Dream Drives: Roadside America, 'World's Greatest Indoor Miniature Village'

SHARTLESVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- They call it the World's Greatest Indoor Miniature Village, right off I-78: Roadside America in Shartlesville, Berks County.

The 7,450-square-foot display has more than 300 miniature structures, 10,000 trees, 2,200 feet of railroad track, and 4,000 villagers. Inside, the details include tiny fountains and waterfalls, miniature neighborhoods full of street scenes of Americana, and small-scale factories.

"You gotta go see it!" Ruth Zerbe told CBS3's Meisha Johnson. "The detail work is magnificent."

This miniature village is the vision of Laurence Gieringer, who as a boy was enchanted by a mountaintop view of a town. He started building miniatures in the early 1900s. In the 1930s, friends encouraged him to display them. In 1953, Roadside America moved into its own building.

"It literally looks like I'm in an airplane and that's a real town!" Meisha Johnson said.

Jon Jordan, village supervisor, said, "We have kids who come through the first time, minds blown. We have people who come here and say, 'I haven't been here in 50 years! You know, I came here when I was a kid. I'm bringing my grandchildren.'"

Roadside America is at 109 Roadside Drive, Shartlesville, Pennsylvania, 19554. GPS users may need to use Bernville, Pennsylvania, 19506. It's open daily even in winter. Find out more at http://roadsideamericainc.com/