What is a weathervane? It can be simply defined as something that turns and points in the direction of the wind. Did you know that weathervanes go back in time, right up to the first century? The word “vane” is derived from “fane” which is an Old English word that means banner or flag. The weathervanes were of course intended to show the direction of the wind, but often a story was told about them, as well. One such story goes, that an old Greek weathervane was made with eight sides to it. Each side represented a different wind god. The weather for the day was controlled by that God whose side took the direction of the wind on that particular day. You used to see copper weathervanes on every farmhouse in the US, and lately on the garages of the nicer suburban homes. Copper weathervanes are the number one choice of people wanting something traditional on their house, garage or barn. Copper is the ideal material for a weather vane. It doesn’t rust or corrode, only acquires a nice patina. Even if copper weathervanes are on top of the list in popularity, some people prefer brass ones, and even aluminum and steel ones can be found today. If you look for copper weathervanes on the Internet, you’ll find that the Northern states are the biggest in the weathervane industry. Even today the weathervane tells a story, usually the owner likes. That is why you see images of a rooster, boat, angel, locomotive, or horse on them.
All homes should have copper weathervanes
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