October 8, 2021 – Peshtigo, WI – The 150th anniversary of the Peshtigo fire is October 8, 2021.
When the fire occurred in 1871, Ulysses S. Grant was President of the United States.
In the summer of 2018 while on a fundraising bicycle tour, my niece Audrey and I spent a day in Peshtigo and visited the Peshtigo Fire Museum.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began October 8, 1871; the Peshtigo fire occurred the same day.
This Great Chicago Fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
The Peshtigo fire was more devastating destroying 1.2 million acres and estimated 2,500 people perished.
The Peshtigo fire came to a halt when it reached the shores of Lake Michigan.
Below is an entry from The 2018 Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s travel journal and a visit to the Peshtigo Fire Museum.
The Peshtigo Fire Museum is reason alone to visit Peshtigo, WI. A horrible historic event is well documented in paintings, stories, and a mass grave of unidentifiable neighbors and families that were swept up in the deadliest fire in America in October 1871.
The stories were horrific and graphic.
The rest of the museum was quite interesting with local antiques and collectibles, including bikes. There was a fabulous tandem that also served as a holder for boxing gloves.
And we found a bike built to ride on railroad tracks. Audrey took great delight in pretending she was riding the rails.
A big note of thanks to Bobbi and Parker from New Life Church for giving us a safe place to stay in Peshtigo.
The 2018 Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s raised money that year for a rickshaw for seniors at The Samaritan Campus, a 501c3. All donations were tax deductible.