Charles Kellogg (naturalist)

Charles Kellogg (October 2, 1868 – September 5, 1949) was an American vaudeville performer who imitated bird songs, and later a campaigner for the protection of the redwood forests of California. He was born on a ranch in Susanville, California and grew up in the 1870s observing the animals and birds of the forests. He constructed a mobile home, called the "Travel Log", out of a redwood tree and drove it around the country to raise awareness of the plight of the California forests. Its maximum speed was 18 mph. The Travel Log itself is currently on display in the Visitor Center at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Pat Foster of Hemmings Classic Car magazine wrote "the vehicle itself was incredible, a monument to man and nature. It consisted of a huge chunk of giant redwood-said to be the single largest piece of hewn timber in the world-hollowed out and mounted on what was then the toughest, most rugged chassis on earth: the Nash Quad."^[1]

Career

During his childhood Kellogg developed the remarkable ability to perfectly imitate bird song. While bird song imitation was quite popular at the turn of the century, Kellogg's ability to sing from the throat instead of whistle the songs, was what gained him such national attention. By the time he was 22 he was performing his bird songs on vaudeville tours around the country. By the time he was in his forties he was traveling outside of the United States, performing for audiences throughout Europe.

In 1911 Victor Records signed Kellogg to his first recording contract. He recorded with Victor Records until 1926,^[2] mostly singing classical and light classical pieces. Kellogg often performed an adaptation of Xaver Scharwenka's Polish Dance No. 1 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 3, a popular piece for vaudeville actors to perform at that time.

In media

In 2003, NPR's Ketzel Levine focused on Kellogg in the first part of her three part radio story Big Trees and the Lives They've Changed.

In 2007 a musical play titled The Angel of Ever Ever was written in tribute to Kellogg's life and accomplishments. Named after his California ranch, the Ever Ever Ranch, it is centered on his relationship with his wife Sarah, and a rich heiress names Gertrude Strong Achilles.

In Episode 76 of MythBusters, "Voice Flame Extinguisher," Kellogg was mentioned by name several times as his claim that he could extinguish a flame with only his voice was tested. The myth was at the end of the episode busted. In The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday, February 4, 1926 the following article appeared: Sound Vibration. Extinguishes Fire. New York, Feb. 2.: Mr Charles Kellogg, a Californian scientist, give firemen here a demonstration of extinguishing a gas flame two feet high by tonal vibration. Mr Kellogg passed a bow, like an enlarged violin bow, swiftly across an aluminium tuning fork, producing a screech like an intense radio static. Instantly the yellow flame subsided to six inches and became a sputtering blue flare. Another movement of the bow completely extinguished the flame. Mr Kellogg claimed that in future buildings would have a scientifically-determined pitch, with a screech for extinguishing fires tuned in from a central firehouse, where it would be produced by a much larger bow. He said that the General Electric Company was experimenting with the matter.

Notes

External links

• Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association brochure at the Wayback Machine (archived December 12, 2007) about him
• Articleon his "Travel Log" mobile home
• Article in New Scientist
• The Bird Singer and His Travel Log, NPR story, November 2003
• http://www.mendorailhistory.org/1_redwoods/birdman_kellogg.htm