Picture it..Shippensburg, PA, 1980-something.
A retired man named Ernest Helm, owner of several cats, begins a side project in his backyard to build a tiny Victorian home replica as a cat house. A house complete with carpeted stairs and little itty bitty furniture.
Soon there was a general store, a gas station, log cabins, Court House, a train station, a church, a firehouse, a farm, and a bunch of houses. And then it became Tiny World a small roadside attraction that picks up steam during the holiday season in Shippensburg Pennsylvania. They definitely go out all out for the holidays complete with hot cocoa, Santa and lots and lots of Christmas decorations.
We stopped in during the day during a sleet storm to check it out. We found this roadside attraction on an app and even on a horrible wet day it was still a lot of fun for two adults. I can imagine this place would be a lot of fun for small kids to come here at night to see the holiday decorations.
We were free to wander around since no one was there except for a very very friendly calico cat that seem to want to give us directions and a tour.At the entrance gate there's a lot of information about the tiny world construction and it's history.
It is amazing to think that a hobby now is now an attraction that draws large crowds and consists of 20 minature houses that are each decorated. during the holiday season literally thousands of people come to visit tiny world. Visiting doesn't cost anything to get in but donations are accepted to help keep the place up and running.
Ernest has since passed away at 91 years of age but his family keeps up the legacy. Visit their Facebook in advance to find out their hours and as long as you're respectful you were always welcome to visit during the day but most of the activity is during the night when the lights are all lit up. If you are in the neighborhood this is definitely a must see!! read more