Holy Land USA facts for kids
Holy Land USA sign and cross in 1960
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| Location | Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 41°32′49″N 73°01′48″W / 41.547°N 73.030°W |
| Opened | 1955 |
| Closed | 1984 |
Holy Land USA is a special 18-acre park in Waterbury, Connecticut. It was designed to look like places from the Bible. You could find a chapel, Stations of the Cross, and copies of ancient catacombs and villages from Israel. These were built using simple materials like cinder blocks and even old bathtubs!
The park closed in 1984 and sadly, some parts were damaged. But on September 14, 2014, the park opened again for the first time in 30 years. People gathered for a special Mass and could visit the grounds. Today, the area is open to everyone during the daytime.
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How Holy Land USA Began
Holy Land USA was the idea of John Baptist Greco. He was a lawyer from Waterbury, Connecticut. Greco was a Roman Catholic. He started a group of volunteers called Companions of Christ. Their goal was to build a place that looked like Bethlehem and Jerusalem from Bible times.
Construction started in 1955. Bob Chinn, who worked on the grounds, shared Greco's vision in a 2001 interview. He said Greco was a very spiritual person. Greco wanted to create this place for everyone in the community. He believed that no one should be separated, no matter their background. He wanted a peaceful place for all people.
What You Could See at the Park
The park had many interesting attractions. There was a copy of the Garden of Eden. You could also see a scene showing Daniel in the lions' den. There were many displays about the life and teachings of Jesus.
The most important part of the park was a 56-foot tall cross. There was also a bright sign that said "Holy Land USA."
Peak Years and Closure
During its busiest times in the 1960s and 1970s, Holy Land USA welcomed over 40,000 visitors each year. John Greco closed Holy Land USA in 1984. He planned to make the park even better and bigger. However, he passed away in 1986, and the work was never finished. The property was then given to the Filippini Sisters.
After the Park Closed
After Holy Land USA closed, it started to fall apart. Even though it wasn't open to the public, many people were still interested in it. In 2002, the local tourism office received over 150 calls a year asking for directions to the site. Some websites even mentioned it as a unique place to visit. They warned people to be careful if they explored it. Many of the attractions and statues at the park were damaged or broken.
There was a lot of talk about what should happen to the park. Some people thought it should be saved as a special kind of art. There were many attempts to fix the park, but they didn't work out. One attempt involved the Knights of Columbus in 2000.
The Filippini Sisters, who owned the park, were sometimes criticized for not letting volunteers help. But others supported them, saying they were good caretakers of the park, even though they got it unexpectedly. The Sisters held weekly prayer meetings at the site.
Restoration Efforts While Closed
Even though the park wasn't fully restored, some projects happened while it was closed. In 1997, a group of Boy Scouts fixed the illuminated "Holy Land USA" sign. They did this as a community service project.
In 2008, the original 56-foot cross was replaced. A new 50-foot stainless steel cross was put up. A special ceremony was held to dedicate it, led by Archbishop Henry J. Mansell.
Because the community wanted it, a new LED lighted cross was installed in 2013. This new cross was paid for by donations from the community. Local construction companies helped with the work for free. It is a steel structure that stands 65 feet high and 26 feet wide. The modern LED lighting system can even change the cross's color based on the Liturgical colors used in the Roman Catholic Church.
On August 11, 2018, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair of the Archdiocese of Hartford held a Mass at the park. This Mass honored Father Michael McGivney. He was the founder of the Knights of Columbus and is being considered for sainthood.
The Park's Revival
On June 20, 2013, Mayor Neil O'Leary and car dealer Fred "Fritz" Blasius bought Holy Land from the Filippini Sisters. They paid $350,000 for it. They announced a plan to clean up and bring the site back to life. This was going to be a community effort.
Part of the plan was to put a new, larger lighted cross on the property. On December 22, 2013, the new cross was lit up. Since the cross was revived, the land, which was once overgrown with trees and bushes, has been cleared. Smaller projects have also started to fix up different parts of the property.
