The Podcast: Big Birds in Bad Town
Postcard from Kolby’s collection
Summary
In this episode we tell the story of Hill’s Ostrich Farm, operated by William E. Hill in 1911 in Bellingham, Washington, on Electric Avenue near Whatcom Falls Park. We delve into the history of ostrich farming and how there came to be such a feather-brained idea in the first place, the millinery ostrich plume craze, the fate of the venture as well as some more recent news from the world of ratite farming. Ostrich burger anyone?
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Sources/Resources
Ostrichland USA website featuring the Simpsons episode: https://www.ostrichlandusa.com/about-ostrich-land/
“Add Things We Never Knew About Our Home Town.” Editorial. Bellingham Herald, January 11, 1965.
“An American Farm in Paris.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, March 12, 1900.
Ayers, Scott. “Rancher Gets Roped Into Ostrich Farm.” Bellingham Herald, October 6, 1996.
“Baby Ostriches: An Ostrich Farm is One of the Infant Industries of California.” Washington Standard, July 28, 1905.
“Bellingham Ostrich Plumes Carry Away Honors.” Bellingham Herald, October 8, 1911.
“Big Ostrich Farm Under Hammer, Change of Fashion Ruins Unusual Industry.” The Spokesman Review (Spokane), April 16, 1934.
“Big Ostrich is Put to Death” Bellingham Herald, April 27, 1911.
Block, Melissa. “Balloon Incident Ends Ostrich Farmer's Career.” All Things Considered, National Public Radio, August 10, 2005, https://www.npr.org/2005/08/10/4794667/balloon-incident-ends-ostrich-farmers-career
“A Brief History of Feathers-on-Hats” American Duchess, March 13, 2012, https://blog.americanduchess.com/2012/03/v73-brief-history-of-feathers-on-hats.html
“Cawston Ostrich Farm” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, January 12, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cawston_Ostrich_Farm
Emerson, Amy. “Pet Cemetery and Wedding Chapel, Too” The Chronicle, May 15, 2003, https://www.chronline.com/stories/pet-cemetery-and-wedding-chapel-too,251878
“Engberg Avers That it is a Real Ostrich Egg.” Bellingham Herald, May 13, 1911.
“Got Her Hat Pin” Letter. Bellingham Herald, January 17, 1965.
“Great Ostrich Caper.” Letter. Bellingham Herald, Feb 3, 1965.
“A hatful of horror: the Victorian headwear craze that led to mass slaughter” History Extra, BBC History Magazine, February 12, 2021 https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/victorian-hats-birds-feathered-hat-fashion/
“Hill Ostrich Farm to be Moved to Seattle.” Bellingham Herald, December 14, 1911.
Hunsby, George. “Ostrich Farm of 1910 Didn’t Last Long.” Bellingham Herald, Oct 6, 1992.
Jenkins, Don. “Ostrich Kills Man at Winlock Farm.” Longview Daily News, June 30, 1999.
Jenkins, Don “Winlock Ostrich Will Be Spared.” Longview Daily News, July 2, 1999.
Jewell, Jeff. “Welcome to the Ostrich Capital of the Northwest,” Bellingham Business Journal. February 28, 2007, https://bbjtoday.com/blog/welcome-to-ostrich-capital-of-the-nw/990/
Johnson, Jessica. “Mission Cliffs Garden” Hidden San Diego, Accessed March 2023, https://hiddensandiego.net/blog_post/mission-cliffs-garden
“The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, February 9, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migratory_Bird_Treaty_Act_of_1918
“Man Killed by Ostrich at Farm.” Bellingham Herald, June 30, 1999.
Mullen, Leo. “Big Birds, Big Bucks, Big Risk.” Bellingham Herald, December 6, 1992.
Mullen, Leo. “Big Birds Could Be Big Business.” Bellingham Herald, September 12, 1993.
Mullen, Leo. “Bob’s Hopes Fair Will Boost Big Bird Burgers.” Bellingham Herald, August 14, 1995.
“No Charges to Be Filed in Case Where Ostrich Killed Man, 81.” The News Tribune (Tacoma), July 6, 1999.
“Northwest Profile: Ratite Farming with Wally Caviness” Bellingham Herald, September 23, 1992.
“Ostrich Farm for Seattle.” Seattle Daily Times, July 19, 1907.
“Ostrich Farm to Be Started at Whatcom Falls” Bellingham Herald, December 22, 1910.
“Ostrich Farm Will Soon Be Stocked” Bellingham Herald, March 13, 1911.
“Ostrich Farm Up in the Air Now.” Seattle Star, May 24, 1912.
“Ostrich is the Domestic Ideal.” Seattle Daily Times, June 6, 1909.
“Ostriches Arrive and Are Taken to Home Near Lake.” Bellingham Herald, April 9, 1911.
“Ostriches to Arrive in Seattle Shortly.” Seattle Daily Times, August 18, 1907.
“Ostriches Come to Seattle on Vessel.” Seattle Daily Times, April 7, 1911.
“Ostriches are Shipped to Seattle.” Bellingham Herald, January 16, 1912.
Paulu Tom. “It’s a Dog’s Lifestyle.” Longview Daily News, June 22, 2003.
Rydall, E.H. “Craze for Ostrich Farming.” The Ranch (Seattle, Washington), October 15, 1907.
“A Seattle Ostrich Costs About as Much as an Auto.” Seattle Star, May 1, 1912.
“Told That She is a Victim; Kansas Woman Invested in an Ostrich Farm at Seattle.” Seattle Star, February 24, 1909.
Tremaine, Julie. “I went to one of California's last ostrich farms, and it was terrifying,” SFGATE, May 20, 2021, https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Ostrichland-California-roadside-sanctuary-Buellton-16191915.php
Whatley, Jack “Johnny Cash once tried to fight an ostrich and, predictably, suffered a heavy defeat.” Far Out Magazine. Aug 29, 2020. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/johnny-cash-ostrich-fight-story/
Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon: https://wildlifesafari.net/
“Will Establish an Ostrich Farm.” Yakima Herald, October 11, 1911.
We want to thank Devin Champlin and the late, great, Lucas Hicks for the use of the ol’ Gallus Brothers tune “Too Bad West Coast Blues.” You can find that tune and more on bandcamp at https://thegallusbrothers.bandcamp.com/ and https://devinchamplin.bandcamp.com/ and you can find Devin at Champlin Guitars in Bellingham! <3 <3 <3
It’s the first real episode of season 2! Bellinghamsters and other Tails - Animal Stories with the Good Time Girls! Oooorrrr… “firefighters are a brave, unruly and maybe a little bit bored, bunch.” We pulled out some of our favorite furry history for this one with wild tales of beloved Bellinghaminals, from hamsters to ant bears.