Heritage USA

[MonkeyWrench]

Heritage USA was a Christian theme Park located in Fort Mill South Carolina. It was owned and operated by the PTL (Jim and Tammy Baker). The park closed due the Jim Baker’s financial and legal troubles. For more details and pictures you can go to this link: http://sbno.illicitohio.com/heritage/heritage01.html

A group is working on restoring the hotel/shop/ball room complex. Other than this, the infamous unfinished high rise, Tram Stop/Waterpark Entrance and Kings Castle are all that I found standing. I started this thread to see if anyone else out there has some pictures or a story they would like to share about Heritage USA. If you do please feel free to add them to this thread. I would really like to see some pictures of it back in the day.

[OBie]

I have no pictures - but was been there several times back when it was in its heyday. Enjoyed the water park (not sure if any vestiges of that are left), and the indoor mall was very cool. The Christmas light display was also pretty impressive.

Apparently the hotel, which was half-finished, is crumbling. There was a picture in the paper the other day where brick facing was falling off.

[another view]

Haven't been there but it must be pretty eerie walking around a place that big that's abandoned. Great possibilities for photography!

[mpreece]

It's hard to believe someone didn't take this place over and turn it into a theme park.It was a wonderful idea but money and lust got in the way.

[MonkeyWrench]

There was nothing left of the water park. This sunrise shot is over what would of been part of it. I am still rooting through my files, but I have a few more shots I'll post when I find them. They are on the laptop I took on my trip. Yes it was kinda eerie walking around. I went there twice once in the morning and late afternoon. Thanks for posting.

[MonkeyWrench]

Two more pics.

[Jaedon]

That shot with the Castle reflecting on teh water is really nice. Do you have any similar where it is the main focus of the shot? That looks like an amazinf subject for me. I love castles and probably would have returned to it over and over throughout the day to get all teh angles and lighting possible in a single day....but thats just me.

I would love to go there one day before someone ruins it with Graffiti or the wrecking ball gets started as usually happens to places like this.

[Old Timer]

I attended a weekend business meeting there several years ago. It was very nice at that time.

[MonkeyWrench]

That shot with the Castle reflecting on teh water is really nice. Do you have any similar where it is the main focus of the shot? That looks like an amazinf subject for me. I love castles and probably would have returned to it over and over throughout the day to get all teh angles and lighting possible in a single day....but thats just me.

I would love to go there one day before someone ruins it with Graffiti or the wrecking ball gets started as usually happens to places like this.

I do have some more shots of the Castle. In fact it was the reason that I went there in the first place. Unfortunately it is also in the most disrepair. I am going through my pics and cleaning them up with some help from my 13 year old son (he's the PS guru), and will post tomorrow. The first three pictures I posted are the best. I have one more good one of the castle with its reflection. The rest are less flattering.

[MonkeyWrench]

That shot with the Castle reflecting on teh water is really nice. Do you have any similar where it is the main focus of the shot? That looks like an amazinf subject for me. I love castles and probably would have returned to it over and over throughout the day to get all teh angles and lighting possible in a single day....but thats just me.

I would love to go there one day before someone ruins it with Graffiti or the wrecking ball gets started as usually happens to places like this.

This is the best shot I have of the castle with its reflection. You can crop out the reflection and get a pretty nice pic to.

[MonkeyWrench]

More Castle Pictures.

[MonkeyWrench]

I have no pictures - but was been there several times back when it was in its heyday. Enjoyed the water park (not sure if any vestiges of that are left), and the indoor mall was very cool. The Christmas light display was also pretty impressive.

Apparently the hotel, which was half-finished, is crumbling. There was a picture in the paper the other day where brick facing was falling off.

Here is a close up of an area of the wall of the high-rise.

[another view]

Looks to me like concrete block construction with a brick veneer - but an unfinished wall. I don't see anything wrong there, but being unfinished maybe water got into a spot that it shouldn't have been. Twenty years of a little bit here, a little bit there, can do a lot of damage.

[crsc]

Hello - nice forum here. I just stumbled on this post while surfing for info on Heritage USA- what a small world! I live about five miles from this place and have always been fascinated by it. Nice pics MonkeyWrench - I'm curious to know if anyone from Morningstar Ministries approached you while you were there with your camera. I would like to walk around there and get some good shots but I'm always concerned with security. Here are a couple of the tower from 1/1/07 while I was out riding around.

[MonkeyWrench]

Thanks crsc.

I was there early morning and late afternoon. The few people that were around didn't pay me much mind. I hope you can make it there and post some more pictures. Thanks for your post and the additional pictures of the tower. Hopefully some more people will find this and post their pictures. I was surprised you found this surfing the net. I Googled it and found it to. It is a small world..

[eveillez]

I wondered what is exist there and then now? I've come to heard about this old castle, camp ground, upper room, broadcasting TV staion...etc.

Are they still active? Does anybody knows about this place? Please, help me.

Because, I'm sort of looking for Christian Retreat & Resort area for whole family
next summer vacation.


If anyone can give me some input I'll be greatly appreciate for your info.

Thanks.