Early Home Video Footage of Heritage USA, July 1987- Vid #1

In early July 1987, I had the opportunity to go to Heritage USA with a friend of mine, Todd Skidmore, and his parents. This was only months after Jim & Tammy had departed from the ministry leadership. Up until I had found these videos, the only early videos I had of Heritage USA from the 80's were ones I had recorded in June 1988. At that point, even though it was summer, the park was pretty much a ghost town.

In this video, you will see quite a large number of visitors inside the park. At times the train & trams are half full or less, and at other times (particularly in the evening), they are much fuller. Yet even with all the people shown visiting the park in these home videos of mine dated 1987, the park still appeared to be only about 30% to 50% as busy as it was during the previous years in the summer.

Even by early July 1987, just months after Jim & Tammy had been ousted, the park attedance seemed to have dropped considerably. Yet, you will notice people walking around the HGH (Heritage Grand Hotel), Main Street, and even the huge cafeteria, which was right next to Main Street. The cafeteria might not be visible in this video, but it is in one of the five YouTube videos I will be uploading which relate to my July 1987 trip to Heritage USA.

To my knowledge, there are no other images on YouTube about the inside of the cafeteria, which appeared to have been modeled after an opulent French or English outdoor-seating style eatery.

Keep in mind as you watch these home videos that the quality is not the greatest. I was using an ancient video camera / portable VCR combination, and even the slightest movement of the recording deck (the portable VCR) caused considerable noise lines in the video. The newer VCR I used today to transfer my old videos to DVD has automatic tracking, and it was trying its hardest to deliver the best possible picture.

Also keep in mind that several people were using the camera at different times, so, at times, depending on who was holding the camera, the picture is either smooth or jittery. I tried to edit out most of the boring or extremely jittery parts so you wouldn't get too dizzy or fall asleep.

Worth noting in these early 1987 home videos is that, even with Jim & Tammy gone, the park was still trying to make some sort of attempt at normalcy, such as hanging the red, white & blue flags for the July 4th holiday, having all the trees lit up in Main Street, operating the water park, and having the transportation modes still operating (trams, train & vans). Yet, sadly, little by little, and one by one, every single one of these amenities was eliminated as the funds dried up with the park as a whole.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

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

[jonfromncl]

This is absolutely brilliant. Amazing to see Heritage USA as it was, even though it was probably a shadow of it's former self. Please share more Heritage USA/PTL memories u have!!

[CincinnatiGifts]

@jonfromncl- I've uploaded a majority of what I have. I tried to condense my home videos and remove segments that were pretty much repetition. I have uploaded somewhere around 60 vids, all relating to HUSA, dating from 1987, 1988, and even 2009 and 2010. I am hopeful that others might digitize and upload their home vids as well.

[gregzintx]

You deserve an award for this, This is so amazing, and your editing, and the vid, is actualy great in apperance - I wish I had that knowledge-

Again I appreciate these memories so much,

Greg

[CincinnatiGifts]

You're quite welcome. I know there have to be other people who have videos of Heritage USA, whether they be from the 80's, 90's, or even the remnants of the park from 2000 and beyond.

I wish I could see some videos of what the place looked like in the early 80's. My first visit to Heritage USA was in July 1982 and then I don't remember there being anything on the opposite side of the lake. Everthing I remember was between the general store and the broadcast barn- nothing else was there.

[cheeriosinabowl]

Interesting videos! The beginning of the end for Heritage USA. These videos are almost historic.

After these vids were shot, I guess the whole place just went downhill gradually, bit by bit. Such a shame, a scandal, when you consider what went on behind the scenes.

Nevertheless, the place did have great potential to continue looking fabulous to this day. It was not meant to be. Humans are stupid, greedy, wasteful and combative. PTL proved that.

[IvanUstas]

GooD.

[TheLizardKing1967]

Walt Disney would have been proud.... LOL

[JenLC262]

I had no idea there was a pool inside the hotel.

[ThoughtTraveler]

The water at 03:48 is almost hypnotic.

There was NO other hotel in the USA like this one. Everything was done top notch.

[gregzintx]

oh sure, like I wonder why no one has ever uploaded the past HERITAGE CHURCH, prior to locating to the land and starting te Barn- .I often wonder what becomes of those places, If you remember it was colonial and looked like a Mansion- it was located in Charlotte I think, A trip like this would be fun, the Carolinas are beautiful-