Duane Carlson came home from Reno earlier this year with something big, and it wasn't a jackpot from one of the casinos.

It was an idea he brought home, an inspiration that he could build a cross similar to one he'd seen shining in the distance on a hill outside of Reno.

Carlson, of rural Whitefish, was so taken with the towering cross that he and his wife Kathy tracked down the owner and learned the man had erected it at his home as a testament to his Christian faith.

"He just loved the Lord and wanted to show it," Kathy said.

The Carlsons were spending time last winter in Reno with their daughter Naomi and her family. As they were en route home to Montana, Duane announced his intentions.

"On the way home he said, ‘I think we need one of those,' and I thought, yeah, right, he'll never get it done," Kathy said with a smile.

True to his word, Duane built the cross - 42 feet high and 20 feet wide. Dave Amundgaard of Guardian Electric installed white LED lights.

"Dave and his buddy donated their time," Kathy noted, adding that other materials including the pole were donated.

Located off Whitefish Stage Road at the Carlson home near their gravel pit, the cross made its debut with a small gathering of friends and a simple ceremony that included the Rev. John Bent and the Rev. Ralph Boyer, pastors at Christ Lutheran Church where the Carlsons are longtime members.

"They anointed the cross with oil and prayed over it, that people will ask questions and come to the Lord," Kathy said.

Pastor Bent shared a story about a church in Oregon that had put up a large cross and how it had led to some life-saving changes in people's lives, she added.

The Carlsons hope their cross will be that same kind of beacon of hope and inspiration for passers-by. It's most visible for travelers headed south on Whitefish Stage Road.

"Hopefully we can live up to it," Kathy said, looking upward at the expansive cross in her front yard.

She said they used to be able to see the cross near Bigfork on Montana 82 from the mailbox at their former home, and always liked seeing it. That cross has towered above the valley floor for nearly four decades, and like the Carlsons' cross was inspired by one man's testament of his love for God.

"Now the North Valley has their own cross," Kathy added.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.