Times and Democrat - St. Matthews Town Guide

Purple Martin Festival

Saturday, April 22, 2006

In the spring of the year the Purple Martin's return from their sojourn in South America. The birds are heading back north to the states - and to St. Matthews.

If the Purple Martin, those insect-eating daredevils of the sky, call any town home, it is St. Matthews, the host of The Purple Martin Festival.

The festival's beginning came in 1969 when Gertrude L. Buyck, mother of David Buyck - who worked with the festival and other Purple Martin related projects for many years. Mr. Buyck visited the town of Griggsville, Illinois, and brought back the movie, "The Griggsville Story," and it was shown to the Calhoun County Rotary Club.

It was the story of a small town deluged by insects, until residents began building homes for the Purple Martins. The birds adopted the town and soon Griggsville had far fewer nasty insects.

Griggsville was also the home of an industry that manufactured Purple Martin houses. Martins, which once stayed in the hollowed-out recesses of trees made by wood-peckers, are now dependent upon humans for their houses.

St. Matthews had terrible problems with insects at the time - especially mosquitoes. And the town's residents did not like the solution they had which was chemical spraying.

"It seemed invariably that whenever we were trying to have a barbecue, the spraying truck would roll around," said resident Ken Feryus, who headed the festival for years.

Then the Rotary Club, of which Mr. Feryus was a member, began selling homes for the Purple Martin's in an attempt to attract them to St. Matthews. People bought the aluminum houses and others used the gourds that Purple Martins like so much. The project was a success and the Purple Martins came to St. Matthews.

"Not long after that, by the time we had them for the second year, the mosquitoes, by some freak of nature, decided to leave St. Matthews," Mr. Buyck said. "From then on we did not have to spray for mosquitoes," said Mr. Feryus. "It was highly successful and we got rid of the mosquitoes."

Because of "Miss" Gertie Buyck's love for the Purple Martin's and the Rotarians interest, the Purple Martin Festival was born in 1973. The town created the Purple Martin Festival as a type of "Homecoming Event" with entertainment and concession stands.

Mrs. Geneva Walling Stanley, who was Executive Director of the Chamber for 26 years, along with David Buyck and Ken Feryus were in charge of the first festival called "Purple Martin Weekend."

Gourds or houses for breeding Purple Martins should be in place by mid-March. The houses can be placed out during the summer for non-breeding martins and sub-adult birds.

The houses should be on poles 12 to 15 feet high in locations at least 40 feet away from trees and houses. Excellent locations are in areas like golf courses, orchards, shore lines, marinas, and agricultural fields. The homes should be cleaned after nesting season, which can discourage sparrows and starlings from moving in. Also, drill a two-inch hole in the bottom of natural gourds.

The town of St. Matthews is preparing to launch its own official harbinger of spring during the annual Purple Martin Festival on Saturday, April 22, 2005. Festival participants will enjoy everything from an early morning road race and parade to an afternoon of food and entertainment.