In an inspirational episode of Amazing Places, host Tom Scott visited the California desert town of Slab City, to find out the story behind Salvation Mountain, a colorful memorial to one man’s devotion. In the 1990s, Leonard Knight was looking for a way to demonstrate his faith and somehow came up with the idea of building a mountain out of paint. According to the Salvation Mountain site, Knight had planned to leave a small memorial and leave town, but it just kept on growing and growing until it became what he envisioned.
Near Slab City, California, a man painted a hill. It was outsider art: Leonard Knight had no training and no great masters to imitate. But somehow, he created something that resonates with the world. This is the story of Salvation Mountain.