Whirligigs in Wilson

Coming soon to Wilson is a public park and outdoor museum where visitors can gather around the wind-powered sculptures, known as whirligigs, of world-renowned artist and engineer Vollis Simpson.

Project manager Juan Logan and 22 workers, many of them volunteers, are restoring each intricate piece of the whirligigs, ball bearings, textile mill rollers, HVAC fans and milkshake mixers to archival standards.

The two-acre finished park will feature a covered pavilion and sidewalk grids mimicking rows of tobacco laid out at auction. It will host a farmers market, educational programs and concerts. A water feature is also planned.

– Nancy Pardue, S&A Communications