This is one Biblical theme park we wish we had seen at its peak. For the last decade (at least), Holy Land USA has been a post-nuclear Road Warrior vision of the Holy Land, perched on a bluff overlooking Waterbury and the interstate. Most of the rambling spread consisted of impenetrable assemblages of junk. A destroyed set of shanty shacks displayed religious crafts. A scary tunnel led to the catacombs, its mysteries revealed if you remembered to bring a flashlight.
Amidst this squalor were two unlikely items: a tall high tech cross of steel and plastic and large red "Hollywood"-style letters spelling Holy Land USA. On our visits, the gates were always open, unattended -- free admission! With each visit, less and less of the park remained. Heads disappeared from statues, the "Garden of Eden" was picked clean, the catacombs got scarier.
A massive miniature Jerusalem (or maybe Bethlehem) covers one hillside. The craftsmanship is not as precise as, say, the Ava Maria Grotto in Cullman, AL -- but the sheer size makes up for it.
