Next on the rails was Pepin, Wisconsin. Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Nestled in a valley carved by glacial melt at the end of the last Ice Age, this little town owes its dramatic landscape to a prehistoric plumbing situation. After a tributary delta partially dammed the Mississippi River, the water backed up and formed what is now Lake Pepin.
The lake got its name from Jean Pepin, a French explorer who settled along its shores in the late 1600s after adventuring around the Great Lakes. In the 1800s, Pepin became part of the lumber industry’s log-floating highway. Freshly cut trees were floated across the lake, though let’s be honest, trees are not natural swimmers, so steamboats were often needed to help them along. Pepin is also the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series.
But not all lake tales are so lighthearted. In 1890, the Sea Wing ferry capsized during a violent storm on Lake Pepin, claiming 98 lives. It remains one of the worst maritime disasters on the Mississippi River.
Still, today’s Pepin is peaceful and lovely, with a wide, shining lake that reflects both the sky and a surprising amount of history. You wouldn’t guess it just by passing through, but this sleepy valley has seen ice ages, French explorers, logging empires, and tragedy. Not bad for a town you can blink and miss if you’re not looking.
