Great Fire Remembrance at BHC

Over 150 years ago, one of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history tore through Northeast Wisconsin. Known as the Great Fire of 1871. Thousands of people lost everything, and many lives were lost in just hours. BHC’s annual remembrance of the Great Fire will include three presentations to recall the early days of the Belgian settlement and how the Great Fire transformed the lives of the settlers.

Presentations will start at 9:30 with Sandy (Lampereur) Orsted presenting “Belgian Life on the Door Peninsula” covering the history, challenges and successes of the Belgian settlements before and after the fire.

At 10:00, Captain David Siegel of the Green Bay Metro Fire Department (retired) will explain the nature of the fire, why it was so deadly and dispel common misunderstandings about the Great Fire and recent major fires. A re-enactment of the experiences of Emmerence Gaspart Englebert, a Great Fire survivor, by her great-granddaughter,

Barb Englebert Chisholm will begin at 10:45. Following the presentations, David Siegel will conduct a site visit to Tornado Park so you can see for yourself why the small settlement of Williamsonville was destroyed.

Everyone is welcome and no admission is required. We strongly encourage students (pre-teen and up) to take this opportunity to understand the land we live on, the struggles faced by those who came before us and how our ancestors endured this unimaginable tragedy.