Special interactive panel event on November 7 brings the untold human stories of
the Great Fire of 1871 to light.
Brussels, Wis. (October 26, 2026) – On Saturday, November 7, 2026, the Belgian Heritage Center (BHC) will host “Beyond Survival: The True Cost of the Fires of 1871,” a new event offering a profound, human-centered examination of the disaster that reshaped northeastern Wisconsin more than 150 years ago.
Taking place from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the afternoon centers on a moderated panel exploring what the Great Fire of October 8, 1871, which devastated communities across northern Brown, southern Door, northern Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties, was truly like for those who lived through it, lost loved ones, or had to rebuild from the ashes.
Expert Perspectives on History, Trauma, and Heritage
The moderated discussion brings together three distinguished voices, each contributing a distinct lens on the disaster:
- Captain David Siegel (Ret.), Green Bay Metro Fire Department, will address the physical realities of fire behavior, what victims endured during the blaze, and the profound community-wide trauma that follows catastrophic disasters.
- Susan D. Levitte, author of the recent Amazon bestseller “Secrets in the Woods,” will share insights from her extensive historical research and her ongoing mission to uncover and document the names of forgotten victims throughout Brown, Door, Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties.
- Barb Englebert Chisholm, lifelong Belgian history researcher, will offer deeply personal reflections on how the Great Fire altered the trajectory of the region’s Belgian settlement, highlighting its lasting legacy on her ancestors and neighboring families.
An Interactive, Personalized Experience
To move beyond cold statistics and humanize the scale of the tragedy, every attendee will receive an individual biographical card upon arrival detailing the life of a real person who faced the fires of 1871. At the conclusion of the panel discussion, guests will be invited to open their cards to discover their historical counterpart’s ultimate fate, learning whether they survived, what hardships they faced, or what losses they endured.
Event Schedule & Details
- 1:00pm: Doors open; cash bar and refreshments available until 4:00 p.m.
- 1:30pm: Moderated panel discussion begins.
- Conclusion of Panel to 4:00pm: Reveal of participant fate cards, followed by an informal meet-and-greet with panelists and community conversation.
Belgian Heritage Center is located at 1255 County Road DK, Brussels, Wisconsin. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Members of the media are welcome to attend. For more information,
please visit belgianheritagecenter.org or call (920) 493-2850.
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