Pierce History

Pierce County Historical Association: www.piercecountyhistorical.org

The Pierce County area was explored during the 1670’s by Father Louis Hennepin and French traders. The first settlement was made at Prescott, the junction of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, in 1827. The County was created in 1853, and while not generally timbered, logging was carried on in the Rush, Eau Galle, and Kinnickinnic River valleys. By 1855, the county was settled for farming and dairy cattle were introduced.

Rich fertile soils from the tall grass prairie which grew in many areas ensured a minimum amount of clearing was required for the towns and communities which sprang up. Wheat, corn, and oats became the principal field crops. Excellent river transportation provided ready means of moving farm products to market. Ellsworth was established as the county seat and became the initial population center of the county. The original courthouse was built in 1879, the present one in 1905.

Today, Pierce County is a wonderful place to visit and an excellent place to live. Its incredibly beautiful scenery of rolling hills, deep valleys, pastoral farms, and world class trout streams are deeply satisfying to its residents and a welcome invitation for relaxation to its visitors. With the mighty Mississippi River and the "National Wild and Scenic" protected St. Croix River, there is a wealth of water-based beauty and recreation available. With excellent schools, scenic highways, many churches, and constantly expanding business and industry, Pierce County offers much to residents and visitors alike. Pierce County welcomes tourists to the area to visit its beautiful natural areas and sites, its local, county and state parks, its many fine golf courses and other recreation opportunities, its charming towns with real Main streets, and the University of Wisconsin in River Falls. The "welcome mat" is always out in Pierce County.