Little Bales of Cotton is the original creator of miniature cotton bales. Lonnie Willis started Little Bales of Cotton in 1954 in a shop within his home in Leland, Mississippi. Willis was retired from the Leland Oil Works following forty years of employment. For many years he watched representatives from all over the world come to Leland to observe the Oil Mill or visit Delta Branch Experiment Station in nearby Stoneville. Many of the visitors wanted souvenirs to take home, especially the pristine, white cotton bolls grown in the Mississippi Delta. The business grew rapidly employing thirty ladies and shipping internationally. Now, sixty years later, Little Bales of Cotton is still going strong. We continue to offer quality handmade products in an effort to promote the Cotton Industry.