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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Search to resume Saturday for Guinness record holder Todd Ragsdale ... Prosecutors use refuge occupiers' own words against them ... DA won't offer felony discharge to justice director Shane Hagey ... Search to resume Saturday for Guinness record holder Todd Ragsdale ... Prosecutors use refuge occupiers' own words against them ... DA won't offer felony discharge to justice director Shane Hagey ... Was it ever really called Mount Pitt? Having been born and raised in this valley for more than 70 years, I have known our mountain as "Pitt." From the Klamath side, it was always known as McLoughlin. How and when did the accepted name become Mount McLoughlin? What happened to Pitt? Newcomers to our valley have never heard of Mount Pitt. They want to call our "angel" a "butterfly" and "lizard." Can you sort this out for us old-timers? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 30, 2011 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 30, 2011 at 2:20 AM Posted Jun. 30, 2011 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 30, 2011 at 2:20 AM » Social News Having been born and raised in this valley for more than 70 years, I have known our mountain as "Pitt." From the Klamath side, it was always known as McLoughlin. How and when did the accepted name become Mount McLoughlin? What happened to Pitt? Newcomers to our valley have never heard of Mount Pitt. They want to call our "angel" a "butterfly" and "lizard." Can you sort this out for us old-timers? — M. Anderson, Eagle Point Actually, the name McLoughlin appeared on a map as early as 1838, while the name Pitt first appeared on an 1843 map. The Pitt name is derived from the Pit River in California. The word was often misspelled as Pitt. In 1905, the Legislature named the mountain to honor the Oregon pioneer, Dr. John McLoughlin. So, the old-timers have apparently gotten it wrong all these years. There is no evidence the mountain was named after William Pitt, the English statesman. The mountain has also been referred to as Snowy Butte and Big Butte. Indigenous people also had different names. The Klamath Indians called the mountain M'laiksini Yaina, but the Takelma knew it as Malsi. You also spoke about an angel, a butterfly and a lizard. We suppose you are referring to the way the snow melts on Mount McLoughlin into the shape of an angel, as many have described. Others think it looks more like an eagle. Fishing lore has it that when the snow on Mount McLoughlin has melted sufficiently to make the eagle or angel shape visible, it's time for the spring Chinook salmon run. Historian Jeff LaLande once said, "When the eagle's on the mountain, it's time to wet the line." Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We're sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 30, 2011 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 30, 2011 at 2:20 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501