Pigeon Pie

Often there are many different stories about how a river gets its name. Some stories are based on facts and others are simply tales that are passed down through generations of families or stories that have been told for years in the community. Historical records tell us that large flocks of wild pigeons once lived along what is today called the Pigeon River. The pioneers that settled in this area named the river the Pigeon because of the birds. Another story tells us that it got its name because of an event that took place near there many years ago. This may be a tale. We don't really know.

Around 1850 the forest in this area was being cut down for lumber. The logs were put into the small river that flowed near Clintonville. The men who cut down the trees camped in the woods near there. One morning when the men woke up, they saw thousands of pigeons flying around them. The lumbermen traveled along the rivers for much of the year and ate nothing but beans and pork, so when they saw the birds, they thought that they would make a good lunch. They instructed their cook to kill many of the pigeons and fix them a feast while they were out working.

The cook traveled with the group and had overheard the men talking during the past winter. They often complained about the food he fixed for them. This made the cook angry and he had been waiting for the perfect time to get even with the lumbermen. After they had gone off to work for the day, the cook did kill many pigeons. He began to prepare a large pot-pie to put the pigeons in. He didn't take the time to clean and prepare the meat. Instead he put the whole pigeon in the pot pie. He put in feathers, toenails, beaks, and all. After the meal finished cooking, he placed it on the table. He gathered his things, got into a boat, and started down the river toward Oshkosh. As he traveled he smiled and laughed when he thought about what the lumbermen would find when they returned for dinner.

When the men returned from work, they were very hungry. They saw the meal and sat down at the table to eat. The first man spooned a large helping on to his plate. Instead of a delicious plate of meat, he saw a green looking mess. The others saw what the cook had done and were very angry. They looked around, saw that the cook had disappeared, and decided they would chase him and bring him back to eat the entire dish. Lucky for the cook, they never caught him. After that day, the river became known to the lumbermen as the Pigeon River.

From Sawmills to Villages: The Early History of Big Falls, Caroline, Leopolis, Pella, Buckbee, Granite City, Hunting and Split Rock.