PTL / Heritage USA: 22 Years Later- 6/26/09- Vid #11

Starts off at an abandoned bridge located near the camping area. I specifically remember the trams going over this bridge at Heritage. I am not sure if it was ever used for regular vehicular traffic. The roads leading up to the bridge, as well as the road beneath the bridge were both blocked off to traffic. Christmas light strings still dangle from the bridge rails.

Up ahead, at :36 in to the video, you see a car zip by. The car was driving on the new road through the area. Also up ahead you see my light blue Lincoln Town car, parked by one of the old tram stations. The road I am parked on is no longer used. In fact, it pretty much ends where my car is parked, as the new road has taken its place.

Next on the tour is the old outdoor drama ampitheatre. You will see that it is an utter state of complete disrepair. It appears as though some of it has been dismantled, such as some of the seating sections on both sides. Humorously, the large purple doors which were used for people to enter the seating area are all locked and chained shut, and DO NOT ENTER signs posted everywhere, yet anyone can simply walk around to the other side and enter the property quite easily.

The parking lot is now used for construction equipment and construction trailers. Since this area is easily seen by passers-by, it is somewhat maintained and the grass kept cut to give the appearance of an orderly campsite and housing development.

It's obvious that the ampitheatre, the Upper Room nearby (there's a separate video for that), as well as the camping area are pretty much doomed. I am guessing that within five years, all of these areas will be completely destroyed to make room for additional housing. It's almost inevitable.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Heritage
• USA
• Fort
• Mill
• SC
• South
• North
• Carolina
• Charlotte
• PTL
• Praise
• the
• Lord
• Jim
• Tammy
• Faye
• Bakker
• Baker
• televangelist
• christian
• retreat
• campground
• HGH
• Grand
• Hotel
• Towers
• ampitheatre
• ampi
• theatre

[SeanMBryans]

Didn't Jerry Falwell have a lot to do with it's demise. I was under the impression it still could have been a profitable entity (secular or not) but he just walked away (mainly). He was also instrmental in the whole dismatling of PTL and stabbing the Jim and Tammy (justifiable or not) in the back under the guise of concern and friendship.

[CincinnatiGifts]

@SeanMBryans- Falwell was deeply envious of Jim & Tammy and their PTL network. Certainly J&T had their faults, as we all do, but it was under Falwells' watch that PTL completely fell apart.

[gregzintx]

OH YOU AE THINKING LIKE ME. I am havng a ball with your videos-

You have made Tammy Faye so happy. Those people suffered , just being lie after lie, I always admired them for STAYING OUT THEIR, AND BASICLY SURVIVING, Knowing their whole life was gone overnight- I feel sad that no one has seen Tammy Sue at all after her Mom left us.

BUT THIS IS A TRIBUTE , AND THE BEST IVE SEEN.

Greg

[CincinnatiGifts]

To my knowledge, this is the only video available on the internet of Tammy Sue singing. Indeed, their entire world collapsed beneath them & not JUST them, but their friends, extended family, employees at Heritage USA, plus all the people who visited or were Lifetime Partners at Heritage. Millions of people were affected to some degree.

Falwell said that Jim Bakker was the worst cancer on the face of Christianity. Honestly, Falwell himself was the worst thing to happen to modern evangelism.

[CounterCultureLives]

@CincinnatiGifts Last time I checked, "Gluttony" was on the list of "The Seven Deadly sins". Guess ol' Fatwell got a pass on that?? I hope Heaven is a big place; and if Fatwell IS up there, (which I doubt; not saying he's in the Christian's idea of "hell" either) then I wanna' be on the other end of town!!

[staffordrh2]

Back in the 80's my family and I would visit Heritage USA almost every weekend. We lived about 10 miles away. I was a youth leader in my church and we would bring the kids there all the time. There was lots for them to do. Swiming, skating, riding the tram around the park. And the Christmas lights were so beautiful. It hurts to see the park like this now. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed is the name of the Lord.

[CincinnatiGifts]

Indeed. Heritage USA was like the Land That Time Forgot for 15 years.

It will likely all be gone VERY soon. There is no need or desire for a campground practically next door to upscale housing tracts. No desire for an eyesore like the remains of the ampitheatre next door to the same new houses. The Upper Room- no one has the time or money to renovate it, and, even if they did, it would be so out of place surrounded by housing tracts.

[ThoughtTraveler]

Crazy how they kept many of the the Tram Stops 1:41 LOL .

There has not been a Tram available for 22 years.

I am glad you are documenting all of this on video as it will all be gone one day.

[ThoughtTraveler]

I agree that the outdoor drama amphitheater is pretty much doomed.

I watched your 1988 video and you could see how it looked as it was under Jim and Tammy. The whole outdoor drama ampitheatre complex to me was made to look like a New Testament era structure.

How many people sat there in the 80s and watched Passion Plays?

I wanted to add photos of the outdoor ampitheatre in my new video but I was pushing it at 10:11 and ran out of time.

[gregzintx]

Funny thing is this is where I started when I found your site, but working my way back to this video, IT REALLY IS JUST EVIL,Jim Bakker went to prison, and has still managed to regain some idenity.Foulwell is gone after this destruction. The Coulsons I thin is theri name could try to go outside og the HDH and preserve more than I am seeing done.

Soon it will just be residents- no more original beauty !

Im glad you got to go and know alot about this place.

Greg