Have you ever heard of the Heritage USA Theme Park? This theme park and water park in Fort Mill, South Carolina was massive in its heyday. The Christian theme park once spanned over 2,300 acres and included everything from a water park and Main Street USA to a chapel, an ice skating rink, an amphitheater, and even a campground. It would eventually become yet another abandoned place in South Carolina, sitting in plain view and hauntingly beautiful. Ever found yourself wondering "What happened to Heritage USA?" The answer is that the town of Fort Mill grew up around what was once a thriving theme park. There are now new developments in this area, and Heritage USA Theme Park is no more.

Heritage USA Theme Park was an epic attraction that opened its doors in 1978. Less than a decade later, the annual attendance had exploded to a whopping six million visitors per year.

The park was opened by famed televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, who had high hopes for the theme park, comparing it to a Christian Disneyland.

The pair even filmed their program, The PTL Club, on-site at Heritage USA's television studio.

You can find photos of Heritage USA all over the internet. Here's one from 1988 of a Heritage USA theatrical performance of the Passion Play. A year later, the park would close due to financial issues.

Jim Bakker was involved in several financial scandals, and some parts of the park were damaged by Hurricane Hugo. Between the storm and the scandals, there was no hope for the park's survival.

At Heritage USA today, there are still a few remnants of this once-thriving Christian theme park in South Carolina. Much of the land, though, has been purchased. Buildings have been demolished and repurposed, and attractions are now gone.

What was once the Heritage USA Theme Park's water park area is now a subdivision tucked away by the famed Heritage Lake. If you look closely, you still might see the occasional sign that a theme park was once here.

The former Heritage USA is a favorite spot amongst urban explorers. It's not difficult to find "before" photos to pair with "after" shots from today.

Some remains here are an eerie reminder of the family-centered activities that could be found at Heritage USA Theme Park.

Heritage USA today continues its descent into oblivion. It's sad to see the decay that is taking place where this park stood. This was a place that brought joy to families from all over the world.

The owners of Heritage USA had high hopes of turning a skyscraper into condos that were owned by frequent guests. All those plans fell by the wayside when the park closed. The building that once stood here was rebuilt and now functions as a hotel, conference center, and private condominiums. The hotel's atrium serves as a church for a local congregation.

Across the street is the former theme park's chapel. When the park was open, this was known as the "Upper Room."

As you can see, it's a grand building. It sat dormant for years before being purchased and restored by a Christian music promoter.

Now called "Upper Room Chapel," it's open again, serving as a beautiful and useful facility again for prayer and worship.

Driving around the area that used to be Heritage USA seems to yield all sorts of probable park ruins to gawk at. This rock wall may have been part of the park, but who knows? It left a big impression, with many still wondering "What happened to Heritage USA?"

Even further down Regent Parkway from the Upper Room Chapel, you'll find this infamous pyramid that was frequently in the news at the time of the park's closing. The pyramid building is still standing today and is used as an office building.

Check out this fascinating video from ABC News that shows both Heritage USA today and at its peak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmJJij0wpP8

It's such a strange feeling to drive around this area and see all the new growth springing up. Development is great, but this was once a Christian theme park in South Carolina that brought so much joy to so many families. Did you ever visit Heritage USA Theme Park? Share your experiences in the comments!

There are lots of intriguing historic sites and abandoned places in SC. If you love exploring ruins, you'll love seeing the photos of this abandoned plantation in the Palmetto State. And if you're up for an epic tour de force of all things abandoned in South Carolina, definitely check out this road trip we put together.