'The Great Peshtigo Fire' Book Event at the Wisconsin Historical Museum

Join author Scott Knickelbine as he explores the history, science and legacy of the 1871 Peshtigo Fire. Audience members will learn about the history of settlement, agriculture and forestry in 19th-century Wisconsin. He will share the diverse range of topics that will enrich our understanding of the Peshtigo Fire, including the building and land-use practices of the time that made the area ripe for such a fire, the weather patterns that fostered widespread fires throughout the upper Midwest in the summer and fall of 1871, and exciting first-person accounts that vividly bring the victims' stories to life. 'The Great Peshtigo Fire: Stories and Science from America's Deadliest Firestorm' will inform and captivate its audience as it journeys through the horrifying history of the Peshtigo Fire. A book signing will follow the program. Knickelbine has written more than 30 nonfiction books for young people, including the series "America at War" and "Environmental Disasters," both of which received positive reviews in "Booklist."