Bill & Leota's Bird Paradise

Standard and white peacocks at their aviary.

   In the late 1950s, Bill and Leota began turning their property into the home of their dreams and it all started with birds. They both always loved birds and began raising pigeons and peacocks as a hobby. Bill was very creative, building the cages and most of the things needed to keep the birds. Before they knew it, they had their own homemade aviary. At one point they had 20 to 30 peacocks running around.

        Throughout the years they had pheasants, white peacocks, standard peacocks, swans, black swans, fan-tailed pigeons, and feather-toed pigeons. Their aviary became so well-known that every year, the grade schools would take a field trip to visit the birds. They would also receive visitors from the nursing home.

        Bill had what Leota called a "knack for creating". Using scrap wrought iron caging from the old Sumner Post Office, he built a beautiful glider swing. He even dug a 2-acre man made pond with a bridge leading to an island. They stocked the pond with bass, bluegill and crappie so that Bill and Jeff could go fishing any time.

        Flower beds, a wishing well, and a cabin next to the pond completed the wonderland. Bill made the screened-in cabin out of old railroad ties. It featured a wagon wheel chandelier and even a fireplace where they would host gatherings and make popcorn. 

Article about their home published in the Daily Record - November 7, 1985