Leonard Knight was on his way to the west coast in the mid-1980s when his van broke down on Interstate 80 near Shelton. He intended to stay for four hours, but his impromptu visit lasted four years. Members of the rural community adopted the soft-spoken man and helped him realize his dream of sewing a multi-colored hot air balloon to spread his message of faith. But, it would be in the California desert where Leonard Knight would spend 14 years of his life creating his visionary work known as Salvation Mountain.

Photo Gallery: Leonard Knight: Before Salvation Mountain