The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-09-12
IT IS A QUAINT SUBURB,
Settlement Beneath Two V;aaucts
Near City Of Milwaukee.
SCENES IN "PIGSVILLE. :"
A Working Community Which Rears Do
nestle Animals-How it Ac-
quired It's Odd Name.

Out in the Menomonee valley. ut the
foot Of Jn,!ertakers' hill. on the outskirts
Of the city Of Milwaukee,, with its house
tops barely extending above the level Of
the Grand avenue vi;iduct, lies one Of the
most interesting OF the many suburbs OF
Milwaukee. While much has been said
and written OF Milwaukee and its beau
tlful suburbs, for some reason, PiSsville
has escaped general attention.
Few Pause to Contemplate.
While there are hundreds VINO daily
drive over Grand avenue viaduct and
thousands who pass by on the railroad
trains, but few ever pause to contelnplat"
this peaceful little settlement and still
less IS the number who, moved by curiOs
lty or the desire for knowledge, are led
to make their way into the community by
way Of the road or alleys that runs Off
from Grand avenue. seemingly down be-
meath the viaduct itself. Those who do
find much to reward them for their pains,
for there is much Of. interest to repay
one, although in many instances, few may
care to repeat the journey.
No one knows just exactly how Pigs
Vile came to be established or who the
first settler was, the mystery here being
as great as it is concerning the pioneer
Of that somewhat similar although ex-
ceedlngly larger community on Jones ISL
and. The average resident will shake his
head when you ask him who first located
in Pigsville and in the same way most
of them will shake their heads and smile
when the peculiar name Of the place is
inquired into.
Might Have Been Rose Valley.
There was Il time when the residents
or at least the more aesthetic, resented
the name Of Pigsvfle and endeavored to
have it denominated Rose Valley this
WAS long before David Stuart Rose be-
came mayor OF Milwaukee,, but the effort
failed and so the community remains rs
llSSvllle and is likely to do so for all
time.
Pi=Svile received its name from the
fact that one OF its most prosperous land
owners, John frost, once engaged in the
pork business. He conducted a large pig
gerry. al times having as many as POD
industry Of Pigsville, but times have
changed and now the principal industry
seems to he not only the raising OF pigs,
bnt goats. chickens ducks and geese, not
to mention children, and all appear to
thrive and WAX fat. Mr.. frost has long
since given up the piggery, mas retired
and is now the proprietor and host at
one of the many saloons in the neghbor-
hood. with 4 frontage at the end OF the
viauuct.
Suggestive of Jones Island.
There are perhaps fifty cottages in Pigs
vile. There is much about Pigsville Sug-
gestive Of Jones islands. but there are no
fishermen. The male population finds
employment in the breweries, the Gettle-
man and Miller establishment near by,
and at the West Milwaukee shops of the
Milwaukee road. The cottages present
the appearance Of thrift. Unlike Jones |
island. there are side walks OIL some Of |
the streets.
The Grand avenue viaduct bounds
Pigsville on the south. while the Me-
nomonee river bottom hedges it in on the
north and east. for the river describes u
curve at this point. There are some very
pretty scenes, under the trees, along the
river edge and the surroundings of the
FigSyille back yards, with their rows OF
pig pens, cattle sheds and chicken coops
adds Il touch Of the picturesque.
There are some things in and about
IigSyille that defy the cameras tense or
the artists pen. either to catch or repro
auce, but it is there just tine same That |
is the pungent odOr that arises from tho
river bottoms, enlarged and emphasized |
by the smells that come from the pig
gHrit.$. These things. when the wind Is
in the right or the wrong, direction, is
apt to inspire one with longing for
distant climcs and the wish that he was
far away.
Ducks Fish for Suckers
1t is along the back yard fronts, and
the river bottoms that the stranger finds
much to interest. despite the smells, in
watching the antics of the goats, gambol-
ing beneath the big viaduct of the street
railway company and the hocks of ducks
that paddle lazily about in the water, I'M
til one of them seizes a sucker in it's bill
and then there is general scramble to
participate in the division of the fish.
1t is always cool, even on the hottest
day, beneath the great willow trees, but
the mosquitoes and smells are never end
ing disturbing factors.
From the big viaduct of the street rail-
way company, Pigsville appears a mass
of dark green foliage, with here and there
roof top peeping out, suggesting
much greater community than actually
exists. The playground question is most
happily settled in Pigsville for whether
it rains or whether the sun shines, wheth.
err it is hot or cold, the children have an
excellent playground beneath the Grand
avenue viaduct.
To the south Of Grand avenue viaduct
some hundred yards, another settlement
has come into existence. 1t forms no
part of Pigsyille, however, as the resi-
dents resent with considerable emphasis
the euphonious apDellatiOn of the sister
community. 1t lies on the east side OF
the Menomonee also, so there is little
danger of it's being reckoned a part of
Pigsville, although there is much in COM
mon between the two settlements and lit
tie to distinguish the one from the other,
-Eyening Wisconsin,.