Ed Templin has lived all over the place in his life. Originally from Kentucky, he also called Illinois, Maryland and Arizona home before settling in Ohio, where he has lived since 1954.
Being the son of a train engineer, maybe it was inevitable that Templin would live a nomadic life. But today, he’s settled down at CareCore at Westmoreland in Chillicothe, OH, and has found a creative way to share his travels with everyone who walks through the door.
“When I was 17 and a junior in high school, we were putting on a play, and I designed a set for it. And I started, you know, building things from there,” Templin said. “I really got fully interested in it from about 1961, and I’ve built different things like it ever since. It’s something I enjoy doing and everybody seems to enjoy it, which makes me feel pretty good.”
The “it” Templin describes is a festive winter village diorama complete with a model train chugging right through it. It’s been dubbed “Eddy’s Village” by those involved with the facility and it has been a hit attraction.
The project took Templin six months to finish. With the permission and support of CareCore, he constructed his buildings with cardboard, sticks from outdoors for trees, and cotton balls for snow. Templin’s village was inspired by scenes from his travels.
“It’s a combination of the different towns I remember,” he said. “I included a couple of stores that I remember significantly. They represent the different stores that used to be in small towns [I’d see] around the country.”
Templin’s work has not only provided him with an outlet for his talents but has also provided a smile to all those who visit CareCore at Westmoreland. While the holidays may be over, Templin’s creative drive is not.
“I’m thinking about starting another project, I’m not sure just yet,” said Templin. “I like doing something like that to keep from being bored.”
