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Weathervane History
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The Weathervane - the enduring symbol of our dependence
upon the wind and
weather. Mankind has been testing the wind changes in
weather and fortune for
centuries. From raising a moistened finger to tossing
blades of grass into the air,
we have employed various methods for checking
wind direction before embarking
upon work or play.
By definition the weathervane, or weathercock as it is also called, is a
figure that
turns freely on a vertical rod and by virtue of its design,
always points into the
wind. Stated another way, the wind always comes from
the direction in which the
weathervane points.
Wherever people have settled, their reliance upon the weathervane has been
as
basic to them as grinding wheat for bread. The weathervane has
always
represented a simpler way of life, a life that is tied closely to
nature. At the end of
each day and with the dawning of the next, people have
looked to the sky and
studied the direction of their weathervane. They have
plowed and sown, reaped
and stored, worked and played, trusting the good
directions of the wind that drove
their fate.
Derived from the Old English word fane, meaning flag or banner,
the
weathervane was part of ancient cultures as early as 48 B.C. when a
life-sized
replica of the Greek god Triton was hoisted atop the Tower of
Winds in Athens.
Even then mankind realized that wind direction was the near
certain indicator of
weather patterns.
With the discovery of the New World and the colonization of what is now
New
England, weathervanes were proudly displayed from the high steeples of
newly
populated towns and cities as our ancestors blended cultures and
traditions to
become America.
At first, colonists merely copied the sculptured figures from their European
roots.
But with the passage of time, the subjects for their weathervanes
changed and
evolved to reflect the environment and character of the New
World. New
Englanders used symbols of their new frontier such as fish,
seagulls and ships,
since these were prevalent icons of coast-dwellers. As
American pioneers moved
westward and an agrarian populace developed, farmers
designed and crafted
their own figureheads including pigs and other farm
animals, Indian figureheads
and arrows, and especially horses.
As years passed, the creative art form became as important as the
functionality.
For this reason weathervane sculptures have been sought out as
art, and it is a
matter of record that some have sold for as much as five
figures.
And now, as we've headed into a new millennium, people are forging a hole
in
cyberspace for things traditional: for reminders of a simpler time and a
gentler
pace, for a return to the garden and the deliberate timetable of
nature, which
won't be rushed or dictated to.
Whatever your personal reason for purchasing these Good
Directions
Weathervanes, you are now a part of a great American tradition.
Congratulations
and may favorable winds blow your way!
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Support The Registry of Nature Habitats - Buy Conservation Credits
For purchasing Conservation
Credit(s)
You will receive
a copy of the John Audubon Multimedia
CD
A replica of the complete
(1840-1844)
James Audubon's
Birds of America
You will also receieve a bluebird
house for each Conservation Credit purchased and a 20% off coupon to be used on
the A Bird's Home website!
The Registry of Nature Habitats - Mission
Statement
The Registry of Nature Habitats is
dedicated to the preservation of land that, over time, has been a
site and home for complex ecosystems. The Registry advocates
preservation of these lands and its inhabitants, environmental
education for community individuals and groups, and nurturing of
these lands through restoration in order to conserve its
natural resources for future generations.
Preserve
The Registry of Nature
Habitats manages critical habitat, consisting of wetland,
lowland, upland, forest and stream habitat, providing a home
to wildlife species and plant species. As part of
the mission to preserve these lands and its inhabitants,
the Registry will continue to contract with owners
of ecologically sensitive land as it becomes
available.
Educate
The Registry of Nature Habitats is
a "teaching ground," able to provide hands-on, interpretive learning
experiences in areas such as ecology, botany, wildlife science, and
geology, as well as the arts and humanities. The
educational mission of The Registry of Nature Habitats is
to teach an understanding and appreciaton of the environment,
the invaluable lesson of land stewardship of our natural resources,
and to expand the general knowledge of this habitat through
scientific research. This will be accomplished through a
year-round experiential, interactive approach, along
with onsite and outreach activities including providing
educational material both on this website, on media and through
educational seminars. An on-site facility is in the
design phase, which will house classrooms and an administrative
space.
Nurture
Through several restoration
projects, including the rebuilding of stream corridors,
reintroducing native flora, and permitting only low-impact
activities, the Registry is nurturing much land back to
its natural state, undoing the damage of hundreds of
years. The Registry of Nature
Habitats restoration plan, developed with public and private
partnerships and with local community support, will increase
the land's value, enhance wildlife habitat, improve water
quality, and preserve the integrity of the land's
bio-diversity. Renewable
Energy
Promote the use of
renewable and efficient energy technologies through education,
training, workforce development, research, and project facilitation.
The Registry supports clean energy development and energy
conservation as the means to protect the environment, enhance
public health, and save our nature
habitats.
Conservation
We seek to educate people and provide innovative
solutions that will help build a clean, more efficient world, by
reducing energy consumption in a prudent way that does not
threaten the natural balance that supports all
life.
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(607) 746-3089