Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 13, 1990 TAG: 9007140463
SECTION: SMITH MOUNTAIN TIMES PAGE: SMT-10 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: ELLIE SHAFFZIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The ground on which you stand is a gravel parking lot, and the place is Holy Land U.S.A. on Virginia 746 in Bedford County.
Holy Land, which doubles as a 300-acre nature sanctuary, reconstructs biblical sites from ancient Israel. But you can keep your shoes on, program coordinator Richard Dooley says. The sign should not be taken literally.
"We don't consider this ground more holy than anybody else's ground," Dooley said.
But Robert Johnson, the owner and founder of Holy Land, does consider it special. Johnson, 78, a retired grocery store owner, began to develop the land 18 years ago along with his son, Campbell. His son, who was 24 at the time, died suddenly after 10 days of work on the grounds. Johnson built the sites in memory of his son, who is buried in the "Mount of Olives" cemetery on the property.
Visitors to Holy Land U.S.A. can take walking or hayride tours through the grounds, with a guide or on their own. The 3-mile route traces the life of Jesus Christ and includes other Old and New Testament references as well.
Real sheep hide in the shade of a shepherd's cave and antique tools clutter the carpenter's hut, where a mural depicts Jesus at 12 years old. The River Jordan, a creek running through the property, runs into the man-made Sea of Galilee.
The green landscape does not resemble the Judean desert, and the Dead Sea is salt-free. But Johnson and company tried to evoke as much of ancient Israel as possible, and most sites are arranged in geographical or chronological order.
The quiet representation of the past comes alive when visitors dramatize the story of the Good Samaritan on an incline called the road to Jericho. Dooley says real baptisms have taken place in the Jordan River, and one couple rode a horsedrawn buggy to the Sea of Galilee for their wedding ceremony.
Sunrise Easter services are held each year at the cave designated as Christ's empty tomb, where a sign quotes "He has risen," and a fluorescent light illuminates the "tomb" from inside. Homemade concrete seats grace this spot, as well as others, by the dozen.
Holy Land is open to everyone, day and night, all year around. Groups can reserve overnight accommodations in one of several inns on the property, including the Noah's Ark Inn, whose deck resembles the front of a boat. More ambitious campers can rough it in an old log cabin, which Dooley says is one of the oldest in the state.
Accommodations and admission are free; groups are charged only for the cost of a guide's services and gas for the wagon ride. Holy Land relies on voluntary contributions from its guests.
Johnson estimates that 25,000 guests from across the country visit his creation each year. Dooley admits this may be an exaggeration, but he says hundreds of busloads schedule visits each year and many others arrive individually. Area residents also frequent the place, strolling through or cruising the dirt paths on bicycles and motorcycles. The gates are always open.
"Everybody wants to go to Israel, but it takes a whole lot of money. We can bring everybody in the U.S. here," Johnson said.
Johnson has made seven trips to Israel, and he plans to go back soon. "Seven is not enough. It would take 107 times to satisfy me," he said.
For the time being, Johnson can visit the nativity scene in a real manger he calls the "Bethlehem Barn." Donkeys lounge about the barn between giant color murals depicting various biblical scenes.
Johnson said he was working in the barn a few years back when a fellow worker said he had a vision.
"Did you know the USA was in the middle of Jerusalem?" the man asked. Johnson realized it was right there, and painted a new sign to show it: "JerUSAlem."
Johnson is proud to have put Jerusalem in the middle of the USA as well. Holy Land's Jerusalem is in an old apple brandy still that houses Pilate's judgment hall, a synagogue and a model of the ancient city. There is also a Temple Mount, built on a hill and complete with a multidenominational model, including the Dome of the Rock, the Ark of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments and the Virgin Mary's bathing pool.
Johnson wants to keep adding landmarks to the list, a project he calls "a powerful big undertaking." The land of Egypt awaits development, and Johnson would like to see more overnight facilities on the grounds.
"We wish we had 12 more arks. We'll build them one of these days, before I get to be an old man," he said.
But Johnson is pleased with what the land offers on its own. He has found several trees on the property that have split at the root, creating three trees in one. He calls them trinity trees. It is a miracle, he said, that these trees exist and that they are all situated right on the trail.
Another miracle, Johnson says, is a 500-year-old tree that sprouts both red and white oak leaves. He believes Holy Land U.S.A. is full of miracles that are yet undiscovered.
"Sometimes we're looking for big miracles, but there are little ones around us all the time," he said.
by CNB