Early Home Video Footage of Heritage USA, July 1987- Vid #2

A continuation of my July 1987 home vid of Heritage USA. Again, I tried to edit out most of the herky-jerky-ness of the video, and some of the boring parts of the original tape.

I know these videos begin to get repetitive after a while. The only reason I am continuing to upload them is because the close & careful viewer will glean a little bit more from each and every video he watches.

For example, in this video, one will notice that I recorded two people going down the waterslides in the waterpark. Unfortunately, I was not able to do any recording inside the waterpark.

At 2:49 you will notice a large waterfall directly in the center of the picture. It was behind this waterfall that a small cafe was located (the Sea Cave Cafe), and through the openings in the "rock", and through the falling water, you could look out while you ate and watch the people swimming in the huge wave pool below.

Also clearly audible in the video are other visitors talking, as well as the obvious Heritage USA signage visible throughout the park. The park is still richly decorated with American flags, since this visit was immediatey after the July 4th holiday.

At 5:23 I caught a brief glimpse of the antique VCR deck that I used before I acquired a camcorder in 1988. Does anyone else remember these two-piece video units which actually came BEFORE the camcorders? The VCRs had so many internal moving parts, and they were so heavy, as were the cameras themselves. They simply did not take good movies when they were moved around, but did relatively OK when motionless. Here, I had the camera sitting on a tripod. The camera itself was an old model which actually used TUBES inside to capture the image. The only thing digital on these old cameras were the timers and tape counters!

The main front entrance fountain I am walking past at 6:10 is completely gone now. Check out the incredible grandfather clocks and old Victorian-styled furniture in the lobby! All of it, completely gone. The lobby was brightly lit with lights running up both sides of the elevator shafts, as well as around the elevators themseves. The overhead celiling sunlights are now completely blocked over.

Todd & I took a break in the HGH room we stayed in (#424, I believe). You can see some of the furnishings in the short clip I included.

Next it is off to the cafeteria, which was adjacent to Main Street, at the far end. These are the only images I have of the interior of the cafeteria. Now, this area is used as a conference center. During weekends, a pianist would be playing the grande piano. I didn't stay too long, because it felt kind of awkward filming people eating.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Heritage
• USA
• PTL
• park
• complex
• South
• Carolina
• SC
• Charlotte
• water
• grand
• hotel
• July
• 1987
• Todd
• Skidmore

[Bizkits531]

I spent summers here with my Grandparents & sisters, when I was ages 5-10....the best memories of my life,,,makes me cry seeing all of this now..I would have loved to get my children there someday to let them have same memories,,,,so sad that its all gone now!

[CincinnatiGifts]

@Bizkits531- Check out my Heritage USA vids that I recorded in 2009 & 2010 to see how things have changed!

[southport97]

There heritage tower sits not changed over 23 YEARS! 

[CincinnatiGifts]

@southport97 This is sad, but true.

[ThoughtTraveler]

Hard to believe now that Heritage Island is GONE...totally GONE!!!

Where there was once a cool waterpark is now a waste area overgrown with weeds.

[CincinnatiGifts]

@ThoughtTraveler Indeed- such a waste.

[Heritage6969]

I live about 30 min. north of Fort Mill. Best times as a kid there with my grandmother. Boy, she was a real supporter. Messed up, really let her down. Brings back some great family memories. I guess you were there helping construct the park? @ CincinnatiGifts

[Bizkits531]

I spent summers here with my Grandparents & sisters, when I was ages 5-10....the best memories of my life,,,makes me cry seeing all of this now..I would have loved to get my children there someday to let them have same memories,,,,so sad that its all gone now!

[TheLizardKing1967]

Tammy Faye .........LOL

[ThoughtTraveler]

Hey Stacy welcome to the PTL discussion forum.

cincygifts. Yeah. I guess food was not that important when you are 18 and want to have fun. : )

I guess as an old dude now I concentrate too much on details of the past. You live for the moment at that age. Sigh.