The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig at Raleigh science museum opens this weekend

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

All assets associated with the tag: Whirligig Park

Whirligig Park Coverage

Wilson is known for the whirligigs, large kinetic sculptures by Vollis Simpson. 

>> WHO TOLD YOU? >> ONE OF THE THINGS WILSON IS KNOWN FOR THESE THINGS, THE THE WHIRLIGIGS, OF COURSE, YOU SEE HIM ALL THE TIME HERE ON THE WRAL LIVE CAMERA NETWORK AND WE ENJOY LOOKING AT THEM, PARTICULARLY DURING STORMS, RIGHT? THEY SPEND ALL YEAR LONG LIKE A WINDMILL. BUT IT'S NOT AS EFFORTLESS AS IT MAY SEEM RIGHT NOW. 3 OF THEM ARE IN THE SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE. >> WRAL'S HIDING KIRK SHOWS US WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING THIS PARK BACK TO LIFE. >> YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN WILSON WHEN YOU CAN'T MISS THESE, THEY SPIN LIKE THIS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. A LOT TO TAKE STUFF THAT DON'T WORK AND MAKE IT WORK. 30 WHIRLIGIGS TO WORK ON THE SAME PRICE IS A BUSY MAN. HE'S A MECHANIC BUT NEVER IN 10 MILLION YEARS. DID HE EXPECT TO BE WORKING ON WHIRLIGIGS SERVE MANY PEOPLE OUT? I'M SURE HE CAN DO IT. >> NOT EVERYBODY IS WILLING TO DO IT. >> TURNS OUT WERE EARLY GIGS. DON'T SPIT ON THEIR OWN. THEY TAKE HARDWORKING HANDS. COMES NATURAL TO ME. I DON'T. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. IT'S A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT'S KEPT ALL 30 OF THESE MASTERPIECES MOVING SINCE 2013 WHEN THEIR CREATOR BULLIS SIMPSON PASSED AWAY. HE MADE WHIRLIGIGS UNTIL THE VERY END WHEN HE DIED AT 94 YEARS OLD. >> THAT SAME DEDICATION YOU'LL SEE IN THESE MAD SOME HE PUT UP AND HE WOULD WELL, SEVERAL THINGS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE THEM APART. PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER, SAID HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THAT. WE DO ANYTHING TO HIM EXCEPT BY NOW. >> JOE, JUST AS WON'T CALL HIMSELF AN ARTIST. BUT ALL THE TOOLS AND PAINT KITS TELL A DIFFERENT STORY. DID YOU EVER THINK YOU'D BE DOING THIS TYPE OF WORK? >> NO, BUT AS MEAN AS I'M HERE AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS MY GUEST IN THE IDEA. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL IT DESTINY THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. THE JOB ISN'T EASY AND THEY AREN'T DOING IT FOR THE MONEY. GET A LOT OF MARCH. I GOT ON THE TOILET FROM BUT I LOVE IT AND IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. THERE'S A SENSE OF PRIDE HERE KNOWING THEIR WORK KEEPS WILSON WHIRRING HEIDI KIRK, WRAL, NEWS WILSON. >> SO COOL TO MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT. SO THE COST OF MAINTAINING THE SCULPTURES, THE 30 SCULPTURES HE'S BETWEEN 120,200 $1000, EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE HAVE A LINK TO HELP FUND THE RESTORATION EFFORTS ON

Three Whirligigs get a refresh 

Wilson is known for the whirligigs, large kinetic sculptures made by Vollis Simpson. 

Whirligig conservationists keep magic moving with annual repairs   

His work is in the town to stay and to be remembered for many generations to come, city officials say.

North Carolina art park showcases an Army veteran's sculptures

Vollis Simpson

A new book has just been released about Vollis Simpson, the man from Wilson County who built windmills out of leftover metal. They became known as whirligigs and today are celebrated worldwide. 

