“Birds of Kirkwood, DeKalb County, Georgia” was published in the June 1903 issue of The Wilson Bulletin, a periodic journal of ornithological concern. The author of the article was one Robert Windsor Smith who resided in Kirkwood, Georgia from approximately 1890 until his death at his home in 1910 at the age of sixty-eight. Kirkwood was formally incorporated in 1904 and annexed into the City of Atlanta in 1922. Prior to their move to Kirkwood, Robert and his family had previously lived on Whitehall Street, near downtown Atlanta.
The “Birds of Kirkwood” article includes a detailed “description of section” which is an invaluable snapshot of what the natural environment of Kirkwood was like at the turn of the century. Robert’s list of birds contains some minor numbering errors and most likely a few erroneous exclusions, but it provides important context with regard to the diversity of bird life that could be found in pre-urbanization Kirkwood.
Robert and his wife Mary lived on Howard Street and his “Birds of Kirkwood” article represents the culmination of his study of the local avifauna, which also continued after the publication of the article. Several of Robert and Mary’s children also lived in Kirkwood in homes built on the four acre Smith property: one daughter lived on Trotti Street, a son lived on Howard Street, and another daughter lived in my family’s current home at 152 Howard Street NE.
What you are reading now is the culmination of over two years of my research into the Smith family, Robert’s ornithological efforts, and Kirkwood (and, to a lesser extent, Atlanta) history. What started as simply an earnest curiosity about who originally built and lived in our circa 1900 house evolved into a series of surprising revelations, including one that dovetails nicely with the fact that I have been a casual birder most of my adult life and my father has been a birder since I was a child.
This unusual serendipity has been both the motivation for me to continue to follow the historical bread crumbs as well as to reinvigorate my own interest in birding. It has also underscored for me the belief that while this is now our home that we care for deeply, we are but stewards. And how can one truly care for something without understanding it? My hope is that by sharing this story I will inspire others to be curious about and investigate their home, their community, their environment, whether they live in Kirkwood or elsewhere.
The working title of this endeavor is deliberate… “The untold history and legacy of Kirkwood’s ornithologist”. By merely looking back I’ve uncovered a fascinating family history and I’m able to ascribe value to those historical fragments based on my own beliefs. What remains then is the legacy, and it is a gift, even when it uncovers ugliness. Unsurprisingly, one doesn’t need to dig too far down when researching Southern history to find vestiges of slavery and racism. My hope is to sensitively and sincerely share what I’ve discovered, and that ultimately what we do with that legacy in turn becomes the legacy we leave for future generations.
With all that in mind, please watch this space as I will be sharing much more soon about the Smith family, my own birding endeavors in Kirkwood and beyond, Kirkwood historical notes, tips on researching the history of your home, thoughts on the natural world, links to other resources, and more.
My first entry in the Smith family history series is here: Smith family history: Part 1
“Birds of Kirkwood, DeKalb County, Georgia” is freely available at the University of New Mexico’s SORA (Searchable Ornithological Research Archive) archive here:
https://sora.unm.edu/node/123763
Birds of Kirkwood 