Our History · Since 1906
The Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International
What began as a bit of fun among Wisconsin insurance field men became more than a century of fellowship and charity across North America.
From a Lark to a Lasting Cause
In 1906, the Wisconsin Field Men’s Club met for its annual gathering at the Oakwood Hotel in Green Lake, Wisconsin. With some spare time on their hands, members who belonged to various fraternal orders decided to start one of their own — mostly as an amusement, complete with a tongue-in-cheek initiation borrowed from the benevolent societies of the day.
Then the founders made a decision that changed everything: membership fees would go toward helping former colleagues who had fallen on hard times. A joke became an organization with a serious charitable purpose — a purpose the Order still carries today.
Why a Goose?
Choosing a name sparked plenty of debate. Rejected ideas included the Order of the Royal Elephant, the Society of the Plebeian Jackass, the Order of Oriental Stags, and nods to the Phoenix and the Pelican.
The goose won because, as Grand Gander Atwater explained, it fit the fire insurance business: fond of water, slow-moving, quick to raise a fuss, linked to the golden egg — and plucked every year, much as legislatures regulated insurance companies.
Why Blue?
“Blue” came from two places: the Blue Goose, a New Jersey tavern run by one member’s great-grandfather, and admiration for the precise formations wild geese hold in flight — as orderly as the Dean rating schedule.
Early Traditions
- Oaths were sworn “by the webfoot and spoon bill.”
- Members pledged to eat fried goose liver at breakfast during conventions.
- Goose quills were adopted for correspondence — reportedly emptying local pen supplies.
- Ganders entered the Pond in flying formation behind the Grand Gander, then sang an opening ode to the tune of “Tit Willow.”
Fellowship & Charity
From the start, the Order stood for fellowship among fire insurance professionals and support for those facing hardship. Early eligibility included supervising officials, field men, company adjusters, inspectors, raters, and insurance publication staff.
Milestones
The Founding Officers
Be part of the next chapter
Join Penn Pond and carry on more than a century of Blue Goose fellowship.
Source: Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International, including The Western Underwriter, September 27, 1906.