Miniature village hidden in Ingersoll, Ont. sparks community curiosity
A hidden village of miniature homes and buildings, nestled along a creek in Ingersoll, has piqued the interest of residents for decades.
The small structures have sparked questions over the years like who put them there and why?
The answer lies with Linda Huntley. Her parents lived on the property and together began building the village in the 1980s.
“They built a church, and they built a school, and then every year they just continued to build different buildings,” Huntley told CTV News.
Each little cabin is just a few feet wide by a few feet high. The village grew year after year. In 1992, Huntley’s father built a railroad that ran through the backyard, and it didn’t stop there.
As the number of little buildings grew, so did the community interest.
“I don't know, it just got opened up that people wanted to come here and tour, so Mom, when she would be home, Dad would still be working, so when people would come, and she'd show them all through,” she said.
The building stopped when Huntley’s mother died. It was tough for her father to keep up the creativity.
“He was pretty depressed actually, and then he decided he can't do this anymore without her here. So then the railway stopped, and then the carousel stopped,” Huntley said.
Linda Huntley holds up a photo of her dad building one of the small cabins. (CTV News/Spencer Turcotte)
Huntley’s father is gone now too, yet all their labours of love still are still alive and thriving.
It’s all thanks to the new homeowner Steve Puffer. He understands how much it means to the community.
“Pretty much just replacing whatever rots out if we can. If it's salvageable we'll do it,” said Puffer. “People would stop by and tell me the history of it, and apparently as a kid I came here on a field trip.”
Puffer hopes to not only keep the village going, but to eventually add to it. So even with the creators long gone, their creations live on.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.