Holy Land USA
Waterbury, Connecticut
This is one Biblical theme park we wish we had seen at its peak. Since its closing in the early 1980s, 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 covers one hillside, leading to Golgotha. The craftsmanship is not as precise as, say, the Ava Maria Grotto in Cullman, AL -- but the sheer size makes up for it.
For years. Holy Land remained officially closed to the public, the property owned by an adjacent order of nuns. In 2014, it was purchased by the city and other supporters, allowing some public access. It's still an unattended vandalized wreck of concrete and rust, overgrown with thorny foliage. Efforts are ongoing to restore some displays. The iconic hilltop 50+ ft. tall cross, visible from the interstate, was replaced with a steel version in 2008, then an LED lit version in 2013.