The initial hand-carved rural diorama by Ben Dowell shows miniature figures performing farm chores. It was successful, so the maker added a whirling scare dance scene. There was also circus with ferris wheel,, several merry-go-rounds and a band wagon, all in motion.After White Cottage Park changed hands and the display went into storage, it was purchased around 1976 by Willie "Santa" Yoder and his brother Melvin. The brothers spent nearly a year completely reworking Dowell's intricate internal mechanical engineering. They renamed it The House of Animation in West Liberty, Ohio for a time, but I am not sure where the contraption finally ended up. I guess one could say it lives on in postcards?
Mechanical Diorama at White College Park made by Ben Dowell., c. 1960 Real Photo Postcard collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog
