Retired repairman's wind sculptures helped generate $5.3m in regional sales
The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in North Carolina has become a significant economic driver for Wilson County, generating millions in regional sales. The park preserves the kinetic folk art sculptures created by the late Vollis Simpson, transforming a private hobby into a successful public-private tourism initiative.
Why it matters
It demonstrates how public investment in local arts and culture can serve as a catalyst for regional economic revitalization.
Vollis Simpson spent much of his life repairing farm machinery in Wilson County, North Carolina. After retiring, he began building huge wind-powered sculptures on his farm using discarded materials. What started as a hobby soon grew into a collection that drew visitors from across the country.Simpson, a self-taught folk artist, began building the monumental kinetic sculptures in his 60s. According to the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum, he used salvaged road signs, bicycle parts and scrap metal to create towering structures that moved with the wind. The works later became recognised as examples of American Folk Art.The sculptures first stood on Simpson’s farm in Lucama, about 11 miles outside Wilson. As word spread, especially after the rise of the internet, visitors began travelling to see them.
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