Remembrance Of The Great Fire Of 1871

The fire spread through northeast Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, stopping just short of Sturgeon Bay. Photo courtesy of the Peshtigo Fire Museum.

The Belgian Heritage Center hosts a day of Remembrance of the Great Fire of 1871 on Oct. 7, 10 am-3 pm. 

In October of 1871, fires devastated the landscape on both sides of the bay of Green Bay including a large part of the Belgian settlement area in Door, Brown and Kewaunee Counties. The Great Fire forever changed the lives of the Belgian settlers and influenced the region for generations. This is a story of courage, suffering and rebuilding lives after one of the worst natural disasters in United States history.

Beginning at 10 am, Captain David Siegel (retired) from the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, will speak about the unusual nature of the Great Fire of 1871 and why it was so deadly for so many. 

Barb (Englebert) Chisholm will re-enact the story of survival as told by her great grandmother, Emerence (Gaspard) Englebert at 11 am.

For more information visit belgianheritagecenter.org.

The Belgian Heritage Center is located at 1255 County Road DK, Brussels.