Things To Do In Terre Wilson NC

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park/whirligig festival :You can’t miss the tall, bright, whirligigs towering over Historic Downtown Wilson. Some of the sculptures stand 50 feet tall. The colorful, dynamic, works of art twirl and move with the wind. Some act out scenes, like two farmers sawing wood, while others spin in multiple directions. The artist is Vollis Simpson, a farm machinery repairman. As he neared retirement, Simpson began making the whirligigs out of scrap metal and placed them on his farm. Over time, people from all over came to admire his work. While he never called himself an artist, he took great pride in his works and built them with care. Simpson’s attention to detail included cutting small squares of reflective road signs and attaching them to the metal so the whirligigs reflect nearby light at night. When his health declined, the town created the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Historic Downtown Wilson. Volunteers helped move, grease, and paint the structures. To this day, the sculptures are maintained by these volunteers. Sadly, Simpson passed away in 2013 at the age of 94. The park is free, and anyone can come to enjoy the whirligigs. There’s a pavilion for events, and the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Museum where you can learn more about the man and his incredible art. The Whirligig Festival is held annually in Wilson to celebrate the city’s commitment to art.

Wilson Arts Center : The Wilson Arts Center in Historic Downtown is amazing. They have performance art, visual art exhibitions, and even offer classes. The exhibitions rotate about every two months with an opening reception on Thursday evenings. Wandering through the gallery to enjoy the exhibits and attending an opening reception is free and open to the public. Performances are ticketed and fees vary. You can check their website for both the opening and performance schedules.  The Arts Center also has a small store where you can purchase items from local and regional artists. I was blown away by the creativity and caliber of work the last time I visited. 

Imagination Station Science Museum : When you say “museum,” your kids probably sigh. Let’s face it, kids don’t enjoy museums because they have to be on good behavior and “don’t touch anything.” Well, that’s boring. But the Imagination Station is different. It’s one of the most interactive science and history educational museums around. Here, you’re supposed to touch things. Kids (and adults) can race a Cheetah (OK, not a real one), climb a rock wall, and watch worker bees buzz around and make honey. As a matter of fact, this museum recommends you wear tennis shoes because you’re going to need them. Kids and adults alike will be entertained and learn something new. You may overlook the building at first because the museum is housed in the old Wilson Federal Building which served as the post office and court house. 

Krueger’s candies: is where you go to happily blow your diet. They have homemade candy and fudge. The back of the shop is open, and you can watch them make the candy from a distance. Of course, they also have a table lined with fudge. You can’t help it; you’re going to ask for a small piece. It’s priced by weight which they check at the register. If you want to have lunch to go with your dessert, their specialty is hot dogs. But they also have hamburgers, subs, and healthier options like salads and smoothies. Honestly, if you’re going to down some delicious fudge, just go all the way with the hot dog. The third point of that triangle of museums downtown is the headquarters of the Vigo County Historical Society, in a beautiful four-level manufacturing building dating back to 1895. The society has been around since 1922, and has built up a huge collection of artifacts. These are presented in detailed exhibits devoted to topics like Transportation, Business & Industry, Haunted Legends and Historic Hauteans. One exhibit deals with a piece of local history that might catch you by surprise. Terre Haute is the birthplace of Coca-Cola’s iconic contour bottle, which was designed by the city’s Root Glass Company in 1915. Root was one of ten competing glass companies across the country, commissioned by the Coca-Cola Company to develop a distinctive bottle, and was chosen in 1916 as the clear winner.

North Carolina Baseball Museum : If you look through a list of famous people from North Carolina, you’ll see a lot of baseball players like Hoyt Wilheim and Enos Slaughter. The North Carolina Baseball Museum in Wilson is where you can learn more about them. The 3328 square foot museum is located inside Fleming Stadium and is run by volunteers who take pride in North Carolina’s baseball history and memorabilia housed in the museum.