<p>LEAVING THINGS THE W &gt;&gt; WILSON IS KNOWN FOR THEIR WINDMILLS OR WE CALL THEM WHIRLY GIGS. RIGHT? AND A NEW BOOK HAS JUST COME OUT. THAT CELEBRATES THE LATE WHIRLY GIG CREATOR SCOTT NATION PLAN TO BRING YOU THIS IN MAY AS PART OF HIS 20 PLACES IN 20 DAYS. BUT &gt;&gt; WE HAD TO MOVE IT BECAUSE OF WELL WEATHER, WHICH IS QUINCY GENERAL, BECAUSE TONIGHT, HERE'S THE TARHEEL TRAVELER NOW IN WILSON. &gt;&gt; TAR HEEL DRAFT 20 PLACES IN 20 DAYS. IT'S A PLACE IN WILSON WHERE THE IMAGINATION TURNS THE BALL IS SIMPSON WHIRLIGIG PARK. &gt;&gt; UNBELIEVABLE. KINETIC STRUCTURES. THAT ALL MOVE WITH THE WIND AND AIRPLANES, BICYCLES. ALSO US LITTLE PEOPLE MOVING SALLING THING. HE HAD A LOT OF FUN, LAWLESS. SIMPSON HAD A LOT OF MECHANICAL KNOW, HAVE PEOPLE SAYING THEY'LL CAME BELIEVE HE ACTUALLY MADE THIS TIME TOMORROW AS HEAD OF WELDING AND REPAIR SHOP NEAR WILSON FARM REPAIRMAN. THE MOVE HOUSES MOVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT. I CAME TO DO THE POT MOELIS DIED AND 2013. &gt;&gt; AT AGE, 94, HE STARTED MAKING THESE IN HIS 60'S AND REALLY WORKED UNTIL IS IN HIS MIND. HE'S DOING IT AND HE STARTED DOING SOME THINK THAT. &gt;&gt; HIS ENORMOUS WHIRLY GIG, THIS IS A HOBBY. THIS WAS ALL IT WAS A HOBBY. HEAR MORE OF MY HISTORY. THE HORSES THAT FEAR. TRUONG THAT WAY. THERE'S PEOPLE START TO VISIT AND SEE THESE THINGS, NOT JUST IN WILSON COUNTY, FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. I CAME FROM CHINA THAT CAME FROM RUSSIA. THEY CAME FROM GERMANY, ENDED UP IN HIS FARM. JUST LOOKING KEITH BARNES ENDED UP PHOTOGRAPHING THE WHIRLY GIG AND KNOWING BOWLES-SIMPSON HE WAS COLORFUL AND KEITH HAS ASSEMBLED A BOOK THAT LINKS TEMBO. THEY LOOK MORE AND THEY WERE HE HIT BUT STRONG, EXTREMELY STRONG. BUT THE WHIRLY GIG, THEY WERE BUILT WELL, BUT THEY WEREN'T BUILT TO THE MOVE ANYWHERE. BUILT TO LAST FOREVER. HAVING A PROJECT WAS THAT RESTORING THESE? IT WAS BIG. IT TOOK 7 YEARS TO. &gt;&gt; BRING THESE ALL DOWNTOWN TO A CONSERVATION WAREHOUSE. &gt;&gt; WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE WHIRLY GIGS? I LOVE WHOLE IDEA OF RESTORING 31 OF HIS SCULPTURES. HIS MAJOR PIECES WAS REALLY WONDERFUL. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. THEY REALLY HAD TO KIND OF LEARN HOW BALLOTS MADE THESE THINGS REVERSE ENGINEER THEM AND UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF THE. &gt;&gt; IN ORDER TO DO THE PROJECT. THEY WERE AMAZED EVERY DAY TO SEE WHAT HE HAD TO NOT ONLY IS VERY EXCITING. THOSE OF US WORKING ON IT. WE'RE HAVING A BALL. &gt;&gt; THE BOWLES-SIMPSON WHIRLY GIG PARK OPENED AT LAST IN 2017. IT'S OUR EIFFEL TOWER FOR WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA. HE DIDN'T MEAN FOR THE HAVE LIKE THE U.S.. BUT IT DID. IT'S JUST THE WAY AT ALL OR OF ALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE BELIEVABLE? IT'S HARD TO COMPARE IT TO ANYTHING. CAUSE NOTHING ELSE LIKE AND AND AND NOBODY ELSE WOULDN'T PROBLEM. &gt;&gt; AND KEITH BARNES IS NEW BOOK ABOUT BOWLES-SIMPSON IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT BULLISH BOOK DOT COM AND THE WHIRLY GIG MUSEUM NEXT TO THE WHIRLY GIG PARK IN WILSON. ALSO, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO HEAR LIVE</p>

Book released about creator of Wilson's whirligigs

Creator of Wilson's whirligigs releases new book 

WRAL contributor Tandra Wilkerson took a trip with her daughters to Wilson.

Take the Kids: Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum

Whirligig Park visit 

The park, which stretches across a city block in downtown Wilson, opened in November 2017 and pays homage to Simpson, a talented artist who created these massive whirligigs on his family farm in Wilson County.


Take the Kids: Take a quick road trip to Wilson to explore its Whirligig Park

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, Wilson

A brand new laser light show launches in historic downtown Wilson Friday night.




Holiday laser light show takes over Wilson's Whirligig Park

You'll see an "ELF" in downtown Wilson this holiday season.

RECOVER FROM HURRICANE ISAIIS. THE STORM HIT NORTH CAROLINA IN LATE JULY. >>> YOU WILL SEE AN ELF IN DOWNTOWN WILSON HOLIDAY SEASON. THIS TIME STANDING FOR ELECTRIC LIKE FANTASY, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE OVER THE WHIRLY GIG PARK IN WILSON IN DECEMBER. THE DOWNTOWN ORGANIZATION IS BEGINNING A DRIVE THROUGH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND LASER SHOWS, SET TO MUSIC. YOU WILL ONLY HEAR ON YOUR RADIO. TICKETS ARE ON SALE RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE ONLY 16 SHOWS, AND THERE WILL NOT BE TICKET SALES

ELF Christmas event to take place at Whirligig Park in December

It's a wonderful honor for Wilson's Whirligig Park. It is officially the People's Choice. Voters in the 2019 Great Places in America contest picked the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park as their favorite.

Wilson's Whirligig Park receives national honor

High winds on Tuesday set the whirligigs of Wilson in motion.

Winds whip Wilson whirligig farm

Check out a live look at the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson, N.C. The park is free and open daily, including holidays, from 5 until 12 a.m.

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park cam in Wilson

Whirligig Park in Wilson

Weekend best bets: Smash pumpkins, throw axes

Pumpkin season

Bill Leslie captured beautiful images of a whirligig spinning at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh.

Whirligig spins at the NC Museum of Art

Scrap metal painted bright and brilliant colors. When the wind blew, the field came alive. The metal parts started to spin. It was one of the wildest scenes I had ever encountered.

Bill Leslie: Whirligigs on a windy day

Beginning in the spring, Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Historic Downtown Wilson becomes home to a free concert series, family-friendly movies, and a farmers and artisan market.

Wilson's Whirligig Park really starts spinning this spring

Wilson : Spotlight : Whirligig Park Summer Events

The acclaim Vollis Simpson's whirligigs garnered made them a logical fit for Wilson as city officials looked for ways to celebrate the community with an annual festival.