Appaloosa Horses for Sale near Peshtigo, WI

About Peshtigo, WI

Peshtigo took its name from the nearby Peshtigo River. The etymology of Peshtigo is uncertain. Explanations include an Ojibwe word meaning 'river of the wild goose', [ self-published source ] a Menominee word for 'snapping turtle', a word meaning 'passing through a marsh', or a reference to a local Menominee band known as Pesh-tiko. On October 8, 1871, a forest fire driven by strong winds totally consumed Peshtigo and a dozen other villages, killing between 1,200 and 2,500 people and engulfing approximately 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²). This fire, known as the Peshtigo fire, was the deadliest in American history.