Due to the town's location between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers in southern Illinois, Griggsville has a severe mosquito problem.
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| A Male Purple Martin is dark and glossy blue. Females are brown in color. |
In 1962, local businessman and nature enthusiast J.L. Wade encouraged the city to build birdhouses for purple martins, renowned for consuming more than 2,000 mosquitos daily, making them "America's Most Wanted Bird."
Over the years, Griggsville built more than 5,000 birdhouses, which led to the town's nickname, "The Purple Martin Capital of the Nation."
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| The Purple Martin Highrise of Griggsville, Illinois. |
Additional Reading: Lost Towns of Illinois - Griggsville Landing, Phillips' Landing, Phillips' Ferry, and Phillipsburg, Illinois.
Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
