General Resources
Fire in America by Call Number: TH 9115.N28 1976Publication Date: 1976Peshtigo--Engulfed by a Forest Fire p. 87-88
Peshtigo Fire: Introduction
Harper's Weekly Magazine Drawing Of The Peshtigo Fire
The Peshtigo Fire occurred around the town of Peshtigo in northeastern Wisconsin on October 8, 1871, the same day that the Great Chicago Fire began. Historically, the Peshtigo Fire has been somewhat overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire, though the Peshtigo Fire covered a much greater area and had many more fatalities. The Peshtigo Fire burned 1,875 square miles and destroyed twelve communities, killing between 1,200 and 2,500 people. The fire is thought to have been caused by small fires used for land-clearing that blew out of control and created a firestorm.
Resources at the IFSI Library
These links take you to the IFSI catalog. To request an item, click "Add to Request Bin." This takes you to a page where you can fill out the online request form and submit to the IFSI library. To request items, you must be an Illinois resident with a library card from an Illinois library.
The Great Peshtigo Fire by Call Number: F589.P48.P47 1999ISBN: 9780870203107Publication Date: 1999Peter Pernin, a survivor of the fire, first published this account in 1874.
Online Resources
- Peshtigo Residents Look Back, 50 Years after the Great FireThese are articles digitized by the Wisconsin Historical Society. In the title article (pages 1-6), published October 6, 1921 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the fire, Rev. Kurt Guyer of Peshtigo provides "a compilation of stories and what I have read concerning the horrible disaster." Pages 7-10 are other newspaper clippings concerning the fire.
- Remembering the Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871This article from Fire Engineering reflects on the fire and its causes and lessons learned that can be applied by firefighters today.
Videos
This video by KRQE News 13 of Albuquerque, NM discusses the events of the fire.
This is a presentation from the Verona Wisconsin Historical Society on the Peshtigo fire.
Librarian
IFSI Library Information
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