Maritime Speaker Series: 150th anniversary of Peshtigo Fire

On the evening of Oct. 8, 1871, the worst recorded forest fire in North American history raged throughout Northeast Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of dollars of property, timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives. Beginning in Peshtigo, widespread drought conditions fueled the inferno and remarkably high winds caused the fire to spread across Green Bay to the Door Peninsula.
The first presentation of the 2021-2022 Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series will be held both in person and online on Thursday, October 7 at 7pm, featuring Barb Chisholm discussing the 150th anniversary of the Peshtigo Fire.
Barb Chisholm will give an overview of the fire that enveloped both sides of the Bay and how it influenced the area and its people, including the survival story of her great grandmother, Emmerence (Gaspard) Englebert.