The Precious Moments Park in Carthage is home to what many consider to be the Sistine Chapel of the United States. With more than 9000 square feet of biblical artwork painted on its walls, the Precious Moments Chapel is considered to be the centerpiece of the park. It was built by Samuel J. Butcher, the father of Precious Moments, in 1989.
Mr. Butcher says he was inspired by the Sistine Chapel to build a work of hope, love and inspiration in Carthage. The Chapel remains a very inspiring architectural work, touching even those who have no taste for Precious Moments' style of drawing. Yet the Chapel was but one piece of a larger set in Mr. Butchers dream of a large and moving park. There was a museum of Butchers work as an illustrator, a Wedding Island, an RV Park, and the Fountain of Angels.
The Fountain of Angels operated from 1989 to 2007, when Precious Moments International had to scale back many of the features of the Park due to financial issues. It had been a bronze fountain of Precious Moment's Angels that shot water as high as 80 feet into the air and danced it about to lights and music. The twice daily shows were deemed too expensive to continue.
Currently, the biggest draw to the park remains the Chapel, and there are now few other things to compete with it save a museum to Mr. Butcher's work. However, the financial changes do make it possible for the Precious Moments Park and the Chapel to be free to the public. There are winter and summer hours for the park, with winter hours generally about half of the summer hours offerings. The Park is open every day except Christmas, Easter, New Years and Thanksgiving.
Sorry, no photo on stock - PM Stuff is so protectively branded there was no hope.
