Thursday, October 8th, 2026 marks the 155th anniversary of the great Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire. The Peshtigo Fire Museum and the Peshtigo Historical Society will present the Annual Closing Ceremony commemorating the tragedy and honoring the victims and those who survived. The ceremony takes place in front of the Peshtigo Fire Museum at 400 Oconto Ave, Peshtigo and begins at 7:30 p.m. At 8:00 p.m. the Church Bell will be rung. The event is open to the public. Make sure you bring lawn chairs.
The 1871 October firestorm incinerated 1.2 million acres and killed approximately 2,500 people. It is considered the deadliest fire in American history.
Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films filmed the ceremony in 2025 for their new documentary “PESHTIGO: American Firestorm”. The film combines vintage photos, artists renderings, limited re-enactments and archival materials with eye-witness accounts and perspectives from present-day historians and scholars, including Jerry Apps, PhD, the author of “When the White Pine was King”, and conservationists to tell the dramatic story of America’s deadliest firestorm. “Peshtigo” is funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The documentary will premiere in October 2027.
Add your name to the film's credits!
You can make a non-tax-deductible contribution to the "Peshtigo: American Firestorm" documentary project via PayPal or Credit Card at this LINK.
To donate by check (under $100), make check payable "Fourth Wall Films" and mail to: Fourth Wall Films, PO Box 702, Moline, IL 61266. Make sure you write in the MEMO: Peshtigo Film.
To make a tax-deductible contribution for $100 or more via the film project's Fiscal Sponsor, the Peshtigo Historical Society, mail your check to: Peshtigo Historical Society, 400 Oconto Ave., Peshtigo, WI 54157 (write Peshtigo Film in the memo). Visit their website here: Peshtigo Historical Society to join the growing list of supporters.
Donors/Supporters receive a letter or email of confirmation, a keepsake signed PESHTIGO: AMERICAN FIRESTORM promo card and are credited on the film's website: PestigoMovie.com and in the film's credits.
Fourth Wall Films is grateful to all of our supporters! Thank you so much for considering helping to preserve this important, but little known Midwestern history story!
