On Tuesday, September 28th at 7:00 p.m. central, the LaSalle Public Library, in partnership with Westchester Public Library in Illinois and Marinette County Libraries in Wisconsin, will host Julius Jones, Assistant Curator at the Chicago History Museum and Walter Schroeder, District Chief at the Chicago Fire Department, in a virtual discussion about the 150th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire and the Peshtigo Fire. Also joining the discussion will be an Historian from the Peshtigo Fire Museum.

The Great Chicago Fire happened in October of 1871, with 300 casualties, and destroying 3.3 square miles of the city, leaving more than 100,000 residents homeless. Though often overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire happened on the same day, and is considered the deadliest wildfire in recorded history, with over 1,500 casualties and approximately 1.2 million acres of land destroyed.

The program is free and open to the public. Please register using the following link – https://bit.ly/3khBsBX. For more information, please contact the LaSalle Public Library at 815-223-2341 or email Rachael Blomquist at rblomquist@lasalle.lib.il.us.