Peshtigo River
Encyclopedia
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Green Bay. The Peshtigo Fire
Peshtigo Fire
The October 8, 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, is the conflagration that caused the most deaths by fire in United States history, killing as many as 1,500. Occurring on the same day as the more infamous Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire is mostly forgotten...
happened in the river's vicinity and some survivors used the river for refuge from the flames. A section of whitewater on the river called the Roaring Rapids is a well-known in the region. Further downstream there are two dams known as Caldron Falls Dam and High Falls Dam before collecting the Thunder River
Thunder River
The Thunder River is a tributary of the Peshtigo River.The Thunder River originates in northern Oconto County near Thunder Mountain and travels downslope into Marinette County past a waterfall known as Veteran Falls to the Peshtigo River....
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Geography
It is formed in Forest CountyForest County, Wisconsin
Forest County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,304. Its county seat is Crandon.-Indian Reservations:...
and flows southeasterly towards the bay of Green Bay, spending most of its time winding through Marinette County
Marinette County, Wisconsin
Marinette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 43,384. Its county seat is Marinette.Marinette County is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
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History
It shares its name with the town of Peshtigo, which was destroyed by the Peshtigo FirePeshtigo Fire
The October 8, 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, is the conflagration that caused the most deaths by fire in United States history, killing as many as 1,500. Occurring on the same day as the more infamous Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire is mostly forgotten...
on October 8, 1871. The fire was the deadliest fire in the history of the United States. According to stories of survivors, many people fled for the river to escape the inferno.