Forsaken

“Thou hast not forsaken them that love thee” Daniel 14-37

I am not a religious person. But Holy Land USA has always moved me, even repeated visits. Holy Land USA is a well known “location” that is often joked about within the urban exploring elite circle. It is not a challenging location. Most of it has been damaged by vandals. There are no underground tunnels and there is no awe-inspiring architecture.

So what is there to see in this dying theme park? John Greco, the creator of Holy Land poured his life into his project for almost two decades prior to its opening. His humble construction materials were recovered from the trash left by his neighbors. When everyone else saw old pots and broken china, Greco saw the beginnings of the magnificent palaces and soaring temples from the ancient world.

Since it’s closing in 1984 Holy Land USA has fallen into extreme disrepair. Now owned by a small order of nearby nuns who lack the resources to stop the damage, Holy Land is picked apart. With each visit more is damaged, more is lost. Still though, I believe that Holy Land USA is not yet forsaken. No spray paint will ever hide Greco’s passion to share his vision for something better.