If your best friend ever asks you if you ever want to go on a road trip, make sure you do two things. First, find out where you’re going, and second, find out the reason why.
It was only after my friend, and I was well on our way that he looks over from the passenger seat and explains our destination. He wants to go see this girl that he met a couple of days ago. So not only was I going to be the third wheel in this semi-date, but I will be the one driving that same wheel.
He tells me her address and we proceed to check the map. First by unfolding it and looking up the name of the town on the city and town listing. This was back when you Rand McNallyed it instead of Googled it. If you don’t know what Rand McNally is, go ask someone old than yourself.
After finding the location and directions I soon realize that the town is so small that if you didn’t look left, you would pass it by. Still, this was a road trip and I agreed to go.
About halfway there we come to the town of Griggsville. I soon start to notice something was different. Every house had a birdhouse on the front lawn. Now when I think of a birdhouse I picture a square box, a triangular roof, and a small hole as the entrance. Something like this.
My friend and I kind of think that every homeowner having a birdhouse is weird, but we continue on our way. He looks down to check the map. I turn a corner and see this in front of me.
I immediately shout, “What the (expletive deleted) is that thing?” Yes, I know that it is a tower made of birdhouses, but you have to understand I am used to seeing the one-room bird studio apartments not multi-level attached condos. My friend, startled at my outburst looks up and has the same reaction as I did, and we both feel that we just drove into some weird Alfred Hitchcock remake of his movie “The Birds.”
After both my friend and I got over our initial reaction we notice the side of the building with the large purple bird painted on the side. Above it read “America’s Most Wanted Bird”.
The sign failed to mention what bird was the most wanted.
We finally noticed the water tower and then understood everything. Griggsville claims to be the Purple Martin Capital of the Nation.
In hindsight, it would have been better if we had driven in from the other side of town and seen the water tower first.
The bird tower was the creation of Jesse Wade, who owned a grocery store in Griggsville. Jesse also manufactured aluminum TV antennas on the second floor of the grocery store. It was here he also started making Martin birdhouses out of aluminum in 1962.
In 1965 he created what he called the “Empire State Building of the bird world” after Griggsville declared itself the “Purple Martin Capital of the Nation.”
Now, to be honest, I did earn a few Nature merit badges when I was a Boy Scout, but I can’t claim to know about all the birds that live in Illinois. So, I made a mental note to go to the library when I get back home and find out more about the Purple Martin. This was before smartphones and the internet.
The scientific name for the bird is Progne subis and the average weight is just under 2 ounces. The feathers of the Purple Martin are more of a dark blue tint than purple with a wingspan of up to 15 inches (38 cm).
An average diet for a Purple Martin consists of flying insects like moths, butterflies, wasp, and their favorite being dragonflies. What isn’t on the menu are mosquitos. Purple Martins feed at a higher altitude, with mosquitos flying lower. I promise not to let the people of Griggsville know that bit of information.
Regardless, sights like this are usually not found on major highways. So, it is worth a trip to take the slow route toward the Purple Martin Highrise. While you’re in town have lunch at the local bar and grill. You don’t have to eat 2000 mosquitos.
In case you are wondering we did not look left, and we did pass the town up.
Just remember to fill up the car’s tank with gas and your body’s tank with snacks before you set out on the next Day Trip 100.