Peshtigo Fire Cemetery

On the night of October 8, 1871, Peshtigo, a booming town of 1700 people centered around a woodenware factory, the largest in the country, was wiped out in the greatest forest fire disaster in American history. Loss of life and property in the great fire occurring the same night in Chicago did not match the death toll and destruction visited upon northeastern Wisconsin during the same dreadful hours. Every building in the community was lost. The tornado of fire claimed at least 800 lives in this area, and many of the victims lie here. The memory of 350 unidentified men, women, and children is preserved in a nearby mass grave.

Peshtigo, Wisconsin · United States