Motorists traveling between Iola and Gas are probably oblivious to a small village that has crept up between the two communities.
The village a mammoth collection of ceramic Christmas houses owned by Jimmy Dale OBrien Sr. has been unveiled once again for the holiday season.
His display, at the corner of U.S. 54 and 1850 Street, is lighted so spectators can check out OBriens collection of 100-plus replicas at night.
You just need to stop to get a closer look, he notes. Otherwise, youll miss it.
We just dont get many people to stop, OBrien said. This road isnt that heavily traveled, and people going along the highway arent going to stop.
But those who do are in for a treat.
There arent just rows of houses, but everything else to create a festive Christmas village. The collection features churches, a fire department, bakery, and even an occasional lighthouse.
The village is situated inside a customized storage building OBrien built with his brother-in-law and grandson more than 10 years ago, when he was still living in Emporia.
The 8-foot wooden structure has plexiglass on one side, so that OBrien simply pulls back the drapes and turns on the light.
Ill just leave them in there year-round, he said. The drapes are so the sunlight doesnt turn them brown.
OBrien, who turns 91 in June, moved to Iola about 2 ½ years ago from Emporia, wife Patricias hometown. The couple have been married for nearly 61 years.
Neither remembers exactly when they started collecting the ceramic houses.
I figure it was probably 35 or 40 years ago, he said.
For a spell, he would order one or two houses each year from Lemax, a company that specializes in ceramic collectibles.
Others hed find at the store.
