 The name has changed many times in its history; at one time the area now called Herring Neck was called Goshen’s Arm and the areas now called Pike’s Arm and Green Cove was called Herring Neck.The origin of the name comes from the early fishermen's practice of portaging loads of herring across the narrow neck of Pike's Arm.This was necessary to avoid the journey around the arm and the treacherous headwaters.