George Barclay was the founder of the City of Pine River and the main street through the city, Barclay Avenue, is named after him. Mr. Barclay operated Barclay's Trading Post alongside what is now Highway 371. His business supplied a large area with the foods needed to exist in the north woods. Mr. Barclay was shot and killed in a now non-existent hotel in Pine River in the late 1800s and the murderer was never apprehended. It is a piece of Pine River history that many do not know.
Pine River owes much of it's history to the pine, particularly the white pine.
And at the place where it's two major tributaries, the South Fork and Norway Brook, merge to form this majestic stream a peppery Scotsman founded a trading post in 1873, then a ranch followed by a hotel. Later cam a railroad, then a town - and finally a prosperous city. This page is dedicated to all those who love history, like I do. Feel free to add to this section as you would like and as space permits. Most anything historical will happily be added to this section.