Peshtigo Fire Museum

A must-see for any firefighter family or history buff! We loved getting to see this place that is such an important part of history.The museum guides were excellent, super knowledgeable, and friendly. Many artifacts from the fire and general history of Peshtigo.Make sure you visit the cemetery here. Read the signs throughout, learning the stories of the victims and heroes of the Forgotten Fire.

We were camping nearby with our 10 yo grandson. Our guide provided stories appreciate for the 10 year old while also entertaining us. The scope of the disaster is incomprehensible.Many interesting displays about old timey life.

I appreciate the history that is shown here.Love the fact that it shines a light on one of the most forgotten tragedies in US history.More people need to know about the struggles these individuals went through during that horrid time.

Well done history museum. The 1871 fire was the deadliest forest fire in US history, but it's not well know since it happened the same day as the Great Chicago fire. This museum has several floors of stuff, some of it salvaged from the aftermath of the fire, much of it donated by people living here. The cemetery next door has a mass grave of unidentified bodies from the fire. Peshtigo is a small town, but very aware of its history. Worth a stop!

Randall Carlson presents a very cogent account of that night in 1871, introducing eye-witness accounts of the ferocity of the fire that roared through Chicago, Peshtigo and Hinckley on the same night at the same time , 9pm.