(whimsical music) - It's incredible.

When you stop and actually look at each one and you go back, you're finding more and more details.

I just had to come and see it.

- I've seen people just come up and just take pictures and stare at 'em for hours.

- [Carol] We're downtown Wilson at the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum.

- [Kimberly] It is a home for Vollis' 30 kinetic whirligigs, which are just amazing sculptures.

(whirligigs rattling) - You can spend hours here and not see all the full details of each of these whirligigs.

They're just absolutely incredible.

- They're whimsical, they're happy, they're fun.

(slide projector clicks) My dad was a very hard worker who came up in Wilson County.

(slide projector clicks) - The end of the week he wanted to go to a metal scrap yard, and he would walk along and he'd say, "Pick me up one of those.

Pick me up two of these."

And he'd throw it in a pile, and it would eventually find its way up onto a windmill just spinnin' in the wind.

- He used his creative side to use the things he had to enjoy.

- [Mike] He meticulously cared for it, greasing it and prepping it, touching up paint and stuff like this.

(slide projector clicking) (nostalgic music) - Young people in town would go out to his farm at night.

but he would cut up old highway signs which shined, you know, when your headlights went on 'em.

And I mean, when the wind was blowing, I mean, it was just a kaleidoscope of colors.

- [Mike] In advanced age up around 90, he was unable to climb ladders and stuff, and it was gradually deteriorating.

- And there was a group that realized we needed to save the whirligigs, and that if we were able to purchase the whirligigs from the Simpson family and restore them or conserve them and put 'em in a public park in downtown Wilson, they could become a vehicle to drive development in the downtown area.

(slide projector clicking) (whimsical music) - Some of 'em were easy.

They just lifted off with a lift, and we made a stand to put 'em on on a trailer to come back.

Some of 'em 27-feet wide, didn't go on anything very well.

And some of 'em had to be taken apart.

Some of 'em was in very bad condition.

We had some that we had to completely redo.

- In the renovation process, he was in awe of the newer materials used to renovate the whirligigs.

As he got older, I think he understood the concept that they could also take a new life in Wilson.

(slide projector clicks) (whimsical music) - The park has truly, truly been a catalyst for the redevelopment of historic downtown Wilson.

We have seen properties around downtown being purchased, renovated, businesses opening up in these properties, residential units being created in these properties, most of which were completely boarded up and unused before the park.

(upbeat music) (whirligigs clattering) - [Kenneth] I think it gives people a reason to come to Wilson.

- [Kimberly] We have all sorts of concerts and theater events.

Things are happening in this park all the time that are programmed by the non-profit.

- As he neared the end of his life, I think he really captured the idea that he had been doin' something super creative and that others enjoyed it.

And I think as he went to his glory, he understood that other people considered him an artist.

- [Beth] For me, art is a gift, and it's a gift that needs to be shared.

Bring the kids, bring the family.

It's just a beautiful spot to take a moment and unwind and unplug and enjoy it.