King of the Castles: Maurertown couple craft larger-than-life lawn ornaments

View larger image Larry Hackney leans on one of the bird castles he built in his yard at Back and Zepp roads in Maurertown. Rich Cooley/Daily Recommend This Print This Get E-mail News Alerts Buy Photos/Page Reprints * Breaking News If local news is breaking and you know about it: * Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos View larger image Larry Hackney assembles one of his bird castles in his workshop behind his Maurertown home. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Larry Hackney uses an air gun to fasten a cedar shingle to one of his bird castles in his workshop behind his Maurertown home. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Larry Hackney's wife, Gladys, paints the bird castles. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image Hackney stands inside his workshop where he makes bird castles and other projects. Rich Cooley/Daily Rich Cooley/Daily

By Preston Knight -- pknight@nvdaily.com

MAURERTOWN -- Larry and Gladys Hackney have their own version of an animal farm at their Zepp Road property.

If it's not a rooster catching your ear, it's the 17-year-old dog happily prancing around grabbing your attention. As you heed Mrs. Hackney's advice to watch for black snakes in her husband's shop, you watch birds fly all around.

Those birds, of all the creatures that might call the area home, have the largest presence, and there's no denying why -- the yard is littered with "bird castles," Hackney's mega-version of a birdhouse. His wife, an artist, paints them.

"I've never been content just building something simple," said Hackney, 62.

The castles range in height, some towering about 16 feet above ground. Most are at around eye level, and since Hackney now makes them on request from others as gifts, many have a sports team theme -- the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, University of Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies.

Outside exposure to the yard full of castles is limited for where the couple lives at the corner of Zepp and Back roads, although people do frequently stop by and inquire, and the Hackneys offer them a flier. When one or two are loaded on the back of a pickup for when the couple heads into Woodstock to run errands, there is almost always feedback, Mrs. Hackney said.

"Their mouths fly open," she said.

The enormity of the castles, compared to what you would expect out of an ordinary birdhouse, is only half of what is so impressive, though. Mrs. Hackney's skill with a paintbrush, which is showcased all around the couple's house on cabinets (foxes), walls (a scene from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic) and in framed pictures (horses, flowers and, of course, birds), brings the structures to life.

"I'm really impressed," Hackney said. "She's a helluva artist."

The castles take about two days to build and decorate, and can be purchased anywhere from $150 to $225, with the biggest ones approaching $300. Smaller ones can be had for about $30, and Hackney builds mailboxes, too, for $165. Mrs. Hackney designs what her husband builds at your request.

"He can make anything," she said.

The castle idea just sort of happened in the recent past. Hackney, a Vietnam veteran who used to do architectural millwork and has constructed barns in Middleburg, has always built things, and after he was finished fixing up the Maurertown house when he and his wife moved in more than two years ago, she asked him to build a birdhouse.

"It evolved into Virginia Tech, the Redskins, the Cowboys," Mrs. Hackney said, "and then, of course, he had me paint."

Hackney estimates he's built at least 50, earning the nickname "Birdman of Mount Olive." He has added to the football-themed castles by placing small goalposts on top.
"I thought, gee willickers, aren't you getting inventive?" said Mrs. Hackney, who is the "bird lady."

Hackney has refrained from taking his castles to any festivals, not wanting to take time away from other interests. But he's happy to build on demand, retiring to his shop, where the snakes, now accustomed to the sounds of the radio and machinery, give him no pause.

They have yet to try out the castles, he said. Those are left to the birds, including tree swallows, bluebirds and sparrows.

"The birds love them," Mrs. Hackney said. "They just have a field day with all of the choices."