Story by Käri Knutson / Lee Newspapers

PEPIN, Wis. — The folks of Pepin are proud that the small town of 878 was once home to Laura Ingalls Wilder, a.k.a. “Half Pint.”
But there’s a lot more to Pepin.

If you’re looking for a pretty drive not too far from home, Pepin is the perfect destination. And it doesn’t take too long to get to the little city by the big lake. Head north on Hwy. 35 and take the approximatley 75-mile drive to Pepin.

Home of Laura

Yes, there’s more to the town than celebrating its most famous former resident, but a trip to Pepin does require celebrating the site that inspired Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House in the Big Woods.”

Wilder was born Feb. 7, 1867, in Pepin. Pa was restless, so the family didn’t stay long, moving to Missouri in 1868 and Kansas in 1869. They returned in 1871, and stayed for three years.

Pepin celebrates Laura Ingalls Wilder Days each September; this year’s celebration takes place Sept. 13-14.

The festival includes demonstrations of traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, woodworking, hand-spinning and quilting, an arts and crafts market, food and a “Pepin Laura” contest, where contestants see who knows the most about the life and times of Laura.

The original little house Laura grew up in is no longer there, but you can see a replica at the Little House Wayside about seven miles outside of Pepin.

Visitors can look out over the rolling landscape, imagining what life would’ve been like once upon a time for the little girl who lived in the Big Woods in Wisconsin.

Recently, Julene Rohrer, 54, and her daughter Emily Rohrer, 24, made the trip from Cochrane, Wis. They brought two guests, Laura Matamoros, 24, and her mother Zulay Rodriguez, 45, both from Costa Rica. Matamoros was a foreign exchange student with the Rohrer family seven years ago and was back for a visit. It was her mother’s first time in Wisconsin.

“I loved reading about how they lived in the prairie,” Matamoros said. “And her name was Laura.”

Wilder’s books were set thousands of miles from their home, but both Matamoros and her mother enjoyed reading the books growing up.

“I liked them because they were family stories told from the girl’s point of view,” Rodriguez said in Spanish as her daughter translated.

Rodriguez said the replica log home was similar to how homes in Costa Rica were built when she was growing up. This was the Rohrers’ third trip to the Little House Wayside.

Visitors are asked to keep the front door shut “to keep the bees, birds and other varmints out.”

If you’re looking for a souvenir of your trip, visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historical Museum,

306 Third St. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 15 through Oct. 15. Between 12,000 to 15,000 people visit the museum each year. Admission is free. Information: (715) 442-2142.

Look for Pepie

Want to make a quick $50,000? Capture Pepie, the supposed creature that resides in Lake Pepin, on film and claim your check. Legend has it that Pepie was first seen swimming on April 28, 1871, according to the Minnesota Almanac published by the Minnesota Historical Society.

But don’t spend your money yet. A University of Minnesota biologist will analyze your proof. For more information, visit www.pepie.net.

You can see why a sea monster would want to call the beautiful lake home. The body of water borders Minnesota and Wisconsin and is two miles wide and 22 miles long.

If Pepie doesn’t scare you away, you can go fishing or take a boat ride. Steve Anfang and his wife, Sally Sperl, brought their family for a weeklong trip to the Pepin area. They live in Mahtomedi, Minn., with their children Henry, 15; Walter, 13; Carl, 12; and Audrey, 8.

“There’s such great shopping and arts here,” Sperl said as she showed off a lavender dress she bought from a shop in nearby Stockholm, Wis.

The family brought their boat, which they docked at Dan’s Pepin Marina. If you don’t have a boat, just reading the names — Foxy’s Fun, Absinthe Minded, Lucky Dog — can be fun.

You also can take a sightseeing cruise, courtesy of On-Deck Seminars and Charters, 400 First St.; (715) 442-4424.

Unique shops

You won’t find a big-box store in Pepin. What you will find is a variety of unique shops run by locals.

Make sure you call ahead for hours. Some are closed mid-week.

The Pepin Depot Museum, 806 Third St., is part history lesson and part souvenir shop. It’s full of donated railroad and steamboat memorabilia and is open daily from May through November. It used to be located by the lake but was moved to its current location March 13, 1984. There had been plans to demolish it, but a local Save the Depot campaign saved the building.

It had 160 visitors in 1985. Last year, it had 2,979. Visitors included people from Peru, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Ukraine, the Philippines, Scotland, Poland, Japan, Germany, Sweden and England. Volunteers, like 86-year-old Virgie Preifert, help run the place.

“It’s real interesting,” Preifert said. “A lot of old-timers come in after years of working on the railroad.”

You can see the old telegraph machine and switchboard. People donate items to the museum for resale. Proceeds help keep the museum running. You can buy paperbacks or old Reader’s Digests for 25 cents and lots of other items such as a cannonball or bonnet made on the banks of Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, Minn. Information: (715) 442-6501.

Other shop stops:

The Country Stop of Pepin, corner of Hwy. 35 and Hwy. CC. Farm-fresh produce, open 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week May through October.

Smith Bros. Landing, 200 E. Marina Drive. Decorative metalwork and select perennials; (715) 442-2248.

Dockside Mercantile, 304 First St. Clothes, books, gifts and local products; http://docksidemercantile.com, (715) 442-4009.

BNOX Gold & Iron, 404 First St. Hand-crafted jewelry and ornamental ironwork; www.bnoxgold.com, (715) 442-2201.

Lakeview Art & Antiques, 912 First St. Collectibles and antiques;

(715) 442-9000.

T&C Latané, 412 Second St. Metal works and traditional works by other artists; www.metalsmith.org/gall/latane, (715) 442-2419.

Lunch lakeside

There are many tasty options for lunch in Pepin, but if you’re looking to try something different, grab a bite at the Pickle Factory, home of the deep-fried pickle. You can get a half-order for $3.59 or full order for $6.59.

If it sounds a little weird to you, you’re not alone. Waitress Amber DeLong, 28, had to be talked into trying the creative culinary dish. But eating was believing.

“I love them with a side of ranch,” DeLong said. “The more you eat them, the more you like them.”

They also serve 60-ounce margaritas for $25. If you bring back the glass, your refill is $15.

Other options:

Great River Coffee Roasters, 415 Third St. Micro-roasted specialty coffees made from Arabica coffee beans. They even have a coffee called “Laura’s Blend,” named after, you guessed it, Laura Ingalls Wilder; www.greatrivercoffee.com, (715) 442-4100.

Ralph’s Bar/Mary’s Kitchen, 206 Lake St. Home-cooked meals in a comfortable setting; (715) 442-3451.

Garden Pub & Grille, corner of Hwy. 35 and Prairie Street. This outdoor pub and grill offers sandwiches, homemade pizza, beer, wine, soups and salads; (715) 442-5500.

Harbor View Café, 314 First St. Fine dining offering made-from-scratch specialties. The restaurant is known for serving fresh seafood such as Alaskan halibut, lightly dusted and sautéed, with black butter caper sauce, served with jasmine rice and fresh salsa; www.harborviewpepin.com, (715) 442-3893.

The Shoreline, 310 First St. Full bar with flavorful beer selections and a menu of burgers and sandwiches; (715) 442-2232.

Third Street Deli and Juice Bar, 1015 Third St. Delicious deli sandwiches with a menu that changes daily; (715) 442-3354.

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