The deadliest fire in American history, the Great Peshtigo Fire

The History Guy remembers the victims of the great 1871 Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin, America's deadliest fire. Because it took place on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire has been largely forgotten. It is history that deserves to be remembered.

This video contains information that may be disturbing to some viewers. It was made for educational purposes and all topics are presented in a historical context.

The History Guy uses images that are in the Public Domain. As photographs of actual events are often not available, I will sometimes use photographs of similar events or objects for illustration.

Skip Intro: 00:10

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered (formerly "Five Minutes of History") is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.

Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:

The episode is intended for educational purposes. All events are presented in historical context.

#peshtigo #thehistoryguy #ushistory

[_bxni]

Hey! I'm a curator at the Peshtigo Fire Museum and I know this an old video but I want to thank you for making it! While I was working the other day a gentleman came into the Museum all the way from Florida because of this video! It's sad that even to this day, 148 years on, the Peshtigo Fire still is less known and has little coverage (there are even Peshtigo natives who know nothing about it!), but it's because of people like you and all those who pass the story on that the memory of those lost can still live on. Again, thank you for telling the story in an accurate way and, if you've never been to our museum stop on by! We’d love to have you!

[VictoriousGardenosaurus]

Native of Peshtigo here. Awesome to see this on here, well done. Fun fact, the last day the Fire Museum is open every year is 10/8

[TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Several viewers have noted that the locals pronounce the town name Pesh-ti-go rather than Pesh-tee-go.

[debrabridges]

Thank you, History Guy, for acknowledging and remembering the poor souls at Peshtigo. May they be at peace. 🌹

[NicholasMeyer]

As a native ‘Sconi, growing up around Wausaukee, and like all grade-schoolers in the region, I all made the pilgrimage to Peshtigo to learn about that horrible moment in history. Thanks for bringing it to wider audience. It deserves remembrance. (And it’s PESH -te- go, but many have called that out. It’s a minor thing and WI is full of befuddling town names)

[WillaHerrera]

My narrowly escaped the Camp Fire in Paradise California. I was 10 miles away that morning and stuck in traffic for hours. Hearing about this fire brings back such bad memories. My mother's car was surrounded by flames. She gave up and resigned herself to die in the fire. She was going to get out of her car as to not suffer longer. Luckily she was on the phone with my sister. My sister screamed at my mother to STOP BEING A BABY AND STAY IN YOUR CAR AND SMASH THE GAS PEDAL AND DRIVE THROUGH THE FIRE. My mother did what she told her and she lived. The next week I replaced the air filter and cabin filter in my mother's car. They were both full of ashes and nearly 100% clogged up.
Thank you for these videos History Guy. You really share some amazing things most have never heard of.

[arlieaustin]

Thank you for doing this! As a retired Firefighter i've read alot of fire history, this one always seem to be forgotten!

[almilani]

When I was in school I flunked every subject EXCEPT HISTORY! I CAN STILL NEVER GET ENOUGH AND YOUR PRESENTATIONS ARE SUPERB!

[alexriesenbeck]

Of all your videos, this one hit me pretty deep. Not because of a connection to the fire nor the event itself, but for the moral or lesson you sum it up with in the end. Never take anything in this life for granted. That message is so very enormous. Thanks for your great videos.

[jh]

This one really did need to be remembered, History Guy. Thank you for bringing it to us.

[louannreitz]

My great grandmother was 1 year old in 1871. Her father took the family to the river with a blanket. He went the blanket and put it over their heads. We were told that the air was so hot, they wouldn’t have survived without keeping the blanket wet over their heads. I have been to Pestigo. COVID kept me from returning this year. Do hope the museum can keep this history.

[TB-hqub]

Years ago in the fire academy
we studied this fire a truly catastrophic event

[charleshoyt]

In the book about the fire my family name's in it. 2 great uncle's were lost, by running into a swamp. 1 great grandpa and my great great grandma dropped into the well and survived the fire. Most folks have never heard of the peshtigo fire. Thx, history guy for reporting on it

[arlieaustin]

I'm a retired firefighter, I became interested in Conflagrations and fire storms, I read the book writren about this fire, thanks for making this video! To quote a famous saying Fire is a dangerous servant and a fearful master!

[jg]

As a Wisconsin wildland firefighter I appreciate your coverage of this event. I spent time in recent years staged to that area from southern Wisconsin to help protect that are when conditions were dry. It's an important story. Thank you

[stephenanderson]

Great presentation. My great grandparents were survivors of the Peshtigo fire. One of the Hanson family survivors lived with my family until she died. Thanks much.

[ZenZaBill]

I grew up in Chicago, and in grade school we were all told of Mrs. O' Leary's cow who kicked over the kerosene lamp that (supposedly) started the fire. But until just now, I'd never heard of of the Peshtigo fire. Thanks for bringing out this bit of history to be remembered!

[TakoyakiStore]

My grandmother still gets wildfire nightmares from the all the stories she heard as a little girl growing up in Peshtigo.

[lam]

History Guy- thanks so much for this short docu!
I've grown up hearing about this conflagration from my mom's northern Wisconsin family. My great-great-grandfather, Joseph Prudhomme, as a youth
survived the Fire by going into the river with his sister and they splashed water on each other.
It's a marvel of God's Grace anyone survived at all and I'm Very thankful my forefather made it through and my branch of the family exists today!

[maryrhudy]

I've read books about this fire and watched videos. All these years later, it still breaks my heart.