Remember Jim and Tammy Fay Baker?

I took my new 20D out for a test run this evening. It was the perfect excuse to check out North Carolina's biggest ghost town, Heritage USA. Heritage USA was built in the '80s by Jim and Tammy Baker's PTL ministry. At its high point, heritage USA drew 6 million visitors per season. The park was closed and abandoned when PTL's tax exempt status was taken away.

There used to be a lot more Ghost Town areas to photograph in Heritage USA, but recently a couple groups have started restoring some of the structures. Also, some of the park is getting tured into subdivisions. I was running out of daylight and these were the best I could come up with.

I'm not sure how this castle played into the religious theme of the park, but here it is..

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Thanks for sharing these shots. They have an impact, but I can find the word to describe it. It is sad. Millions of dollars a year spent by visitors, people no longer have jobs to work there. Kids may have dreamed to go there, and now it is empty. What was once a beautiful hotel is not empty with broken window. Good job on telling a stroy. Mike

Excellent photo-essay, Dave. I see the 20D has arrived, and you are already getting you normal outstanding results. Good luck with it.