A flock of flamingos (Photo by Dan Machold) They stand as one-legged sentinels in front of homes and campers, evoking a simpler time -- a more pastel era. Some are put to work or are tasked as messengers. Truly lucky ones even get to travel the world. This weekend the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the mighty pink flamingo lawn ornament, but no one celebrates quite like the jaunty birds' birthplace: Leominster, Massachusetts. The aptly-named Don Featherstone, a designer at Leominster's Union Products, gets the credit as the father of these avian icons. Back in 1957 he was a recent art school grad, tasked with sculpting three-dimensional versions of flat plastic ornaments. In his time at the company he produced hundreds of designs, but it was the stylized pink waterfowl that captured the imaginations of countless suburbanites and -- perhaps inevitably -- became the symbol of kitsch and retro decor. Union Products closed its doors in 2006, putting the beloved plastic birds on the endangered (plastic) species list. But fear not, flamingo fans -- we haven't seen the last of these campy creatures. Suggested Sites... Leominster Summer Stroll - official site of this weekend's festivities, including the unveiling of the mysterious Pink Flamingo Project. Pink Flamingos - a fond history of the decorative birds. The Pink Plastic Flamingo: The Ambassador of the American Lawn - mockumentary about the flamingo's origins. Backstory: Extinction of an American Icon? - a look back at the history of the pink flamingo, as Union Products closes its doors. Fine Line Features: Pink Flamingos - John Waters doing what he does best -- exposing the seedy side of society -- in this 1972 cult classic.

Directory categories: Lawn Ornaments, Real Flamingos, Pink Flamingos (The Movie), Leominster, Massachusetts

Archived under: Birds, Collectibles, Decorating, Fanatics, Gnomes, Home and Garden, Outdoors, Pink Flamingos, Vintage

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting