Old Pepin County Courthouse
Built in 1873-74 for $7,000, this building served as the center of Pepin County government for 105 years and is Wisconsin's last remaining wood-frame courthouse. The temple-front Greek Revival style architecture represents strong democratic ideals of government. Building the courthouse settled a turbulent controversy surrounding the selection of the county seat.
The courthouse lawn was the scene of a lynching that gained widespread attention. On November 19, 1881, an angry mob seized Ed Maxwell, who had been accused of killing two lawmen. Still in handcuffs and leg irons and with a noose around his neck, Maxwell was dragged down the steps to a tree in the yard where he was hanged.
Marker is on West Madison Street west of 3rd Avenue West, on the left when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
