Histories:
Trempealeau County Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 14:
The names of Caledonia, Dodge, Ettrick and Pigeon Falls have the same origin as those of the townships in which they are located.
Coral City was at one time a flourishing hamlet located in section 18, Pigeon Township. The construction of the Green Bay & Western Railroad in 1873 blasted its hopes of future greatness. At one time Coral City had its Main street, State street, Public square and prospects of a prosperous future. It had several general stores, shops, hotels, saloons, a good mill; in brief, all the equipments for a lively, busy country village. But later its business was absorbed by the railroad towns. The Wright brothers, Phineas and Benjamin, may be credited with beginning the town. They built a flouring mill in the summer of 1863, and other places of business soon followed. Egbert Carpenter, C. E. Scott, Andrew Olson, Ryland Parker, Dr. Shelden and Seneca Johnson are well remembered names of some of its business men. Granville McFarland, one of the men employed in building the dam for the mill, is probably more responsible for the name given to this place than anyone else. While digging dirt on the north side of the creek for the dam some queer-looking rock was found. McFarland, it appears, made Pheaneas (sp?) Wright, who headed the enterprise for building the mill, believe that the rock was coral. Mr. Wright, who was one of the best and most straightforward men in the country, not knowing he had been imposed upon by a practical joker, platted the village and called it "Coral City." The village was noted in the early days for its law suits, which served not only to settle disputes, but also afforded highly seasoned amusement. Some of the trials in the justice court there lasted for over a week. The noted flood in March, 1876, entirely destroyed the mill built by the Wrights, but the following summer another mill took its place. This mill and some sightly houses are now all that remains of a once flourishing settlement.
Montoville was the name under which Trempealeau Village was originally platted. It means the Mountain ville.
Porterville, the name under which Blair was originally platted, was named for Richard Porter, who settled on land now occupied in part by the village, June, 1855, and died July 26, of the same year, as the result of an encounter with a band of wolves near Galesville. His son, Duke Porter, platted the village in 1873, and gave it the name of Porterville. But when the railroad established a station near his plat, they gave it the name of Blair.
Strum was named by Congressman William T. Price for his friend, Louis Strum, of Eau Claire, Wis. Under the first Cleveland administration the hamlet was called Tilden, for Samuel J. Tilden, the statesman, but on Jan. 1, 1890, was again changed to Strum.
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 14:
Platted Villages
-As transcribed from pages 272 - 273
-As transcribed from pages 272 - 273
The names of Caledonia, Dodge, Ettrick and Pigeon Falls have the same origin as those of the townships in which they are located.
Coral City was at one time a flourishing hamlet located in section 18, Pigeon Township. The construction of the Green Bay & Western Railroad in 1873 blasted its hopes of future greatness. At one time Coral City had its Main street, State street, Public square and prospects of a prosperous future. It had several general stores, shops, hotels, saloons, a good mill; in brief, all the equipments for a lively, busy country village. But later its business was absorbed by the railroad towns. The Wright brothers, Phineas and Benjamin, may be credited with beginning the town. They built a flouring mill in the summer of 1863, and other places of business soon followed. Egbert Carpenter, C. E. Scott, Andrew Olson, Ryland Parker, Dr. Shelden and Seneca Johnson are well remembered names of some of its business men. Granville McFarland, one of the men employed in building the dam for the mill, is probably more responsible for the name given to this place than anyone else. While digging dirt on the north side of the creek for the dam some queer-looking rock was found. McFarland, it appears, made Pheaneas (sp?) Wright, who headed the enterprise for building the mill, believe that the rock was coral. Mr. Wright, who was one of the best and most straightforward men in the country, not knowing he had been imposed upon by a practical joker, platted the village and called it "Coral City." The village was noted in the early days for its law suits, which served not only to settle disputes, but also afforded highly seasoned amusement. Some of the trials in the justice court there lasted for over a week. The noted flood in March, 1876, entirely destroyed the mill built by the Wrights, but the following summer another mill took its place. This mill and some sightly houses are now all that remains of a once flourishing settlement.
Montoville was the name under which Trempealeau Village was originally platted. It means the Mountain ville.
Porterville, the name under which Blair was originally platted, was named for Richard Porter, who settled on land now occupied in part by the village, June, 1855, and died July 26, of the same year, as the result of an encounter with a band of wolves near Galesville. His son, Duke Porter, platted the village in 1873, and gave it the name of Porterville. But when the railroad established a station near his plat, they gave it the name of Blair.
Strum was named by Congressman William T. Price for his friend, Louis Strum, of Eau Claire, Wis. Under the first Cleveland administration the hamlet was called Tilden, for Samuel J. Tilden, the statesman, but on Jan. 1, 1890, was again changed to Strum.