Preserving history with the iconic Jack Miner fence

KINGSVILLE — The iconic Jack Miner fence is being replaced after decades of protecting the grounds from traffic along Rd. 3, west of Kingsville.

For those old enough to remember, which includes most readers of the Southpoint Sun, the old brick and chain link barrier that separated the outside public from the inside of the grounds, represents years of history.

That fence was stood upon and looked through by thousands — if not millions — of youngsters as they strained to see the ducks, geese and other fowl swimming in the pond at Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary.

The Jack Miner Museum stands behind the iconic Jack Miner Fence in this file photo.

The grounds, now administered by the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Foundation, have been a popular destination for class trips, vacationers and local history buffs for many years.

The Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary opened in 1904, when Miner, then a 39-year-old conservationist, developed a place for wild geese to find refuge during their annual migration.

The Migratory Bird Foundation is a private, not-for-profit group, charged with carrying on the wishes of the famous ‘Wild Goose Jack.’

Dr. Amanda Everaert, acting Executive Director of the foundation, has recently started a GoFundMe page to help offset costs related to replacing that iconic fence.

The current progress in rebulding the Jack Miner fence, photographed on Sunday, January 10.

Sun photo

The old brick, mortar and chain link barrier was removed in 2019 and work has recently begun on rebuilding the fence to more modern specifications.

According to Everaert, there is some great history in that original fence.

“Henry Ford actually sent some workers over — at a cost of $1 a day — to erect the original fence,” she said.

Ford was a friend of Miner’s and the two often exchanged ideas. Ford and Ty Cobb were said to be regular visitors to Miner’s grounds north of Kingsville.

According to Everaert, there was no foundation built under the original fence and that caused recent issues with its stability. A temporary fence has stood in its place since 2019.

The new fence will contain strong aluminum sections between the brick pillars and allow for some great viewing for generations to come.

If you’d like to help with the project, visit GoFundMe.com and search for the ‘Rebuild the Iconic Jack Miner Fence’ page. While there, you can make a donation to help the cause.