Special program “A Rare Pearl: Honoring the Legacy of Pearl Swiggum” to be held in Readstown

The Readstown Public Library invites the community to a special program, “A Rare Pearl: Honoring the Legacy of Pearl Swiggum,” on Saturday, May 9, at 1:30 pm, at the Advancement Building, located in Tourist Park, in Readstown. This heartfelt event will celebrate the life and work of beloved Kickapoo Valley columnist Pearl Swiggum, whose writing captured the humor, resilience, and everyday beauty of rural life. Swiggum wrote for the Crawford County Independent for over 50 years and contributed to several regional publications, including a 17-year run in the Monday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal.

In honor of Mother’s Day weekend, attendees will hear from Marjie Jurgensen and Barb Harris, Pearl’s daughter and granddaughter, who will share personal stories, memories, and reflections on her remarkable life. The program will also feature photographs and memorabilia, highlights from her long writing career, and selected readings from her books, including The Barn Came First and Stump Ridge Farm. This free event is open to the public and welcomes community members of all ages to gather, reflect, and celebrate a truly local literary legacy. For more information, please contact the Readstown Public Library at 608-629-5465 or visit readstownlibrary.wrlsweb.org.

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE TYPEWRITER

Pearl Swiggum (born Pearl Stevenson, March 24, 1914) was a celebrated writer, columnist, and chronicler of rural Wisconsin life. She was born in Towerville, Wisconsin.

Pearl grew up in the Towerville area and attended the Towerville School before continuing to Gays Mills High School. She later graduated co‑valedictorian from Central High School in La Crosse. She also completed a year at the Vernon County Normal School, preparing for a teaching career.

Before her writing career, Pearl taught at the Towerville School for one year. In 1934, she married Tillmen J. Swiggum, and together they farmed in several locations before settling on the family farm near Star Valley and later Stump Ridge.

Pearl began her newspaper career in 1958 at the Crawford County Independent in Gays Mills. There she launched the column that would define her legacy. Her writing—warm, humorous, and deeply rooted in rural culture—captured everyday life on the farm and the character of the Kickapoo Valley.

Her column eventually reached readers through the Wisconsin State Journal and other newspapers across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. She continued writing until age 90, a remarkable span of more than three decades.

Pearl and Tillmen raised three children: Jim, Dorothy, and Marjie. She lived to be 101 years old, passing away on July 17, 2015, in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin.

Her legacy endures through her books, her beloved column, and the vivid documentation of rural Wisconsin life that she preserved for future generations.

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