The WREN Wren

Topeka is home to the world's biggest wren. Truly. This one, now at the corner of Huntoon and Topeka, has a history. There was a radio station in Topeka called WREN where this bird used to perch. But we have to back up a bit.

WREN started in Lawrence, and the original home of the concrete wren was at the transmitter in Tonganoxie. This was back in the 1920s, and the station was named for one of the products of the Bowersock Mills & Power Company of Lawrence. In 1947 the station was sold and moved to Topeka; in the early 1950s it was owned by Alf Landon and/or members of his family.

I'll leave you with this link for "the rest of the story," and post the pictures already.

You may notice, if you click through to the larger images, that there are many tiny little "spikes" all over the wren's back. These were apparently designed to keep pigeons off it, which they do, and I am also told they made it uncomfortable for kids to climb on it when it was stationed on the ground rather than atop a building.

I am pleased to report that it does not collect graffiti in its present location either. I like this little unique piece of Topeka's history.