Heritage, USA in Fort Mill, SC
Photo by Zakk White
These three photographs are of the former Heritage USA Hotel and Waterpark in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Heritage USA was a resort complex founded by televangelist Jim Bakker in the 1980s. (Douglas 2013) He broadcasted his Sunday show from the complex and had a popular waterpark on the grounds, where a famous photo of fellow Evangelist Jerry Falwell was taken going down a waterslide in a regal pose. Bakker was in the process of completing the resort hotel when he was busted for over-selling timeshares and his empire faded away. The waterpark was eventually demolished and construction was halted on the hotel. All that remains now is the hotel and a castle from the waterpark.
I have visited this area many times because it is fascinating and surreal in its decay and abandonment. I thought that the site would be perfect for this project because "The Road" describes an American landscape devoid of life and meaning and this is some of the feeling that I get from walking around the "ruins" at Heritage. When I was young, I remember riding through the area during Christmas and it was covered in lights and decorations and I can remember the gigantic man-made mountain of the waterpark in the dark. It was soon after torn down. When I was older, my friends and I would go to the park at night and snoop around and take picture (no other illegal activities though!). The area was still pretty abandoned then except for a small camper lot. Now, the old church building was bought by another denomination and there are multiple suburban homes being built and the area is coming back to life. But the hotel still stands as a reminder of more prosperous, hopeful, and naive times. Also, I had no idea when I was taking the pictures, but the day after I took them, the new owners started demolishing the castle.
I have visited this area many times because it is fascinating and surreal in its decay and abandonment. I thought that the site would be perfect for this project because "The Road" describes an American landscape devoid of life and meaning and this is some of the feeling that I get from walking around the "ruins" at Heritage. When I was young, I remember riding through the area during Christmas and it was covered in lights and decorations and I can remember the gigantic man-made mountain of the waterpark in the dark. It was soon after torn down. When I was older, my friends and I would go to the park at night and snoop around and take picture (no other illegal activities though!). The area was still pretty abandoned then except for a small camper lot. Now, the old church building was bought by another denomination and there are multiple suburban homes being built and the area is coming back to life. But the hotel still stands as a reminder of more prosperous, hopeful, and naive times. Also, I had no idea when I was taking the pictures, but the day after I took them, the new owners started demolishing the castle.