men on the ground they walked the cross the quarter mile to the curve. He stood the cross at the end of the road where Highway 124 meets Highway 87 at the curve. The day after the cross was erected Bat and Marie found a vine that had washed up on the beach near the cross. Marie picked it up and they made the wreath that hangs on the cross. It resembles the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. The cross stands there today as a reminder of the loss the Bolivar community suffered in that storm.
Mrs Marie Correll shared her personal photos from the day the cross was built and placed on the beach at the curve.
A Second Storm
In 2014, after Bat passed away, another storm knocked the cross down and took it out to sea. The community put the word out that the cross was gone and to keep their eyes open for it in case it washed up somewhere. About three or four days later the cross was found. It had washed out to sea and the currents took it a couple miles west of the curve where it washed ashore. The community put out the word that the cross had been found and help was needed to get it back to the curve. It was not very long before help arrived and the cross was brought back to the curve and stood back up.
A Hurricane and a man remembered.
Marie believes that Bat would be so proud to see the attention that his cross has brought. People talk about it. Bat attended the local church and people there were always talking to him about the cross.
Bat’s cross has become a landmark for the Bolivar Peninsula.
What a tribute to the spirit of the Bolivar Peninsula community! The Cross in the Curve stands as a reminder of the loss that Bolivar Peninsula suffered from Hurricane Ike, and a tribute to the those that survived by the grace of God.
One of Bat’s favorite quotes was “It’s not important how many days a man lives, but what he did with those days…” Mr Bat Correll will be remembered by what he did with his days, and his beautiful cross he built for his community.
So many beautiful photos have been taken of the cross. Take a look at some of the photos others have taken and shared with the local Facebook page. All pictures are used with the written permission of the photographers.
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