Once home to a Chief of the Choctaw people, and an important stop along the Old Natchez Road, nothing remains of the former settlement.
Historyedit
Marker on Natchez Trace ParkwayDavid Folsom
Pigeon Roost was located along the Old Natchez Road where it crossed the Big Black River.[2]
The settlement was named for the millions of passenger pigeons that once roosted there.[3]
Nathaniel Folsom of New England moved there in 1790, and opened "Folsom's Stand and Trading Post", within the Choctaw territory.[3] Pigeon Roost became part of the Natchez-Nashville Mail Route in 1821, which passed "from Nashville to Florence, thence to Columbus, from there to Pigeon Roost, thence to Natchez".[4]
Nathaniel married a Choctaw woman named Ai-ni-chi-ho-yo ("one to be preferred above others"), who was a direct descendant of a long line of Choctaw chiefs. Their son, David Folsom, assisted with the operation of the trading post, and was notable for his many accomplishments.
David Folsom assisted the Americans in the Seminole Wars in Florida, and became a colonel. David also enabled the first wagons to travel from the Tombigbee River in eastern Mississippi, to the navigable waters of the Yazoo River in the Mississippi Delta, by assisting early missionaries clear a wagon road from Pigeon Roost their mission at Elliott.[5] David became influential within the Choctaw people, and met with Chief Mushulatubbee at Pigeon Roost in 1822.[6] Noted Christian missionary Cyrus Byington lived with David Folsom in Pigeon Roost in 1823, where David—a strong believer in Christianity—taught Byington the Choctaw language.[6] In 1826, David Folsom was named Chief of the Choctaw Nation in its northern district.[7]
By the late 1820s, a school for Choctaw children was located at Pigeon Roost, and the community became central to many of the affairs of the Choctaw people.[6] Pigeon Roost Cemetery was also located there.[8]
A post office operated under the name Pigeon Roost from 1842 to 1871.[9]
In 1830, Pigeon Roost ceased to exist following the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, which forced the removed of the Choctaw people from Mississippi.
A marker located at mile 203.5 on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Pigeon Roost Creek recognizes the former community.[3][10]
^Mississippi: The WPA Guide to the Magnolia State. Viking Press. 1938. p. 400. ISBN9781604732894.
^ abc"Natchez Trace Parkway Overview". GORP. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
^McCain, William David (1949). The Journal of Mississippi History. Mississippi Department of Archives and History. p. 14.
^Conlan, Czarina C. (December 1926). "David Folsom". Chronicles of Oklahoma.
^ abcKidwell, Clara Sue (1997). Choctaws and Missionaries in Mississippi, 1818-1918. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 58, 77, 85. ISBN9780806129143.
^"Natchez Trace Parkway from milepost 109 to 170". Legends of America. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pigeon Roost Cemetery
^"Choctaw County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pigeon Roost Creek
External linksedit
April 11, 2024
pigeon, roost, mississippi, pigeon, roost, ghost, town, choctaw, county, mississippi, pigeon, roostghost, townmarker, natchez, trace, parkwaypigeon, roostlocation, within, state, mississippicoordinates, 52139, 14833, 52139, 14833countryunited, statesstatemissi. Pigeon Roost is a ghost town in Choctaw County Mississippi 1 Pigeon RoostGhost townMarker on Natchez Trace ParkwayPigeon RoostLocation within the state of MississippiCoordinates 33 31 17 N 89 08 54 W 33 52139 N 89 14833 W 33 52139 89 14833CountryUnited StatesStateMississippiCountyChoctawElevation420 ft 128 m Time zoneUTC 6 Central CST Summer DST UTC 5 CDT GNIS feature ID685865 1 Once home to a Chief of the Choctaw people and an important stop along the Old Natchez Road nothing remains of the former settlement History edit nbsp Marker on Natchez Trace Parkway nbsp David FolsomPigeon Roost was located along the Old Natchez Road where it crossed the Big Black River 2 The settlement was named for the millions of passenger pigeons that once roosted there 3 Nathaniel Folsom of New England moved there in 1790 and opened Folsom s Stand and Trading Post within the Choctaw territory 3 Pigeon Roost became part of the Natchez Nashville Mail Route in 1821 which passed from Nashville to Florence thence to Columbus from there to Pigeon Roost thence to Natchez 4 Nathaniel married a Choctaw woman named Ai ni chi ho yo one to be preferred above others who was a direct descendant of a long line of Choctaw chiefs Their son David Folsom assisted with the operation of the trading post and was notable for his many accomplishments David Folsom assisted the Americans in the Seminole Wars in Florida and became a colonel David also enabled the first wagons to travel from the Tombigbee River in eastern Mississippi to the navigable waters of the Yazoo River in the Mississippi Delta by assisting early missionaries clear a wagon road from Pigeon Roost their mission at Elliott 5 David became influential within the Choctaw people and met with Chief Mushulatubbee at Pigeon Roost in 1822 6 Noted Christian missionary Cyrus Byington lived with David Folsom in Pigeon Roost in 1823 where David a strong believer in Christianity taught Byington the Choctaw language 6 In 1826 David Folsom was named Chief of the Choctaw Nation in its northern district 7 By the late 1820s a school for Choctaw children was located at Pigeon Roost and the community became central to many of the affairs of the Choctaw people 6 Pigeon Roost Cemetery was also located there 8 A post office operated under the name Pigeon Roost from 1842 to 1871 9 In 1830 Pigeon Roost ceased to exist following the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek which forced the removed of the Choctaw people from Mississippi A marker located at mile 203 5 on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Pigeon Roost Creek recognizes the former community 3 10 References edit a b U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Pigeon Roost historical Mississippi The WPA Guide to the Magnolia State Viking Press 1938 p 400 ISBN 9781604732894 a b c Natchez Trace Parkway Overview GORP Retrieved April 26 2014 McCain William David 1949 The Journal of Mississippi History Mississippi Department of Archives and History p 14 Conlan Czarina C December 1926 David Folsom Chronicles of Oklahoma a b c Kidwell Clara Sue 1997 Choctaws and Missionaries in Mississippi 1818 1918 University of Oklahoma Press pp 58 77 85 ISBN 9780806129143 Natchez Trace Parkway from milepost 109 to 170 Legends of America Retrieved April 26 2014 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Pigeon Roost Cemetery Choctaw County Jim Forte Postal History Retrieved May 12 2020 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Pigeon Roost CreekExternal links editMap from 1836 showing the location of Pigeon Roost Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pigeon Roost Mississippi amp oldid 1167495423, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
