In the beginning.The American Pigeon Journal, commonly known as the APJ, is often believed to be the first pigeon magazine in America. It hailed from the west coast – originally Southern California. At that time, it was called the Pacific Squab Journal (PSJ), and was first published in 1913. It was not, however, the first magazine devoted to pigeons. The Fancier was first published in 1886. It was no longer in publication when the PSJ began, but the Pigeon News, which started in 1895 was. The first issue of the PSJ was published in January of 1913, and was only 4 pages long,. It was only intended to be published occasionally for the members of the Pacific Utility Pigeon Association. The PSJ was published in Oakland, although the club was located in southern California. That first issue had an incredibly strong response.

The very next issue, in February, is noted as Volume 1, Issue 2. The publishers obviously decided that the 4 page issue provided in January, even though only four pages in length, was indeed to be considered issue number 1. While the first issue was devoted mainly to utility breeds in California, the second issue opened the door to a wider audience, including fancy pigeons along the Pacific coast. It is clear that the publishers were already envisioning a larger audience. That second issue provided information about the recent formation of pigeon clubs and specifically mentions the Southern Pigeon Association, and breeders in Portland, Oregon. But it really took a few years before fancy pigeons were fully incorporated into the magazine as an integral part. Its scope became national for squabbing interests much quicker.

A magazine's covers really tell a good tale of what was going on in the hobby at the time. The first few issues of the PSJ displayed photographs of utility breeds on the cover, but this quickly changed to displaying the table of contents there, starting with the April-May issue. (Many more pigeon magazine covers can be seen at the website pigeoncote.com, including those of the Purebred Pigeon). Then, as now, pigeon magazines needed the breeders and breeders needed the magazines in order to flourish. And flourish we have. More than a hundred years later, there are breeders in every part of the nation and so is our modern magazine, the Purebred Pigeon.

Going National. The emphasis of the articles also changed from featuring only utility breeds to including fancy pigeons. The ads also changed, quickly including ads for stock, feed, and supplies from all over the country. It is no small wonder, then, that the magazine's name was changed so quickly from the Pacific Squab Journal to the American Squab Journal, starting with the July issue of that first year, 1913. Wm. J. Reid became the publisher. The name change was announced in the June issue of the PSJ - “Beginning with the July number, this magazine will appear as the American Squab Journal.” The newly named magazine started as volume 2.

Interestingly, an article in the August issue of 1913 mentioned that seamless bands should be used to put an end to the disreputable practice of old birds being peddled as young. While I suspected it was possible that this practice had been going on, I wondered if this might have been just a way of getting breeders interested in buying seamless bands, a sort of advertising ploy. However, there was not an accompanying ad for seamless bands in that issue, and, in fact, there were no ads for seamless bands For almost two years. The first ad for seamless bands was in the May 1915 issue .During 1914, the magazine was acquired by E. W. Nichols, and moved to Kansas City. He retained the name of the American Squab Journal and the original masthead - “Devoted to the the Advancement of Squab Raising and Marketing,” The magazine changed hands often. Frank Hollmann, an original subscriber, became publisher for the October issue of 1915. Frank had been a devoted subscriber, but clearly had a broader perspective.

Hollmann retained the name of the American Squab Journal and the masthead up until May of 1920. Then he radically changed the focus to all breeds, renaming it the e American Pigeon Journal. This was also reflected in the slightly, but significantly, altered new masthead - “Devoted to the Raising of Pigeons for Profit & Pleasure.” And to put an exclamation point to it, this issue was devoted to the Maltese. Perhaps the first special ever issued. This does not imply, however, that before 1920 the magazine was not an excellent source for information on what we now consider fancy breeds. In those older issues, there is a plethora of articles on Hungarians, Runts, Carneaux, Maltese, Mondaines, Homers, and of course, Kings.

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