Thunder rumbled overhead, immediately drowned out by the growl of a four-wheeler crashing through the Alabama backwoods. Kent Hovind roared into view atop an ATV, taking the rutted dirt path down the hill and cruising to a stop in front of the welcome center.
He grinned and hopped off.
“We have constant chaos here,” he announced. “I’ll tell you the whole story.”
His yellow safari shirt bore a Dinosaur Adventure Land patch (motto: “Where God gets glory for His creation”) similar to the logo on the welcome center behind him. His life’s work is to prove the Bible is true and scientifically accurate, and that evolution is “the dumbest religion in the history of the world.”
The 65-year-old Baptist preacher and YouTube star is new to Alabama.
He’ll tell you, more than once, that he spent 15 years teaching high school math and science. He doesn’t mind admitting he spent nine years in federal prison, though he disputes the charges, which included structuring bank withdrawals and failing to file tax returns.
He opened Dinosaur Adventure Land a few months ago in Lenox, Ala., population 37. It’s located on a red dirt road deep in Conecuh County, less than two hours from the Florida state line.
It’s part science center, part campground, part four-wheeler park, part evangelical church. You enter at your own risk because there’s no liability insurance. Everyone is welcome, and admission is free. They do Baptisms in the pond.