WI U.S. House District 8 issued the following announcement on Sept. 24
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today commemorated the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Peshtigo Fire by entering a statement of recognition into the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. The Great Peshtigo Fire was the deadliest fire in U.S. history, claiming nearly 2,000 lives while destroying millions of acres of land across Northeast Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula.
In part, Rep. Gallagher wrote, “In the face of this unprecedented destruction, the people of Peshtigo and the surrounding communities came together to rebuild and restore. Today, Peshtigo is a vibrant community with schools, parks, wineries, and museums, all held together by the grit and character of the Peshtigo people that has defined the city for generations. It is my hope that through this proclamation, the Great Peshtigo Fire will receive the proper recognition it deserves not only as a somber tragedy and the deadliest fire in U.S. history, but as a trial that displayed the tremendous resolve of the Wisconsinites who rebuilt the city of Peshtigo to even greater heights.”
October 8th marks the 150th anniversary of the fire, and the town of Peshtigo will hold a three day commemoration honoring the anniversary and the lives lost on September 24, 25, and 26.
A PDF of the entry can be found HERE, and full text of Rep. Gallagher’s entry in the Congressional Record can be found below.
"Mr. Gallagher. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 150th anniversary of the Great Peshtigo Fire. The deadliest fire in U.S. history, the Great Peshtigo Fire claimed nearly 2,000 lives and millions of acres of land across Northeast Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. Today, we not only remember the lives lost in this blaze, but celebrate the resilience Wisconsinites showed in rebuilding their communities.
"The city of Peshtigo was founded in 1838. Adjacent to the western shore of Green Bay, surrounded by dense Wisconsin forest, and bisected by the Peshtigo River, Peshtigo became an immediate economic hub for logging and shipping. By 1871 it sustained the livelihood of thousands of families in Wisconsin and was the tenth most populous city in the state.
"October 8th, 1871 may be often overlooked in American history, but to the citizens of Peshtigo and Northeast Wisconsin, it was a defining moment for generations. On that fateful night, the village of Peshtigo lost nearly half its residents, with many more traveling lumberjacks killed in the fire. Estimates believe that roughly 700 Peshtigo residents lost their lives as the city was consumed by flames. Hundreds more perished in the surrounding communities. Flames descended upon the city of Peshtigo so rapidly that it was described by eyewitnesses as a roaring tornado of unbearable intensity and heat. The Peshtigo River, which runs directly through the city, did little to stop the flames from darting over the waters, and survivors, realizing they were trapped, had no other choice but to leap into the river. Within hours, nearly the entire city was reduced to rubble.
"Though often overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire which began the same night, the Great Peshtigo Fire claimed at least five times the lives and over 500 times the acreage. But in the face of this unprecedented destruction, the people of Peshtigo and the surrounding communities came together to rebuild and restore. Today, Peshtigo is a vibrant community with schools, parks, wineries, and museums, all held together by the grit and character of the Peshtigo people that has defined the city for generations. It is my hope that through this proclamation, the Great Peshtigo Fire will receive the proper recognition it deserves not only as a somber tragedy and the deadliest fire in U.S. history, but as a trial that displayed the tremendous resolve of the Wisconsinites who rebuilt the city of Peshtigo to even greater heights. Madam Speaker, I urge all members of this body to join me in recognizing the 150th anniversary of the Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871."
Original source can be found here.
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