150 years ago, there was the Great Chicago Fire.

[Archae]

BUT...

A far worse fire occurred north of Chicago, in the small Wisconsin town of Peshtigo.

Far more people and acreage burned, but the Chicago fire overshadowed it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_fire

[Ocelot II]

1. Peshtigo was horrific.

I have a book about it. https://www.amazon.com/Firestorm-Peshtigo-Deadliest-American-History/dp/0805072934 (I found the book at the Door County Museum instead of Amazon.) Family is from the Green Bay area since the 1850s - many relatives still live there and I visit often - so it's kind of familiar territory. Peshtigo was sort of forgotten because of the Chicago fire but it was a whole lot worse.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I've read that book and it's very good.

I am a bit obsessed with fires, and often read books about them.

[Sneederbunk]

3. Unfortunately Peshtigo did not have big shoulders.