Your first thought will be: “Did I shrink, or did I eat too much cheese before bed?” Neither. The town was built by a man named John “Shorty” Wehrheim, who stood about 4’6” and had enough ambition to fill a skyscraper. He designed it so little people could live without needing a step stool to change a lightbulb.
Here’s the wild fact: the town has only eight original houses, plus a tiny clubhouse and a playground. But don’t let the size fool you—the goal wasn’t to be cute. It was to give little people a place where they didn’t have to be stared at like zoo animals. And yet, tourists (like you, probably) show up anyway, gawking at the “cute little houses.”
The “Terrible Tourist” Phenomenon
You cannot just waltz in. The town is a private community, meaning the residents live there year-round. They’ve had to put up signs that say, basically, “Stop taking selfies with our mailboxes.” One resident told a reporter, “People treat us like we’re a Disney ride.” Honestly, I’d be tempted to put a tiny “Beware of Cat” sign and a motion-activated sprinkler.
If you do get a peek, you’ll notice the kitchen counters are about waist-high. For average-height people, this means back pain. For little people, it means normalcy. Imagine never having to climb on a stool to grab a cereal box. That’s the dream.
Fisher price - Little people learn about town - YouTube
