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51st out of 71 books
—
85 voters
Firestorm at Peshtigo: A Town, Its People, and the Deadliest Fire in American History
“Novelist Denise Gess and historian William Lutz brilliantly restore the event to its rightful place in the forefront of American historical imagination.” —Chicago Sun-Times
On October 8, 1871—the same night as the Great Chicago Fire—the lumber town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was struck with a five-mile-wide wall of flames, borne on tornado-force winds of one hundred miles per...more
On October 8, 1871—the same night as the Great Chicago Fire—the lumber town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was struck with a five-mile-wide wall of flames, borne on tornado-force winds of one hundred miles per...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
June 1st 2003
by Holt Paperbacks
(first published August 2nd 2002)
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On October 8, 1871—the same night as the Great Chicago Fire—the lumber town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was struck with a five-mile-wide wall of flames, borne on tornado-force winds of one hundred miles per hour that tore across more than 2,400 square miles of land, obliterating the town in less than one hour and killing more than two thousand people.
At the center of the blowout were politically driven newsmen Luther Noyes and Franklin Tilton, money-seeking lumber baron Isaac Stephenson, parish prie...more
At the center of the blowout were politically driven newsmen Luther Noyes and Franklin Tilton, money-seeking lumber baron Isaac Stephenson, parish prie...more
Great historical novel on small-town Wisconsin tragedy. Interesting information on how the Peshtigo Times covered the event and helped the community recover.
On October 8, 1871, a wildfire of appalling proportions erupted in the region surrounding Peshtigo, Wisconsin, which was located a few miles west of the Green Bay portion of Lake Michigan. Far larger and more destructive than the great Chicago Fire which erupted the same day -- later, it was determined that a ferocious weather-system holding the entire region in its relentless grip was responsible for both fires as well as other fires that erupted nearby -- the firestorm that incinerated Peshtig...more
The Peshtigo fire happened on the same day (10-8-1871) as the great Chicago fire but no one knows about it. There were 270 some people who died in Chicago. There were 1,800 who died in Peshtigo, and the town only had 2,000 in the first place. I first learned about this fire in 4th grade Wisconsin history and it's always stuck with me. I happened to be going through Peshtigo in 2001 and I started rattling off facts about the fire. My boyfriend at the time stopped the truck and we went to the muse...more
A slow build, but worth the wait for the firestorm. A simple book and a wild, wild story! Fantastic visual descriptions of the incredible calamity that quite literally engulfed seven entire towns in a monster curtain of fire. Poignant eyewitness tales abound. I read this book 3 years ago and can still recall some horrific scenes and some visual lessons in how fire moves and morphs. I've read a dozen books on firestorms, this one ranks at the top. A little gem worth discovering.
Absolutely fascinating read on the Peshtigo fire of 1871. This is history written almost like a novel which really makes you feel for these people and all that they went through. Sadly, this is an historical event that was overshadowed by the Chicago Fire which took place the same day. The Peshtigo Fire was FAR worse! If you like history, this is definitely worth your time.
Very good historical account that gives you a glimpse into the lives of the victims and the survivors before and after the deadliest fire in American history. I think it helped that I grew up nearby and knew of the geography that they spoke about. But would still be interesting from an outsider's perspective.
This was one chiller of a story, and yes, it really happened. Everyone knows about the great fire in Chicago in October 1871. But did you know that on that same day a town in northern Wisconsin was burned to the ground, with a loss of life that is estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,500 people. Well written with plenty of maps, photographs and drawings and advertising from the time. Recommended for anyone interested in the American frontier. Four stars overall.
For the longer review, please go h...more
For the longer review, please go h...more
This book was really interesting. The Peshtigo fire occured the same night as the Great Chicago fire. Really the fire was from Chicago into northern Michigan, but Chicago gets all the glory. I liked it because Green Bay was involved and obviously I love my home town.
A remarkable telling of a holocaust that occurred at the same time as the great Chicago Fire of 1871 but got little attention in spite taking 10 times the lives and property destruction.
This book was referred to in The Big Burn. I read it while in Wisconsin. It seemed amazing to me that such a horrendous fire could sweep through a place that I saw a so green and lush!
Starts out slow and a little dry, but it's an amazing story of a horrible event in Wisconsin's history. Mother Nature at her awesome, awful worst!
Well told story of a little-known event in American history. Sometimes difficult to read. Reminded me of reading "Hiroshima" in high school.
Interesting book, although they tried to follow certain people throughout the disaster that was done in a choppy manner and often the story was left hanging for chapters.
Excellent read. It was like the book about the Hinckley, Minnesota, firestorm that took place some years later, in that similar conditions brought the Peshtigo fire about -- the logging practices of the time, decisions made in the name of progress and greed, and a convergence of weather conditions. If you were a 4th grader in my time in Wisconsin, you would have heard something about this fire, but if not, you might never know; it took place the same day as the great Chicago fire. But 1,500 peop...more
A friend of mine was into disaster books for a while and recommended this one. OK, but not enough detail on the aftermath.
Slow to start, but because of it being a true story I had to finish. I am sad to say I never heard about this terrible fire, it was a remarkable story about the people that did make it.
Big deadly fire. Same day as the Chicago fire, and more casualties. This book tells the story very well.
Well researched tale of the Wisconsin firestorms that spawned the Chicago fires.
Interesting history, gruesome details, surprisingly boring tale.
Interesting history, gruesome details, surprisingly boring tale.
A much better account is, I think, Fire at Peshtigo by Robert W. Wells.
I grew up in Peshtigo. Great book.
Feb 13, 2010
Naberius
added it
Peshtigo,fire,Chicago
You probably know The Great Chicago Fire. Only, did you know that "The Fire" was really the 31st and 32nd fires of that month? Did you know that 250 people died in that fire? The firestorm that swept the Peshtigo area killed between 1,000 and 2,500 people. Entire families died by burns, suffocation, or starvation because of the firestorm. While both are tragedies, I can't help but wonder why the Chicago Fire is one that everyone remembers.
Well written. Entertaining as well as horrifying.
Well written. Entertaining as well as horrifying.
1 like · like · see review
This was a fascinating account of a natural disaster that I'd never heard about.
May 04, 2013
Ed
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
History, disaster, science fans
Recommended to Ed by:
William Jones
Review to follow.
I have been going through the town of Peshtigo at least once a year since I was a child, always wondering the history behind the fire that happened there during the same big fire of Chicago. The book certainly helped me understand what happened, although the bits about weather patterns and the history of weather was a bit hard to read. Such a sad thing that happened to this small town.
A tremendous book. I went through a period where all I wanted to read were stories of immense human tragedies (creepy) and this is such a tale, albeit a largely forgotten story. Like "The Perfect Storm" in its ability to describe something horrific (how human bodies burn) and have it remain completely compelling at the same time.
Nov 28, 2007
Graceann
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
History Lovers
Shelves:
history
I grew up in Wisconsin, and I was an adult before I heard about this fire - it was underreported, despite its shocking loss of life, because it happened on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. This is heartbreaking reading, but terribly important.
What an amazing and horrific story. Living in Chicago, I of course know all about the Great Chicago Fire but I had no idea that it was just one part of a huge disaster in the whole area.
Great read.
Great read.
An incredible true, and largely forgotten, story from Wisconsin's past. This book offers an illuminating and dramatic account of the fire and the town it destroyed.
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Mar 14, 2013 01:23pm