PESHTIGO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Today (October 8th) marks the 147th anniversary of the Great Peshtigo Fire.
Artifacts at the Peshtigo Fire Museum give a chilling reminder of the devastating and undeniable history.
One hundred forty-seven years later, Sally Kahl, the museum curator tells FOX 11 it’s still the largest and deadliest wildfire fire in US history.
“The city of Peshtigo burned in one hour. In one hour it was gone.”
Every year on the anniversary of the fire, the Peshtigo Fire Museum closes for the season.
“a city of 1,200 people. 800 died that night,” said Kahl.
It’s fire that has been overshadowed by another blaze the same day.
Chicago had a terrible fire too and they had loss of life, but 1200 people in an hour it just unfathomable.
The reminders are burned into the city’s tale.
“I was born and raised here and to me, it was always special,” said Kahl.
Few things exist from before the fire, but inside the museum are stories of those who lived it.
Coleman resident Bill Conrad tells FOX 11 he’s fascinated by the history of his hometown.
“I think it touches everybody, really. with the Peshtigo fire, nobody realized the devastation. I look back today at the fires that are happening in California and you have to think back at what happened here and what’s happening over there and the equipment they have to fight it with now.”
“Those are actual photographs. It was taken three days after the fire,” said Kahl.
She says people from near and far made the trip to the Peshtigo Fire Museum this weekend.
“One couple made a quilt to honor the fire which is going to be on display at City hall.”
Today, residents and visitors will gather at Peshtigo’s city hall to honor those who died and those survived.
The ceremony is at Peshtigo City Hall, 331 French St. It begins at 1:pm
The event is called “A time to remember.”
