They built the gingerbread house, Snow White and the seven dwarfs, Dumbo, Flipper, Santa's house, the robot, a toy castle, the lion's cage and the old woman in the shoe, which are still part of the display. According to Thacker, after Burns died, his wife maintained the displays in his memory until her death in 1971. Archer City kept the displays for three years until former MSU Board of Regents member Carter McGregor acquired the display for MSU in 1974. The Fantasy of Lights was donated to MSU on the condition the display would be free for the public to enjoy. However, it takes a lot of time and money to maintain the displays.
Maintenance is supervised by a volunteer committee, which is completely funded by donations.
Volunteers from the community as well as campus play an important part in maintaining the collection. They meet annually on the first weekend in October to make repairs and get the display ready for the holiday season. Thacker said this year 108 volunteers helped paint, glitter the displays, decorate mannequins and reconstruct the displays, which include Cinderella, the Three Little Pigs, Peter Pan, the Wizard of Oz and the Little Engine that Could. Don Henschel, professor of theatre, has volunteered for more than 20 years and has made many of the displays. He said the displays have always drawn a large crowd.