As you long time readers know, I'm always intrigued by something I've never seen before. Just typing that sentence brings several things to mind such as the caribou wandering down the center of a highway in New Foundland seemingly unconcerned with the cars; or the sand sculpture competition in California; my first exposure to the Metropolitan Art Museum; or living across the street from tidal pools and a seal colony in Oregon. Eastern North Carolina has added another unique experience: A whirligig park.
Welcome to Wilson, North Carolina, home of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. The only whirligigs most of us are acquainted with are either pinwheels, windmills, or weathervanes. Vollis Simpson, a farmer, had a creative streak a mile wide. He started designing and building gigantic, complicated whirligigs. Unwittingly, he began the resurrection of his small town, Wilson, North Carolina.
In it's heyday, this town was filled with tobacco warehouses (only two are left standing today - one of which is the home to the Whirligig Museum). Brokers got rich being the middle men between the growers and the end users of the tobacco crop. Wilson was their headquarters and they built fancy houses. The town became extremely prosperous, and it was even electrified 1909. Finally, the growers decided to cut out these brokers and began dealing directly with the end use buyers (RJ Reynolds, for example). Wilson fell on hard times.
This town decided not to die, and using Vollis Simpson's whirligig creations as its downtown centerpiece, it began to revitalize. Restaurants and shops began to open. The beautiful Edwardian houses started being restored, and artists began moving to town. Tourists started arriving to see the whirligigs.
We deliberately chose a windy day, so we could see these contraptions MOVING. (Some of my pictures are videos that show the movement of the pieces.) Simpson was a genius at construction, and these devices were meant to be outside in all weathers. He often used reflective highway signage pieces. Thus, the whirligig park looks 'lit up' at night.
Pieces of reflective signage used in whirligig creations
The daytime version of 'the Big Star'
The night time version of 'the Big Star'
Wilson is also the home of the North Carolina Baseball Museum which is housed at Fleming Field, the college league baseball stadium. I was pretty amazed at the number of famous players who were originally from North Carolina. My favorite was Gaylord Perry, the famous 'spitball' pitcher, who I actually interviewed a few years ago during a Spring Training game in Arizona. This museum is run by a bunch of retired guys who contact players, coaches, and anybody else who will give them memorabilia. They have uniforms, gloves, autographed pictures, etc, etc, etc. The museum is staffed haphazardly by these same guys.
The one who was at the museum the day we visited followed us around telling the stories about the players he personally contacted or actually knew. This museum is a labor of love, and falls into the category of quirky museums I love to visit. Here I am with Babe Ruth followed by an example of one of their exhibits. (My face is still healing up from the tumble I took in NYC on Mother's Day.)
It's easy to see how much I enjoyed Wilson. Unique things to see, interesting architecture, and cool small museums lovingly created and staffed by locals. If you want to see more picture, click on the link.
