The Kramer Family
This 7-year-old boy is the main character of the story.
John Kramer
This river carried logs to Peshtigo’s sawmill.
the Peshtigo River
The season in 1871 had very little of this, making the forests extremely dry.
rain
The fire occurred on this date in 1871.
October 8, 1871
As many as this many people may have died in the fire.
up to 2,500 people
The Kramer family immigrated to the United States from this country.
Germany
Workers who chopped down trees in Wisconsin were called this.
lumberjacks
This Native American tribe warned settlers that a large fire was inevitable.
The Menominee
The sky turned this color as smoke and flames filled the air.
blood-red (orange/red)
The fire burned more than this many acres of land.
1 million acres
Before moving to Wisconsin, the Kramers first settled in this state.
New York (Upstate New York)
Chicago builders needed this material from Wisconsin forests.
lumber (wood)
Lumberjacks and farmers often started fires intentionally for this purpose.
Clearing land (burning brush/branches)
People heard a roar like this speeding vehicle before the firestorm hit.
a train
The fire happened the same night as this famous disaster in Illinois.
the Great Chicago Fire
John and Mike waited for their parents in this type of field during the fire.
a plowed field
Lumber companies sold cleared land to people like John’s parents, who were this.
farmers
A fire that creates its own winds and burns much hotter than a normal wildfire is called this.
a firestorm
Peshtigo’s telegraph and these were destroyed, cutting the town off from help.
railroads
This city received national attention and aid, while Peshtigo was largely forgotten.
Chicago
John’s parents survived the fire by hiding in this.
a well
This famous author described the “Big Woods” of Wisconsin.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Strong winds and large amounts of this material helped create the firestorm.
flammable material (trees/wood/brush)
This religious leader buried church valuables before the fire.
Father Peter Pernin
Today, firefighters study the Peshtigo Fire to better understand this type of disaster.
wildfires