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Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > Wisconsin > Peshtigo |
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Time Zone
Central
Latitude/Longitude
45.05° /-87.78°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 52
LOW: 41
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Overshadowed by the similar calamity in Chicago that occurred the same day, the terrible fire that destroyed this north-woods town on October 8, 1871, is largely a forgotten chapter in history. Yet, the firestorm that arose in the surrounding forest claimed as many as 1,200 lives, here and in several less-severely afflicted towns nearby. When the fire struck, Peshtigo was a booming lumber town of churches and schools, where massive logs floated in the river, sawmills cut logs into boards, and factories turned the boards into useful household objects. Within hours, it was gone.
The story of the great fire -- with its individual tales of horror and heroism -- and the town's successful rebirth after its utter devastation is told at the Peshtigo Fire Museum, which is open daily from 10 AM to 4:30 PM Memorial Day through October 8 (the anniversary of the fire). You can also visit the Peshtigo Fire Cemetery where a monument honors the 800 people who died here and a mass grave holds the remains of those victims who were never identified.
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