A Glimpse into the Pigeon Market of Chicago of 1867

For a two-month period from mid-April through June 1867, the extent of market offerings of the Passenger Pigeon was carefully noted by a daily market report. The details indicate the immense number of these birds sold at the wholesale market.

The first notation occurred on April 13th, when 12 dozen pigeons were sold for the nominal amount of $1.25 per dozen, to an unknown buyer. There were additional reports in subsequent days, with an apparently daily report from the last few days of April, through the first days of June.

Sale reports indicate there were many multitudes of these birds sold. They were bought at various prices, in varying condition, during these few days amidst the historic chronicles.

These are the indicated details:

Date of Issue: Account Detail: Derived Number

04/13/1867: 12 dozen pigeons at $1.25: 144

04/18/1867: 60 dozen pigeons at $1.50: 720

04/20/1867: 15 dozen pigeons at $1.75: 180

04/23/1867: 2 dozen pigeons at $1.25: 24

04/24/1867: 10 dozen pigeons at $1.25, 40 dozen $1.20: 600

04/25/1867: 90 dozen pigeons at $1.20, 20 dozen at 1.15, 60 dozen 1.00: 2040

04/26/1867: 220 dozen pigeons at 75 c: 2640

04/27/1867: 31 dozen pigeons at 75 c @ $1.00, 23 dozen at 90 c @ $1.00, 20 dozen at $1.00 @ 1.25: 888

04/29/1867: 140 dozen pigeons at 65 c @ $1.00, 50 dozen at 62 1/2 c: 2280

04/30/1867: 200 dozen pigeons at 62 1/2 c, 50 dozen 70 c @ 75, 75 dozen 70 c @ 80: 3900

05/01/1867: 10 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 10 dozen 65 c, 25 dozen 80 c: 540

05/02/1867: 20 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 16 dozen at 65 c: 432

05/03/1867: 90 dozen pigeons at 75 c: 1080

05/04/1867: 40 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 62 dozen at 80 c, 20 dozen at 85 c, 20 dozen picked at 90 c: 1704

05/06/1867: 200 dozen pigeons at 75 c: 2400

05/07/1867: 270 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 50 dozen at 85 c, 5 dozen 80 c, 18 dozen dressed at 90 c: 4116

05/08/1867: 110 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 220 dozen at 70 c, 50 dozen dressed at 90 c: 4560

05/09/1867: 30 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 150 dozen at 70 c: 2160

05/10/1867: 20 dozen pigeons at 65 c, 22 dozen 70 c: 504

05/11/1867: 40 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 75 dozen at 70 c, 10 dozen at 80 c, 50 dozen picked at 90 c: 2100

05/13/1867: sales 20 dozen pigeons at 70 c, 12 dozen 85 c, 10 dozen at $1.00; pigeons less plentiful - prices higher: 504

05/14/1867: sale 40 dozen pigeons at 70 c, 8 dozen at 80 c, 40 dozen at 90 c, 20 dozen dressed at $1.00, 150 dozen dressed at 90 c: 3096

05/15/1867: sales 20 dozen pigeons at 85 c, 49 dozen at 75 c, 60 dozen live at $1.00, 3 coops at $1.25, 20 dozen dressed at $1.00: 1788

05/16/1867: 52 dozen pigeons at 85 c, 98 dozen 80 c, 25 dozen picked at 90 c, 20 dozen picked at $1.00, 4 coops $1.35: 2340

05/17/1867: 45 dozen pigeons at 80 c, 29 dozen 85 c, 30 dozen dressed at $1.00, 20 dozen live at $1.35: 1488

05/18/1867: 12 dozen pigeons at 65 c, 90 dozen 75 c, 20 dozen 80 c, 45 dozen dressed at 90 c, 4 coops live at $1.25, 2 dozen live $1.10, 1 dozen live $1.20; supply increasing - dull: 2004

05/20/1867: 80 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 100 dozen dress at 85 c, 90 dozen at 90 c, 12 dozen live at $1.00, 2 coops at $1.20; large supply and dull: 3384

05/21/1867: 19 dozen pigeons at 75 c, 15 dozen live at 90 c, 2 coops at $1.20; 1 barrel picked at 85 c, 60 dozen dressed at 80 c: 1128

