Travel Back in Time to Durand

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 is an aerial photograph of Durand taken in 1910. This photo shows the city and river view.
Sanborn Fire Insurance map of Durand, 1904.
This is a street scene of downtown Durand, Wisconsin. Fox Store (now Wolf’s Store) and other businesses facing west on Main Street,. Image notes before 1914.
This photo shows Main Street of downtown Durand during the 1890s. Schur and Bowman Company is located on the right side next to the Semple House. Mr. Schur sold his partnership to N.A. McMahon in 1910.
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.
1880 Flood. This picture was taken in the city of Durand in front of the Semple House, a hotel and rooming house at that time, located at the lower end of Main Street. When this picture was taken, the first river bridge was a block from the Semple House.
Chippewa river flooding in downtown Durand, June 22, 1993.
Toll bridge across the Chippewa River in Durand
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.