Retired repairman built wind-powered sculptures; his park now draws 194,300 visitors, $5.3 million
A retired North Carolina farm machinery repairman turned scrap metal into towering wind-powered sculptures, creating a collection that became a local attraction. After his 30 restored whirligigs were moved to downtown Wilson, the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park opened in 2017. The park has since become a cultural and economic draw, recording about 194,300 visitors in 2024 and generating an estimated $5.3 million in regional sales annually.
