{
  "slug": "holy-land-usa-waterbury",
  "title": "Holy Land USA: Waterbury’s Hilltop Landmark",
  "towns": [
    "Waterbury"
  ],
  "counties": [
    "New Haven"
  ],
  "dateRange": "1956–1986, with later views through 2022",
  "topic": "Faith & community",
  "summary": "Explore John Greco’s miniature biblical landscape on Pine Hill, its closure and restoration, through an early-1960s photographic postcard and clearly dated later photographs.",
  "history": [
    {
      "heading": "A biblical landscape above Waterbury",
      "text": "Local attorney John Baptist Greco developed Holy Land USA on Pine Hill, turning a Waterbury hillside into a place for Christian storytelling and reflection. CTHumanities dates the project’s beginning to 1956; the organization’s own website dates its public opening to 1958. Those dates describe different stages of its development. The early-1960s photographic postcard in this collection records the attraction during its original era.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-official",
        "holy-land-opening",
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "A miniature world built by hand",
      "text": "Greco’s biblical landscape included miniature interpretations of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The SPACES preservation archive documents an environment assembled from concrete, lumber, scrap metal, plastic, wire, purchased statues and discarded mannequins. These varied materials were part of its character. The dated 2012 photographs reveal small buildings, arches and religious imagery after years of exposure; they are records of surviving features, not photographs of the attraction at its mid-century peak.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-spaces"
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "Closure and the effort to preserve it",
      "text": "Holy Land closed in 1984 as Greco’s health declined. After his death in 1986, the property passed to the Religious Teachers Filippini, and weather and vandalism continued to damage the site. Preservation efforts have a documentary history of their own: SPACES lists correspondence, petitions and other material from the late 1980s. Its linked photo archive preserves views made by Seymour Rosen in 1985 and Robert Foster in 1989.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth",
        "holy-land-spaces"
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "New crosses and a return to public life",
      "text": "The landmark’s cross changed over time. The official history records a steel replacement in 2008 and a color-changing LED cross in 2013. Neil O’Leary and Fred Blasius purchased the property in 2013, and Holy Land reopened in September 2014 while restoration continued. The 2011 and 2022 photographs belong to this later history. They document particular moments and should not be read as a current condition report.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-official",
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "timeline": [
    {
      "date": "1956",
      "event": "CTHumanities dates the beginning of Greco’s Holy Land project to this year.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1958",
      "event": "The official Holy Land organization dates the attraction’s first public opening to this year.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-opening"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1984",
      "event": "Greco closes the attraction.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1985–1989",
      "event": "Photographs and preservation correspondence now held by SPACES document the site and efforts to save it.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-spaces"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1986",
      "event": "Greco dies; the Religious Teachers Filippini inherit the property.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2008",
      "event": "A steel cross replaces the previous cross, according to the official history.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-official"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2013",
      "event": "O’Leary and Blasius purchase the property; a new LED cross becomes part of its renewal.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth",
        "holy-land-official"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "September 2014",
      "event": "Holy Land reopens while restoration work continues.",
      "source_ids": [
        "holy-land-cth"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "holy-land-official",
      "title": "Holy Land USA — official history",
      "url": "https://www.holylandwaterbury.org/about"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-opening",
      "title": "Holy Land USA — official site and opening date",
      "url": "https://www.holylandwaterbury.org/"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-cth",
      "title": "CTHumanities: Waterbury’s Holy Land",
      "url": "https://connecticuthistory.org/waterburys-holy-land/"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-spaces",
      "title": "SPACES Archives: Holy Land USA, John Greco",
      "url": "https://www.spacesarchives.org/explore/search-the-online-collection/john-greco-holyland-usa/"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-spaces-rights",
      "title": "SPACES Archives: rights and reproductions",
      "url": "https://www.spacesarchives.org/resources/rights-and-reproductions/"
    }
  ],
  "images": [
    {
      "id": "holy-land-postcard-1960s",
      "image": "/county-images/bd400503e131059275e836ba6dfbf8ee03b9dc722c5ff07b4821089e85001f0b.jpg",
      "title": "Holy Land USA photographic postcard — early 1960s",
      "alt": "A color photographic postcard shows the Holy Land USA hillside sign, cross and miniature buildings.",
      "date": "Early 1960s",
      "credit": "Unknown photographer / Wikimedia Commons",
      "creator": "Unknown",
      "source": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_Land_postcard.jpg",
      "rights": "Public domain in the United States because copyright was not renewed, according to the Wikimedia Commons file record. Reproduced without alteration.",
      "license": "Public domain — US copyright not renewed",
      "licenseUrl": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-US-not_renewed",
      "kind": "postcard",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "Postcard of the sign and cross at Holy Land USA",
      "width": 450,
      "height": 285,
      "originalImage": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Holy_Land_postcard.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905552561",
      "image": "/county-images/72282d9a007302d215c30f7d33ec9a18dbf8af85385a32c1f1a192f30741b326.jpg",