05/22/1867: 190 dozen pigeons at 70 c, 120 dozen 75 c, 70 dozen picked at 80 c, 145 dozen picked, 85 c, 4 coops at $1.05: 6300

05/23/1867: 208 dozen pigeons at 50 c @ 65, 20 dozen 70 c, 50 dozen picked at 80 c, 19 1/2 dozen live $1.00, 1 coop $1.00; large supply, very dull: 3570

05/24/1867: 400 dozen pigeons at 25 c, 6 dozen 40 c, 219 dozen 60 c @ 65, 30 dozen picked at 75 c, 60 dozen 80c, 50 dozen live at 90 c; large supply, very dull: 9180

05/25/1867: 66 dozen pigeons at 55 c, 44 dozen 60 c, 45 dozen 70 c, 4 dozen 50 c, 90 dozen dressed at 75 c, 15 dozen dressed 85c, 100 dozen live at 50 c; 54 dozen live at 70 c; large supply: 5016

05/27/1867: 115 dozen pigeons at 50 c, 118 dozen picked at 60 c, 1 coop live at 70 c, 30 dozen fresh at 75 c, 26 dozen stale at 20 c: 3468

05/28/1867: 50 dozen pigeons at 50 c @ 60, 40 dozen picked at 75 c, 6 coops live at $1.10: 1080

05/29/1867: 38 dozen stale pigeons at 25 c, 40 dozen dressed at 70 c, 6 coops live at $1.10: 936

05/30/1867: 36 dozen pigeons at 70 c @ 75, 60 dozen picked at 70 c, 1 coop at $1.00: 1152

05/31/1867: 125 dozen pigeons at 50 c @ 65, 115 dozen picked at 80 c, 4 coops live at 75 c: 2880

06/01/1867: 40 dozen pigeons at 50 c, 35 dozen 75c , 20 dozen picked at 85 c, 2 coops live at 75 c: 1140

06/03/1867: 1 barrel picked pigeons at 80 c per dozen: 0

06/05/1867: 14 dozen pigeons at 80 c, 72 dozen picked at $1.00, 10 dozen live at 60 c, 25 dozen dressed at 85 c: 1452

06/08/1867: 25 dozen picked pigeons at 85 c: 300

06/12/1867: 13 dozen live pigeons at 80 c per dozen: 156

06/15/1867: 4 dozen live pigeons at $1.00 per dozen: 48

Each individual report, conveyed on a daily basis, distinctly indicate particulars for the game market at Chicago. The particular significance for these few considered weeks, is basically the sale of more than 85,000 pigeons within basically a few week. There were dead birds, picked birds which might convey that the feathers had been removed from the carcass, live birds which were perhaps useful for shootist competitions at some place, and coops of live birds, which was a category different enough to get particular mention.

Chicago was obviously a place where wild pigeons could be readily brought and sold. Its extent is expressive in conveying a tally for one market. There were additional markets elsewhere also selling game, to some great extent. New York and Boston were prominent game markets at the time, according to reports of the era.

The lakeshore city was a nexus of commerce. Its setting meant a difference for any commerce and trade, including game. There were more than 15 rail road companies recognized by the business directory. There were connections to Baltimore, St. Louis, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and also into Canada where there were rails for commerce of some sort.

A business register of the time for Chicago lists more than twenty "Brokers, Provision & Produce." An advertisement in the publication indicated T.D. Randall, at No. 99 State Street, as a "general commission merchant, and wholesale dealer in fruit, vegetables, poultry, game etc." It is not known if the company was involved in the pigeon trade. Another eight or so businesses were involved with "Game, Poultry, etc." including two at North Market.

Chicago had more than 200 meat markets in 1867-68, according to the business directory, whereupon game could be sold to a willing consumer, after a purchase at the nearest wholesale market. Whether any of these markets specialized in game is not known based upon the chronicles available to be considered.

The extent of trade involving pigeons is readily obvious.

Because some historic documents easily available online, there is an opportunity to discover and newly realize bird history details in a new context. Particulars regarding the Passenger Pigeon as offered in Chicago are one particular instance of significance.