Government or official record
History of the Governor Earl Peshtigo River State Forest
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Fires · 8 October 1871Open article references →
The Peshtigo Fire
Peshtigo community and river refuge landscape · United States
Why editors use it hereState account of the fire's regional land-use context, rebuilding, immigration, logging, and forest conversion.
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Quick read
On the night of 8 October 1871, extreme wildfire swept through northeastern Wisconsin and parts of Michigan, destroying Peshtigo and numerous smaller communities.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
A strong weather system intensified existing fires on 8 October.
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Uncertainty
Victim estimates range widely because records were incomplete, migrants and workers were uncounted, and some remains could not be identified.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
Peshtigo resists a simple origin story.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
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Quick read