Walter L. “Bud” Schwartz built the Nelsonville Cross in 1973 as a memorial to his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Smith Schwartz. The 65-foot metal cross stands on Kontner Hill above Nelsonville, Ohio, the town where Betty was born and raised. She died in January 1972 at age 66, and after her death, Bud began visiting Nelsonville regularly. She had grown up there and had attended the First Presbyterian Church in town. Bud also drove past her childhood home during those visits. According to an account by Rev. John L. Evans , the pastor of that church, Bud, Evans and his wife decided to build a cross overlooking Nelsonville as a memorial to Betty and as a tribute to God. The project was started quickly: land was secured on Kontner Hill, one of the highest points overlooking the city. The finished cross was made from steel and aluminum and covered in white material. Its main vertical section measures 65 feet, while the cross arms extend 25 feet.
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