Fairy houses

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Fairy houses are small outdoor structures intended to look like residences for fairies. Creators often choose natural, foraged materials to build and decorate their houses, allowing the creations to decompose back into the ground where they are placed.

Contents

Fairy house building has been touted as a way to encourage children to spend time in nature and to exercise their imaginations. [1] [2] However, fairy house creation has also been championed by adult creators as well, some of whom build elaborate or longer-lasting structures.

Origins

Fairy houses have been recorded on Monhegan Island in Maine since the 1950s, [3] although some claim they date back to the early 20th century. [4] These houses were primarily made by local children. [3] [4]

In the early 2000s, New Hampshire writer Tracy Kane began publishing children's books on fairy houses after visiting Monhegan. [5] Kane has been credited with the popularization of fairy houses outside of Maine. [1]

By the mid-2000s, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, began organizing the Annual Fairy House Tour, [5] which as of 2012 was one of the largest fairy house event in the world. [2]

Materials

Many fairy house creators suggest that natural materials be used in their construction. Depending on the region, this can include logs and twigs, acorns and pinecones, grasses, shells, feathers, stones, or produce such as berries and pumpkins. [6] [7] Some will go further as to specify that fairy house creators should not disturb living plants while gathering materials for their creations. [8]

Fairy House trails

Some artists and communities have contributed fairy houses to specific trails or paths. Although some of these communal exhibits are temporary, [7] others are permanent installations.

CountryStateCity / TownPark or trail nameDate establishedRef
United StatesAlaska Anchorage Russian Jack Park2023 [6]
New Jersey Millburn South Mountain Fairy Trail 2011
New York Henrietta Tinker Nature Park2014-2019 [9]
Rochester Mendon Ponds Park 2019 [10]
North Carolina Raleigh Annie Louise Wilkerson, M.D. Nature Preserve Park [8]

Environmental impact

Some environmentalists worry that the creation of fairy houses contributes to the destruction of local environments, as creators may harvest plants, including slow-growing plants like mosses or lichens, [11] for decorative or structural uses. [4] Other critics are concerned that fairy houses may be made out of non-compostable or natural materials, leading to plastic, glass, and other pollutants being introduced to natural spaces. [3]

Fairy house trails may also have a negative impact on natural spaces, as increased visitors to an area can result in vandalism, littering, soil compaction and erosion, and destruction of plant life. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 Putnam, Caurie (2013-06-07). "Pittsford native ignited fairy house craze". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  2. 1 2 Dobrov, Kenneth (2012-09-16). "Magical tour: Fairy houses attract young and old". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  3. 1 2 3 Pavia, Will. "Fairy houses of Monhegan Island demolished". The Times. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  4. 1 2 3 "All Things Considered: Fairy Houses". NPR. 2000-02-15. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  5. 1 2 Duffy, Vandy (2009-09-06). "Portsmouth Fairy House Tour has the magical touch". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  6. 1 2 Swenson, Ammon (2023-06-30). "State of Art: Fairy houses turn a normal Anchorage walking trail into something magical". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  7. 1 2 Moscarello, Lindsay (2017-04-04). "Forest Fairy Houses hidden in plain sight at Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell". Marietta Daily Journal. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  8. 1 2 Overdeep, Meghan (2022-08-04). "This Raleigh Nature Preserve Is Hiding a Secret Fairy Village". Southern Living. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  9. 1 2 Miller, Ryan; Silvarole, Georgie (2019-03-22). "Fairy houses removed from Tinker Nature Park due to litter, vandalism". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  10. ↑ Freile, Victoria E. (2019-06-03). "The pixies have a new home! Here's your first look at the new fairy house trail in Mendon Ponds Park". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  11. ↑ Dufresne, Bethe (1996-09-01). "Monhegan has its limits, but the beauty is limitless". The Day. pp. C5.
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