Desert Christ Park - Yucca Valley, California

 

Desert Christ Park - Yucca Valley, California

The meaning of “Peace on Earth and the Brotherhood of Man” is what the Desert Christ Park is all about.  Sitting high on the hills overlooking the town of Yucca Valley are more than forty snow-white statues and images portraying scenes of Christ’s life and teachings.

The steel-reinforced concrete was created by artist-sculptor Antone Marin 50 years ago as a world peace shrine.  The park transcends denominational considerations and was constructed as one man’s devotion to his art and his God. 

The park was dedicated on Easter Sunday in 1951.  The first sculpture weighs 3 tons and is ten foot height of Christ with his arms raised in blessing.  Mr. Marin died in 1961 after completing more than 50 figures; one of them is a concrete bas-relief of the Lord’s Supper.  This one alone weighs approximately 125 tons and stands 20 feet tall and 30 feet wide.  The individual figures weigh anywhere from three to sixteen tons each!

At Martin’s death, Desert Christ Park was presented to the Yucca Valley Parks and Recreation District, which administered and maintained the park until the Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against the Park District to have the park removed from public taxpayer support.  In 1993 Hi-Desert Nature Museum Association took over the upkeep and administration.  In 1996 a non-profit foundation was formed for the park.  The park was brought back to good condition following vandalism and damage from the 1992 earthquake.

Currently, Mr. Rick Greer, a local artist, is doing the repair work to restore the balance of the damage to the statues.  The park is in need of additional funds to complete the project so if you are so inclined they would seriously welcome any contributions sent to Desert Christ Park Foundation, PO Box 2192, Yucca Valley, California 92286.

Directions: From Interstate 10 take Hwy 62 east to Yucca Valley, turn left on Mohawk Trail, and then right on Sunnyslope Drive.  The park will be on your left.

 

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