Beyond Survival: The True Cost of the Fires of 1871
November 7, 2026 1:00 to 4:00
Join BHC on Saturday, November 7 for a unique look at the range of human experiences before, during, and after the Great Fire of 1871. A moderated panel discussion will explore what the Great Fire was like for those who actually had to face it. Three expert panelists will each bring a unique perspective.
- Captain David Siegel (retired) of the Green Bay Metro Fire Department will explain what people endure in fire and the unique trauma experienced after community-wide disasters.
- Susan Levitte, author of the recent best seller “Secrets in the Woods”, will share stories from her book research and her efforts to find the names of the victims in Brown, Door, and Kewaunee Counties.
- Barb Englebert Chisholm will share her lifelong love of Belgian history, particularly the impact of the Great Fire on her ancestors and their neighbors.
Everyone attending the event will receive a card with information about a person who experienced the Great Fire. At the end of the panel discussion, guests will open their cards to reveal their person’s fate – whether they survived or what they may have lost. This unique event is meant to humanize the tragedy of the Great Fire by focusing on the people impacted by varying degrees of loss.
BHC will open at 1:00 with a cash bar and refreshments until 4:00. Panel discussion will begin at 1:30. Following the panel discussion, visitors can meet with the panelists and compare your thoughts with others in attendance.
Join BHC on Saturday, November 7 for a unique look at the range of human experiences before, during, and after the Great Fire of 1871. A moderated panel discussion will explore what the Great Fire was like for those who actually had to face it. Three expert panelists will each bring a unique perspective.
- Captain David Siegel (retired) of the Green Bay Metro Fire Department will explain what people endure in fire and the unique trauma experienced after community-wide disasters.
- Susan Levitte, author of the recent best seller “Secrets in the Woods”, will share stories from her book research and her efforts to find the names of the victims in Brown, Door, and Kewaunee Counties.
- Barb Englebert Chisholm will share her lifelong love of Belgian history, particularly the impact of the Great Fire on her ancestors and their neighbors.
Everyone attending the event will receive a card with information about a person who experienced the Great Fire. At the end of the panel discussion, guests will open their cards to reveal their person’s fate – whether they survived or what they may have lost. This unique event is meant to humanize the tragedy of the Great Fire by focusing on the people impacted by varying degrees of loss.
BHC will open at 1:00 with a cash bar and refreshments until 4:00. Panel discussion will begin at 1:30. Following the panel discussion, visitors can meet with the panelists and compare your thoughts with others in attendance.