On the banks for the Chippewa River, Durand, Wisconsin, county seat of Pepin County, was named for Miles Durand Pindle. Prindle made the original plat and also owned the first general store, stage routes, and a steamboat that served river traffic between Eau Claire and La Crosse.
Images are from the Durand Community Library, and the Wisconsin Historical Society.
This photo shows the recovery of the city of Durand after the great fire of 1881. The businessmen decided, because of fire hazard, that all buildings should be built of brick. A brick yard was built a short distance northeast of the city in the summer of 1880 and this place was able to furnish the bricks for the rebuilding. The first building completed was the Meat Market.
ca. 1910-ca. 1919. In the spring of 1902, construction began on a steel bridge which was completed that fall. It operated as a toll bridge during the day, but at night, crossing was free. This bridge had a turnstile operation to allow riverboats to go through the area. The bridge was turned over to the State of Wisconsin on July 1, 1937 and taken down in 1942.
