Before the Fire
Before settlers came, the entire northern half of Wisconsin was one large, thick forest. It was said a squirrel could cross the state without ever having to touch the ground.
The community of Peshtigo was estimated to have about 2,000 permanent residents in 1870, though the population swelled due to immigrants who came to work in the lumbering, manufacturing, and railroad industries. Many German and Scandinavian immigrants also established settlements, some west of Peshtigo in an area of dense hardwood called the Sugar Bush.
An industry leader
By 1871, Peshtigo had become the most fully developed settlement in the region. It boasted the largest woodenware factory in the world, cranking out household items made of wood. It was also the home of one of the largest sawmills in the nation.
Much of this industry can be traced to William Ogden, former mayor of Chicago, who recognized the opportunities in the area. He bought thousands of acres of forest and built the sawmill, woodenware factory, boardinghouse, and dry goods store. He established a barge line between Peshtigo Harbor and Chicago and brought railroad lines to the region to bring lumber to the sawmill.
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