Greene Artifacts

By Matthew Cumberledge, GCHS ExECutivE DirECtor

A Capitol Bird House

This birdhouse, intended for Purple Martins, was designed and built by J. Warren Jacobs, founder of the Jacobs Birdhouse and Manufacturing Company in Waynesburg, PA in the 1940s. It is the last of this design ever to be built. Called the “Capitol Birdhouse”, it was one of the largest models produced by the Jacobs Birdhouse Company. It was designed to be mounted on a pole, towering 16 to 18 feet above the ground.

In 1915, Henry Ford purchased 15 Purple Martin birdhouses in the Capitol design to be used on his estate, Fairlawn, in Michigan and on the Ford Motor Company Grounds.

Greene County native J. Warren Jacobs (1868-1947) was a self-taught ornithologist and oologist (one who studies bird eggs). He gained international fame following the publication of his story of a Purple Martin colony in a 1903 pamphlet. The story detailed his observations of a colony he established in 1896 at his home in Waynesburg.

In his early life, Jacobs was employed in the family business painting scroll work and trim on repaired wagons and advertising on buildings and signs. He was also a noteworthy woodworker. His sign painting and skills as a calligrapher were a gift he utilized throughout his entire life, with the Waynesburg and Washington Railroad being one of his regular customers.

This specific Capitol Birdhouse was the last made by Jacobs — made to the original design specifications, whereas most models available by the 1940s had experienced some design changes. It was gifted to the Greene County Historical Society in 1959 and has been on display since 1984; it was refurbished by museum staff in 1990. Now it is a focal point in the main hall of the museum.

Please keep an eye out on our Facebook Page and our website at http://www. greenecountyhistory.org to stay up to dates on our presentation series and events as we look forward to our open season beginning April 29, 2023.

The George J. Nader, Jr. “Remember, Your Education is Important” Memorial Scholarship was established at the CFGC by executors of his estate, which included teachers he taught with and previous students. George passed away in 2022. Born in Philadelphia, George received degrees from West Virginia University. His degrees were Pre-Med, a minor in Chemistry, and a Masters in English. He began his teaching career in Prince George’s County, Maryland where he taught English. Upon returning to PA, George taught at Fairchance, before becoming a Chemistry teacher at Waynesburg Central High School for 30 years. George retired from teaching in 2003 and remained a resident of Waynesburg. Often times George went the extra mile to assist the average student to reach their potential, and push them to excel.

It is with this in mind, knowing that George would have been excited that future students would be able to obtain the promise of a start on their post-secondary education, friends of George have established the George J. Nader, Jr. Memorial scholarship fund.

George was the executive secretary for the Central Greene Education Association for many years, a member of the Greene County Association of School Retirees, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and he belonged to the National Education Association.

The scholarship will award one scholarship each year to a Waynesburg Central High School student planning to obtain a four-year degree from a four-year college or university.

Scholarship guidelines for the George J. Nader, Jr. “Remember, Your Education is Important” Memorial Scholarship are available on the CFGC website http://www.cfgcpa.org/ post-secondary-scholarships/.

To learn more about the George J. Nader, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, or how to make a gift to the scholarship fund in his memory, contact Community Foundation by phone at 724-627-2010, email at cfgcpa@gmail.com or go to our website at www.cfgcpa.org.

The Community Foundation of Greene County (CFGC), a private, non-profit 501(c) (3) organization founded in 2000, is the central philanthropic vehicle in Greene County for donations of various types and sizes.

CFGC currently manages over $8 million in assets through more than 100 different endowed and restricted funds.