For 24 years, Marie Whitman has been collecting pieces to add to her Christmas village and for the past four years, has been sharing her holiday vision with the citizens and visitors of Pearl River County.
Presently, WhitmanVille spans more than 80 feet and is home to more than 1,000 pieces and about 200 buildings, Whitman said.
Her first piece was a train, with other additions being acquired through Ebay or donations, she said.
“That’s what I do, create,” Whitman said. “I love to create. This setup is like a real village filled with good shops and mom and pop stores. There’s also entertainment in the form of a carnival and zoo.”
WhitmanVille features waterfalls, trains, houses, shops, ice skating rinks, lights posts and figurines of people, animals and more.
This year, Whitman added new pieces to her village in the form of a boat, a holiday Christmas shop, Victorian carriage, a racetrack, a cobbler, a sewing shop and an old Walmart store.
“I would like to thank Mr. Lee from Roseland Park Baptist Church for selling me some new older houses for my village, for practically nothing,” Whitman said. “I also want to thank Express Copy for the addition of the stained glass houses.”
In the haunted area of the village, there is a new attraction, the Skull River Ride. Whitman has also welcomed a Victorian football field, airport and library to her eclectic and festive village.
Whitman will also display two vintage Christmas wedding gowns, which she said has become a trend on the Internet. Her handmade theater dolls, featuring a teddy bear display and “The Nutcracker,” will be available for viewing.
Whitman will host her grand opening Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 220 West Canal St. The village will be on display until New Year’s Day, she said.
Viewing hours will be Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
There is no admission fee and interested parties can contact Whitman at 601-799-1093 to schedule a private tour.
“God has really blessed me and I thank Him for everything,” Whitman said. “He is the one that makes things right.”