A friend sent me this quirky newspaper link, with photo of an old Civil War era martin house -- we think.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/10712
Some of these may actually have been dove cotes, and just happened to attract martins. You still see decorative dove cotes -- big bird houses with big entrances -- in England on the grounds of estates -- at least in the movies.
Just passing along for winter interest...
John
Historic martin house photo
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James Rieman
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:57 am
- Location: Houston/Texas
Thanks John I love seeing these.
James Rieman
Houston Texas
PMCA member
2011 - 3 SY pair
2012 - 7 pair
2013 - 10 pair
2014 - 12 pair
2015 - 16 pair
2016 - 17 pair
Houston Texas
PMCA member
2011 - 3 SY pair
2012 - 7 pair
2013 - 10 pair
2014 - 12 pair
2015 - 16 pair
2016 - 17 pair
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
John -- Great photo.. Those must have been some hard times. Lots of men but not a lot of rifles.
Dave
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
glad you all like the photo. I wonder why the ground all looks muddy and rutted.
Another bit of martin history -- from Eastern Kentucky -- was emailed to me today. A friend was reading "Night comes to the Cumberlands," by Harry M. Caudill. It's a 1962 book about the plight of eastern Kentucky coal country. My bud got it out of the library at Morehead State University.
The book includes parts of a diary, 1892, from the teen daughter of a visiting Presbyterian minister to Breathitt County. In her impressions of eastern Kentucky she refers to martin "boxes." This was the term my grandpa used in Kentucky, and may be what martin houses used to be called -- at least in Kentucky.
She wrote: "We went up the Kentucky River ten miles to the mouth of Troublesome Creek. Here we got into trouble enough. We had to get out and help the buggy down the rocky stair steps in the road. We went up Troublesome a mile, then up Lost Creek ten miles, then the man there said there were ten thousands big saw logs in the creek. I never saw the like. The little houses all had martin boxes, but no yard or shade."
Anyway..me writing now...we don't think of eastern Kentucky as being a very good spot for martins as there's little flat land -- she goes on in the diary to refer to corn growing on mountain sides and plowing "sideways" -- but apparently eastern Kentucky has a rich history of hosting martins.
Another bit of martin history -- from Eastern Kentucky -- was emailed to me today. A friend was reading "Night comes to the Cumberlands," by Harry M. Caudill. It's a 1962 book about the plight of eastern Kentucky coal country. My bud got it out of the library at Morehead State University.
The book includes parts of a diary, 1892, from the teen daughter of a visiting Presbyterian minister to Breathitt County. In her impressions of eastern Kentucky she refers to martin "boxes." This was the term my grandpa used in Kentucky, and may be what martin houses used to be called -- at least in Kentucky.
She wrote: "We went up the Kentucky River ten miles to the mouth of Troublesome Creek. Here we got into trouble enough. We had to get out and help the buggy down the rocky stair steps in the road. We went up Troublesome a mile, then up Lost Creek ten miles, then the man there said there were ten thousands big saw logs in the creek. I never saw the like. The little houses all had martin boxes, but no yard or shade."
Anyway..me writing now...we don't think of eastern Kentucky as being a very good spot for martins as there's little flat land -- she goes on in the diary to refer to corn growing on mountain sides and plowing "sideways" -- but apparently eastern Kentucky has a rich history of hosting martins.
Great Historic picture!
John, thanks for sharing the diary log... I like reading historic encounters and that one in particular with regards to the Purple Martins and the Hilly terrain bring me hope for bringing martins to my location.
I live in a hilly portion of north central WV. I grew up in south central WV where the mountains are much more aggressive and higher elevation. I never saw any purple martin housing there or even heard any of the old timers mention them. I am told they will not fly over the higher elevation which could be a valid reason I didn't hear or see any evidence or them... maybe they just don't inhabit that elevation range.
John, thanks for sharing the diary log... I like reading historic encounters and that one in particular with regards to the Purple Martins and the Hilly terrain bring me hope for bringing martins to my location.
I live in a hilly portion of north central WV. I grew up in south central WV where the mountains are much more aggressive and higher elevation. I never saw any purple martin housing there or even heard any of the old timers mention them. I am told they will not fly over the higher elevation which could be a valid reason I didn't hear or see any evidence or them... maybe they just don't inhabit that elevation range.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
They nest at elevations of 7000 feet or so in CO, so elevation may not be an issue, maybe it is more about habitat? The nesting martins in CO, WY, etc, are often in aspen groves (using old woodpecker cavities in aspen trees) near meadows/bogs/beaver ponds.
that was great john I love anything from the cival war
dick
dick
2015 69 pairs 418 eggs 396 fledged
2019 I have 148 openings now
2016 100 pairs 600 babies fledged added another t-14 and have 126 openings now
2015 Jun 24 360 babies and 58 eggs also found one that had died
2017 632 babies 11died and 20 were killed by hawks
2015 74 pairs and 9 eggs 5/14
2010 3pairss
]JOINED PMCA JUNE 6,2018
2018 651 babies 5 hawk kills 11 floater kills 25 died in houses and 610 fledged
2014 80 pairs 283 babies 282 fledged one died
2019 I have 148 openings now
2016 100 pairs 600 babies fledged added another t-14 and have 126 openings now
2015 Jun 24 360 babies and 58 eggs also found one that had died
2017 632 babies 11died and 20 were killed by hawks
2015 74 pairs and 9 eggs 5/14
2010 3pairss
]JOINED PMCA JUNE 6,2018
2018 651 babies 5 hawk kills 11 floater kills 25 died in houses and 610 fledged
2014 80 pairs 283 babies 282 fledged one died
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scottfreidhof
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 am
- Location: Kentucky/Morehead
John - I noticed a Civil War era photo of the Cumberland Gap located in what is now the Cumberland Gap National Park in south central Kentucky. The gap and surrounding hillsides were devoid of trees and the ground looked like trampled mud. I think the foot travel of thousands of soldiers and horses may be the reason for the bare ground at both locations. The gap and mountains have since been reclaimed by a magnificent oak forest.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Absolutely love this photo! What a house!
Thanks John.
Thanks John.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
John,
I wanted to add to your thread, if I may.
I too love finding vintage, Purple Martin related photos.
Here's one of my favorites I stumbled onto sometime back, by a photographer named Pat Cameron.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56465268@N04/6773536400/
I wanted to add to your thread, if I may.
I too love finding vintage, Purple Martin related photos.
Here's one of my favorites I stumbled onto sometime back, by a photographer named Pat Cameron.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56465268@N04/6773536400/
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
that's wonderful Matt. I have seldom seen old photos of martin houses that actually include martins. I was guess it was from the 1940s, but I flipped back through some other photos and seems to be a lake resort in WI from the 1930s; not sure.
John Miller
John Miller
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Matt & John,
Can't image anyone enjoying those pictures more than me.
I love that vintage stuff.
Thank for sharing it. Love the old Lake House!
Doug
Can't image anyone enjoying those pictures more than me.
I love that vintage stuff.
Thank for sharing it. Love the old Lake House!
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Ed Gutshall
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2003 7:04 pm
- Location: Va. / Goochland
I think what you have here is a photo of Akins Landing which was used as an exchange place for prisoners in the Civil War. The guys with the guns would have been the guards and all others would have been Union prisoners. Nice photo...Thanks for sharing!