Pepin

Formed February 28, 1858 (56^th county)

Pepin County (7,326), Durand (1,852)                

The 1951 Modern tan brick building was a hospital remodeled in 1984 to become the courthouse.  The earlier classier courthouse was built in 1874.  The courthouse is on a hill at 7^th Avenue at Oakwood Drive.  Wisconsin State Highway 25 passes one block to the northwest of the site.  Joseph Durran is the new courthouse architect.  Pepin County was created on February 28, 1858 from Dunn County as the 56^th county.  Pepin (1858), Durand (1861 & 1886), and Arkansaw (1881) have all served as the county seat.  The county is named for explorers Pierre and Juan Pepin du Chardonnets.  The county seat was named for settler Miles Durand Prindle. 

Pepin County government consists of a sheriff and 12 Supervisors.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Pepin and Buffalo counties.  The county is on the northwest border with Minnesota.  The Mississippi River forms its southwest border.  Minneapolis, Minnesota is west and Madison, Wisconsin is southeast of the county.  The county center is 3.7 miles West of Durand nearer Arkansaw.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Dunn, Eau Claire, and Buffalo counties and Minnesota and Pierce County. 

The area of the county is 232.0 square miles.  It is 72 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 69 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 31.6 persons per square mile making it 50 out of 72 in the state.  Pepin County has 36.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 10 crosses the county from southeast, Buffalo County, to west, Pierce County.  The county resembles a skinny pistol.  Durand is located in the northern third of the county.  Durand is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.3% of the county population.