Tornado of Fire

On October 8, 1871, the most devastating forest fire in American history swept through northeast Wisconsin, claiming an estimated 1700 - 2500 lives.  Known as the Peshtigo Fire history doesn’t accord it the same measure of attention as another great fire that occurred simultaneously.  Likely a consequence of the other great fire remembered as the great Chicago Fire.   

Actually, three separate fires made-up the Peshtigo Fire which occurred on both sides of Green Bay and advanced quickly with the help of a low pressure system and a hot, dry wind.  It moved so fast the vortices of fire were described as a tornado of fire.  It burned 1.2 million acres with damages in excess of  $169 million - about the same as the Chicago Fire.

The wildfire that began south of New Franken spread north through the towns of Union, Brussels and Forestville.  In its path was the small settlement of Williamsonville.  Sixty residents perished in the conflagration and the settlement was burned to the ground.  Seven desperate men sought refuge in a well to escape the inferno with five surviving.  

 click on images for a better look

Last weekend’s bike ride took us near the memorial park that marks the location.  It’s a sobering experience to reread the story of the incredible tragedy of the Peshtigo fire.  If you like history you can learn more about this catastrophe from UW-Madison.

History Mystery

click on image to enlarge

The old granary on The Platz has been lovingly restored over the years.  First it received some new perimeter timbers, a new roof and a lean-to.  Then it got new barn siding and windows.  Now it's getting a new foundation and floor.  A concrete foundation and floor.

stabilizing the building

Over the last couple of decades the building has been slowing but surely settling.  A consequence of age and the lack of a proper foundation.  Per the contractor a floating slab ought to put that to a halt and launch the old structure into the next century.  It's already probably double my age and going to outlive me some more.

just dirt under that old wooden floor

Speaking of which - how old is the structure?

The building is post and beam construction (see above) using only pegs - no nails or bolts.  The timbers are hand-hewed.

Yesterday one of the contractor's employees stopped by to pick-up some tools and he mentioned that any number of the timbers removed from under the wooden floor had evidence of scorching and burning on the surfaces that were not hewn.  He asked me if I knew they were likely salvaged from The Great Peshtigo Fire. I have long suspected as much as some of the exposed rafters upstairs also showed evidence of being burnt.  

Around here the fire that burned Peshtigo on the other side of Green Bay to the north also pretty much burned most of Southern Door County at the same time.  On this side of the bay the conflagration that caused such enormous property damage and loss of life is known as 'The Tornado'.  The fire storm roared and moved like a tornado.

Those old timbers are now in the yard and seeing the light of day for the first time in a long time.  The fires arrived in summer and exploded in October of 1871.  That would place the age of the barn somewhere post fire.  That's old.  

But something's not quite right.  My cursory research in the vault of the county courthouse a number of years ago traced the chain of custody for the farmstead back to February 25, 1888 when the eighty acres was sold to Eli Simon of Brussels for $300.  Prior to that the property was owned by John Leathem and Thomas H. Smith of Sturgeon Bay.  And before them - Charles and Maria Scofield.  

Was someone living here when the tornado swept through?  Was timber salvaged for many years following the fire?  Or other scorched building materials?  Sure wish I knew the answer.

If only the dead could talk...

scorched surface - evidence of fire