Good friends Earl & Karen invited us on a road trip to attend the grand opening of Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum.
Not far off from I-95, this park is well worth a detour.
Here’s some background on the artist.
Update 19 June 2025: Nan de Andrade, my former choir director, shared more background on Vollis Simpson after she recently visited the park.
The Whirlygig Park in Wilson is a special place for me. Today’s visit had perfect winds for whirling! Vollis Simpson and my father, Harry Zoller, both served on Saipan during WWII. While there, Vollis invented a windmill to power the washing machines, and my father recalled using them in his memoir. When Vollis retired, he began creating many whirligigs out of scrap metal and such, and placed them all over his property. Why? Because he could!—it brought him joy and kept his hands busy. That it brought others joy was a bonus! I feel like my calling is like Vollis’- I make music because I can, and it brings me joy. I’m glad that I can share that joy with others and for my maker.
