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Weathervane Info
| A weather vane is also called a wind vane. It is a tool for
measuring wind direction. It spins on a rod and points in the direction
from which the wind comes. The weather vane is one of the oldest weather tools. The part of
the
vane that turns into the wind is usually shaped like an arrow. The other
end is wide so it will catch the smallest breeze. The breeze turns the
arrow until it catches both sides of the wide end equally. The arrow
always points into the wind and tells you the direction from which
the wind is coming. Most weathervanes are made of iron, copper, zinc, and
wood. Generally three forms of weathervanes are created by skilled
craftsmen.
Sheet Metal Weathervanes
Flat sheet metal weathervanes seem to be the most numerous.
These weathervanes were found on farms dating back to the early 1900's and
still are popular today. It is hard to visit a gift or feed store in
America and not see a black, flat bodied weathervane probably manufactured
overseas. Some small businesses in America still do manufacture this
simple style of weather vane offering a personal touch.
Full Bodied, Three Dimensional
Weathervanes
Full bodied weathervanes truly exemplify craftsmanship in every
way. These works of art are created by first creating a mold in which a
soft metal like copper can be hammered into. The metal fills the void of
the mold and produces half of a three dimensional metal weathervane. The
two halves are then welded together to form a body. For example the body
of the weathervane could be a cow, horse, rooster or mermaid etc. Other
small pieces are then added including the directional and the arrow. This
type of weather vane is a work of art. USA
Weathervanes has a extra large selection of full bodied weathervanes
by Good Directions. Some of the more popular weathervanes are the Rooster
Weathervanes , Horse
Weathervanes, and Eagle
Weathervanes . We carry over a hundred different style of weather
vanes.
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Wood Weathervanes
These weathervanes are usually carved by hand, especially
weathervanes dated before 1850. Wood weather vanes can be very intricate
in detail with almost life like appearance or they can be blocky and
simple by design.
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World's
Largest Weathervane
Standing on the north shore of White Lake, this hand formed aluminum
weathervane is 48' high, 14' long and weighs 4,300 pounds. This operating
weathervane has a working weather station in its base with foot access
available.
The ship on top of the weathervane is the Ella
Ellenwood, a Great Lakes lumber schooner whose home port was White
Lake, off Lake Michigan, in Montague. In October of 1901, the Ellenwood
ran aground with a full load eight miles north of Milwaukee. The crew
abandoned ship, and the wind and waves of a fall storm broke the ship to
pieces. The next spring, a portion of the ship's nameplate, bearing the
word "Ellenwood," was found in White Lake. Almost miraculously,
the nameplate had drifted back east across Lake Michigan to the ship's
home port! The nameplate is still exhibited in the Montague City
Hall.
This information was provided by the White Lake Area Chamber of
Commerce
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