This is a 1939 Curt Teich, "C.T. Art-Colortone" vintage postcard from my grandparents' collection. It was published by the Western Publishing & Novelty Company of Los Angeles, California.
It shows the large cage at the Bird Park on Santa Catalina Island.
Santa Catalina Island, often referred to as Catalina Island, or simply Catalina, is about 22 miles off the coast of Southern California. The Catalina Chamber of Commerce has an official website. If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link.
According to an article in the The Catalina Islander, May 11, 2001, found online at Google News, the Bird Park was established in 1929 and covered eight acres of land. It had over 500 cages and housed over 8,000 rare and exotic birds.
The Bird Park was a very popular attraction on Catalina Island for over thirty-five years. During World War II, the Park was scaled back and never regained it’s prewar vitality. It closed in 1966.
Transcription from back of postcard:
In this giant cage, 110 feet in diameter, 90 feet in height, are several hundred rare and beautiful birds, collected from all over the world – African Crowned Crane, golden and silver Pheasants, Peacocks, Australian Swans, Mandarin Duck, Cockatoos, Macaws, and many other interesting birds.Thanks for stopping by!
© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved
I must admit I am furious with these darn black birds that eat all the grass seed (they look like crows). But I think I could tolerate a yard-full of pink birds. And white peacocks are just magical-looking.
ReplyDeleteAren't those white peacocks beautiful? It must have been really fun to visit this bird park back in the day. Thanks for stopping by Wendy!
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