Arkansaw, Wisconsin

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Arkansaw is an unincorporated community in the eastern portion of the Town of Waterville, in Pepin County, Wisconsin; government for the town. Arkansaw was founded in the early 1850s at a crossing of Arkansaw Creek, a tributary of the Eau Galle River.[1] The community, located approximately 3 miles west of Durand, is home to about 300 people. The community's zip code is 54721. During the period 1881-6, the community was the county seat of Pepin County.[2]

The community is at the junction of U.S. Highway 10, and Pepin County Trunk Highways D, N, O, and X.

The community is home to three churches, one each Catholic, Methodist and Latter-day Saint.

One of the community's main draws for outsiders is the Easy Creek Bistro[3], a fine dining establishment.

More renowned Arkansawers include Lisle Leslie Longsdorf, Association for Communication Excellence president (1945-46)[4][5], Charlie Heit, Montana News Network's weatherman [6], and freelance writer Sean Scallon[7][8][9].

First built around lumbering, the first sawmill was opened in the community in 1852 [10].

The town was originally built near the center of 3 dams within a mile of each other on Arkansaw Creek (all three were wiped out in a flood in 1907). Arkansaw Creek was named in honor of the Arkansas River, of which it reminded its namer[11]. Today, the course of the creek through Arkansaw is the site of Arkansaw Creek Park[12].