      "title": "The Jerusalem entrance arch — 2012",
      "alt": "A stone entrance arch marked Jerusalem, with leafless trees and overgrowth beyond it.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905552561/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1189",
      "width": 1023,
      "height": 612,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7046/6905552561_704317c582_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905553099",
      "image": "/county-images/d55ccffe471e15039d8b92ef1edac8a16cdb616b38d3fdf0479596ba36a61778.jpg",
      "title": "Herod’s Palace miniature — 2012",
      "alt": "A weathered red-and-white miniature building labeled Herod’s Palace, with other models on the hillside behind it.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905553099/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1190",
      "width": 612,
      "height": 1023,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7041/6905553099_2fc99d9c7e_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905553499",
      "image": "/county-images/4df84335b7ce86597dd91fd805b67808226af0049049c2041fc79fde10dcfe73.jpg",
      "title": "Miniature buildings above a gated opening — 2012",
      "alt": "Small buildings cover a rocky slope above a dark gated opening at Holy Land USA.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905553499/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1191",
      "width": 612,
      "height": 1023,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7179/6905553499_a45c6baff5_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905554033",
      "image": "/county-images/41141e406312fb5cb1640649435801517d7fe89072457da28e20c60544571885.jpg",
      "title": "Three crosses on the hillside — 2012",
      "alt": "Three crosses stand above a rocky hillside under blue sky at Holy Land USA.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905554033/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1192",
      "width": 1023,
      "height": 612,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7056/6905554033_14bcb48b26_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905554421",
      "image": "/county-images/749cfb96216db95c7ecb0d2a6b9b72132f72c7cca581627eb7681321163eb4f5.jpg",
      "title": "A weathered religious relief — 2012",
      "alt": "A painted relief of figures seated at a long table beneath a worn wall at Holy Land USA.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905554421/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1193",
      "width": 1023,
      "height": 612,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7057/6905554421_e8cd4027b2_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905554847",
      "image": "/county-images/bc82bae1b6e6ae186b85a194813a7098a5bcab0e63cc934cb29926d6bd2d308b.jpg",
      "title": "The miniature village before restoration — 2012",
      "alt": "Damaged model buildings, roof sections and other fragments at Holy Land USA in February 2012.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905554847/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1195",
      "width": 1023,
      "height": 612,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7047/6905554847_4706e07354_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-6905556269",
      "image": "/county-images/dd27db9c920290dbf47acd7b406d125de9dae4182638f831737a698837b2b15c.jpg",
      "title": "A tall entrance gateway — 2012",
      "alt": "A brick-colored gateway with a small Holy Land sign and a metal gate beneath its arch.",
      "date": "February 19, 2012",
      "credit": "Matthew Filipowicz / Flickr",
      "creator": "Matthew Filipowicz",
      "source": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/21829542@N07/6905556269/",
      "rights": "CC BY 2.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY 2.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "IMAG1199",
      "width": 612,
      "height": 1023,
      "originalImage": "https://live.staticflickr.com/7199/6905556269_02ea60e717_b.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-cross-2011",
      "image": "/county-images/8409a5b2f427fbe1388892e70b2600b0915a9dbfd0937b4530d0af40c8813e16.jpg",
      "title": "The stainless-steel cross — 2011",
      "alt": "The pale steel cross rises above trees on Pine Hill, photographed in 2011.",
      "date": "May 26, 2011",
      "credit": "GrammarFascist / Wikimedia Commons",
      "creator": "GrammarFascist",
      "source": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_Land_USA_stainless_steel_cross.jpg",
      "rights": "CC BY-SA 4.0. Source image reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "Holy Land USA stainless steel cross",
      "width": 847,
      "height": 1018,
      "originalImage": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Holy_Land_USA_stainless_steel_cross.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "holy-land-hill-2022",
      "image": "/county-images/aec4d6a17c7f81aa76f3df1e29b48a0daef564126311c2136ceaf90a1fe4c9a6.jpg",
      "title": "Miniature buildings on Pine Hill — 2022",
      "alt": "White miniature buildings stand on a rocky, brush-covered hillside beneath clear blue sky, photographed in December 2022.",
      "date": "December 20, 2022",
      "credit": "Cc3339 / Wikimedia Commons",
      "creator": "Cc3339",
      "source": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_of_Holy_Land,_USA.jpg",
      "rights": "CC BY-SA 4.0. Source-provided web-size JPEG reproduced without alteration; credit the photographer and link the license.",
      "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
      "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": true,
      "originalCaption": "Picture of a hill at Holy Land in Waterbury, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/View_of_Holy_Land%2C_USA.jpg/960px-View_of_Holy_Land%2C_USA.jpg",
      "width": 960,
      "height": 1280
    }
  ],
  "externalPhotoSources": [
    {
      "title": "Holy Land in 1985 and 1989 — SPACES photo archive",
      "date": "1985 and 1989",
      "url": "https://www.spacesarchives.org/explore/search-the-online-collection/john-greco-holyland-usa/",
      "description": "Explore 10 photographs by Seymour Rosen from 1985 and 13 by Robert Foster from 1989 in the preservation archive’s viewer. These early post-closure views add context to the later gallery here.",
      "credit": "Seymour Rosen / SPACES; Robert Foster / SPACES",
      "rights": "Seymour Rosen photographs © SPACES; Robert Foster photographs displayed by SPACES with his permission. External viewing only here; no general republication license was found.",
      "kind": "collection"
    }
  ]
}