Wisconsin Historical Society Press

10/08/2025

Today marks the 154-year anniversary of the infamously tragic Peshtigo Fire, one of the deadliest forest fire in US history. The fire claimed between 1,500 and 2,500 lives and burned 1.2 million acres.

Listen to Peshtigo Fire survivor Amelia Desrochers, who was a small child when the fire occurred, recount her experience in a rare recording from 1959:

On the night of October 8, 1871, the deadliest wild fire in U.S. history swept through northeastern Wisconsin, destroying the bustling frontier town of Pesh...

10/08/2025

On this day in 1871, an infamous whirlwind of fire swept through northeastern Wisconsin, destroying the bustling town of Peshtigo. Trees, buildings, and people burst into flames. Metal melted. Sand turned into glass. People thought the end of the world had come. When the "tornado of fire” was over, 2,500 people were dead, and Peshtigo was nothing but a smoking ruin.

Learn more about the Great Peshtigo Fire—one of the deadliest fires in US history—in one of our two books on the topic: https://wihist.org/3iCa0i8.

Image:
WHI ID 2778. Portrait by Mel Kishner.

10/07/2025

⛷️❄️ Coming Soon! ❄️⛷️

The American Birkebeiner isn’t just the largest cross-country ski race in North America—it’s a legendary celebration of endurance, community, and winter spirit.

In “American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon,” author and longtime skier Jerome P. Poling traces the race’s journey from its modest start in the 1970s to the world-class event that now draws more than 30,000 skiers and spectators to Hayward, Wisconsin, each February.

Featuring 150 photographs, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights into the people, places, and passion that built the Birkie, this book is an ode to one of the most extraordinary sporting events in the country.

Shipping now to independent bookstores, libraries, and other book retailers. Officially publishing in just a few weeks! Learn more on our website: http://wihist.org/476bsTu

10/06/2025

Today is German-American Day, and October is German-American Heritage Month—a time to honor the history, culture, and lasting impact of German immigrants in the United States.

In Wisconsin, that story runs especially deep. By the early 1900s, waves of German immigrants had shaped the state’s farms, industries, schools, churches, food, and cultural traditions. Today, more than half of Wisconsin residents trace their roots to Germany.

📖 Explore this rich history in the WHS Press book, “Germans in Wisconsin,” featuring stories, photographs, and insights into 150 years of German-American life in our state. Learn more here: https://wihist.org/4nTgyIk

10/05/2025

“Radical Family” is a powerful collection of essays honoring the resilience and love of le***an mothers who raised children in Madison during the 1980s, ’90s, and early 2000s.

At a time when laws and social systems often failed to support them, these mothers built communities of care, forged new models of parenthood, and defended their right to exist as families. The stories in “Radical Family” remind us that family is not defined by rules, but by love, creativity, and the commitment to raise children in the face of adversity.

🌈 A tribute to the trailblazers who redefined family—and a celebration of the networks of love that made it possible. Learn more here: https://wihist.org/3JJlYXr

10/04/2025

It’s Bookshop Day!

It’s a great time to stock up on your Fall reading selections and support local bookstores. Need help finding an independent bookstore in your area? Want to try out a new bookstore?

Use this free tool from IndieBound to locate independent bookstores near you: https://wihist.org/45VxrZY.

Please note: Results include only American Booksellers Association member stores that have elected to share ownership identity information publicly. Other independent bookstores may exist that match your search criteria. Searching by more than one identity at a time will result in a list of stor...

10/03/2025

Actress Carrie C**n made her movie debut in GONE GIRL, which premiered on this day in 2014. A decade earlier, C**n had enrolled in UW–Madison’s acting school on a lark, as Dean Robbins recounts in his essay collection “Wisconsin Idols” (Link in bio).

Images: by GabboT, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carrie_C**n_at_2013_Toronto_Film_Festival.jpg, no changes made; by Ron Cogswell, 22711505@N05/35555142855/in/photostream/," rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/22711505@N05/35555142855/in/photostream/, no changes made.

10/02/2025

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the legacy of Jesus Salas and the movement he helped lead in Wisconsin.

In his award-winning memoir “Obreros Unidos” (Workers United), Salas shares the powerful story of migrant farmworkers who fueled the Midwest’s agriculture industry—while facing brutal working conditions and overcrowded camps. Inspired by César Chávez, Salas and fellow leaders marched from Wautoma to Madison, demanding dignity, fair wages, and justice.

Their fight didn’t stop in the fields—Obreros Unidos helped shape lasting change in education, community services, and Latino representation for generations to come. Learn more about this title here: https://wihist.org/3VTVuqh

10/01/2025

The first Wisconsin State Fair was held on this day, 173 years ago!

In 1851, the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society held the first state fair and cattle show in Janesville to showcase the state's advances in agricultural machinery and products. According to Jerry Apps, author of “Meet Me on the Midway,” the crowd was estimated at anywhere from 13,000 to 18,000 people. Some came to see their neighbors while others were hoping to learn “something about the farm practices of others.”

Learn more about the history of Wisconsin’s fair traditions, and nearly two centuries of intriguing stories, in Jerry Apps’s “Meet Me on the Midway.” Learn more on our website: https://wihist.org/3Qa4LFa.

Image: WHI ID 1863

09/30/2025

On this day in 1891, the Devil’s Island Light—Wisconsin’s northernmost lighthouse—first cast its beam across Lake Superior.

Lighthouses are more than landmarks. They’re storytellers: of stormy nights, lonely keepers, safe harbors, and the ships that depended on them. Ken and Barb Wardius bring those stories to life in “Wisconsin Lighthouses,” pairing vivid history with stunning photography and archival images from across the Great Lakes.

Explore Wisconsin’s lighthouse legacy in this great resource from WHS Press: https://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/wisconsin-lighthouses-revised

09/29/2025

Learn more about Chris Farley’s Wisconsin ties from Dean Robbins: https://wihist.org/440Mpjs