Holy Land USA
In the 1950’s, lawyer and evangelist John Greco responded to a personal message from God and built Holy Land USA, an 18-acre collection of grottos and educational dioramas, including miniature replicas of Bethlehem and Jerusalem constructed from stucco, tin, chicken wire, and plywood. In the 60’s and 70’s, Holy Land USA (located in Waterbury, CT) became a family and religious destination, accepting nearly 50,000 visitors annually. In the 80’s, the park suffered from declining interest and closed in 1984. Greco died two years later. He willed the park to the Religious Teachers Fillipini of Bristol, an organization that has repeatedly refused assistance from preservation societies to restore the attraction. An order of nuns, while never seen, is reputed to maintain the park against the wares of time and teen vandals. Photographed: Sept 1. Posted On: September 26, 2007
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