CONNECTICUT

Prudence Crandall Mus.
Frogs of Willimantic
Windham Textile Museum
Niantic Book Barn
Gillette Castle
Knights of Columbus Mus.
Bristol Clock Museum
Boothe Park
Stew Leonard's
Barnum Museum
Lockwood-Mathews Man.
Easter Island Statue
Holyland USA
Giant Sperm Whale
Mark Twain House
State Capital
Harriet B. Stowe's House
Menczer Mus. of Medicine
Mus.of Amer. Political Life
O. Ellsworth Homestead

Holyland USA

(Waterbury, CT)

**TOP PICK OF OUR CONNECTICUT ROADTRIP**

Excerpts from Beth:
"What is your name?" We are the Roadchix!!

"What is your quest?" Holyland USA!!!!

A true quest, Holyland USA was a quirky find on our favorite Roadside America. We had very little information except that it was 1) in Waterbury 2) UP on a hill and 3) There were small signs to help direct us.

One pass through on the main thoroughfare yielded nothing, so we paused at a parking lot/info station to get our bearings. As if we'd heard a cry from heaven, we looked up and saw a fraction of a giant white cross poking over a hilltop. That must be it!! It was the cross that was highlighted in the web tip we'd found. Illuminated at night and visible for miles, it was the reason
that the children of Waterbury, CT believed that Jesus was electrocuted on the cross.

So we had one point of reference, but still needed to FIND Holyland USA. So up we drove. . . any time we came to an intersection, we chose the direction that would take us UP. Higher and higher, and finally, a tiny, rusted sign simply
reading "Holyland" with an arrow. . . and then another. . . and then another. . . and finally, we arrived in front of a chipped plaster archway with a locked chain link gate. . . our Mecca!

Holyland USA was the brainchild of John Greco in the early 1950's when he received a "message from God." It was blessed with thousands of tourists each year in the 1960's and 1970's who came to see the various plaster and tin dioramas and models depicting the Holy Land.

Officially closed since 1984, the Roadchix were 20 years too late to view its splendor and visit the gift shop. The local nuns who own the place do not maintain the attraction, but were kind enough to leave an opening in the gate between the "no trespassing" signs. How sweet of them. No climbing required.

We scoped out Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Herod's Tomb and other thrilling sites. Admittedly, the headless plaster donkey was a tad creepy, and the hounds that began to bark upon realizing our presence.

We retraced our steps to the car and somehow made it off the mountain. We highly recommend a pilgrimage to Holyland for the seasoned road-tripper. Just make sure you can run faster than a nun.