The 1871 Great Michigan Fire

The Great Fires of 1871 - The summer of 1871 was dreadfully hot and dry in the #Michigan Thumb. Farmers watched their crops wither in the dry heat. In the fall, relief from the drought was no better. Folks began to worry that there were to be some lean winter months ahead. The heat and the lack of rain did not only affect eastern Michigan. The conditions stretched west into #Peshtico #Wisconsin and northern #Illinois including #Chicago. The whole region was a tinderbox for the great fire of 1871.

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[feliciabilyeu]

My great great great grandmother was burned along with her oldest daughter in sanilac county during one of these fires.

[kellyowens]

Fires were so common in those days, & fighting fires wasn't really a thing yet, that the "Great Chicago Fire, " was only the 2nd largest fire in the United States that day.

[Jessica-mltd]

The theory was it was caused by a meteorite or even Sparks caused by cooking. It was a very hot and dry summer all over the Midwest that year

[momsmushroomsjodyfoster]

I’m 58 but clearly remember Smoky the Bear and the anti-fire campaign of my childhood. I think my love of nature interest in conservation started with smoky

[thomasblanchard]

Meanwhile in Europe, the Treaty of Versailles of 1871 founded the German Empire.

[LindaMerchant-bqhp]

That was the year of the great Chicago fire Oct 1871

[DarkCloudNC]

anyone else find it rather odd that on October 8th a fire similar to this one happened in Michigan called “The Great Chicago Fire” ?….

[kh]

Any of the fires could have been caused by 🌩️.☮️

[Sleepingbear]

My Great Grand parents moved to Port Hope about that year. The fire of 1881 in the thumb is what my Grand Parents are more familiar with. I wonder what it must have looked like then? Were there native tribal folks living there before the fire? Was that the last time different types of animals lived there? Pine Martin, black bears, elk, moose, bobcat, etc.

[rabaohong]

Grandpa immigrated to Grand Rapids in 1847. Unfortunately I have no knowledge that he ever spoke about it to his children. Thanks for this history👍👍

[shirleybalinski]

The " benefit" was open farmland. This allowed the THUMB to become a leader in agriculture. To this day the area helps leads the nation in navy bean production, soybeans & sugar beets, plus other great quantities of grains.

[nancysmith-baker]

Wow i grew up there only heard of the. Chicago fire .
Snd great fires out west too .

[phyllis]

Wait! How is it I have never heard of this?

[nancysmith-baker]

Well get teady looks like we might get more fires .

[johnhart]

Read much anout this and live near a town that was totally destroyed by the fire

[spaceprepper]

Did you forget or are you not vary good at reporting. You totally didn't report about Door county. Typical 😢