Marinette County is Wisconsin’s “Waterfalls Capital.” Miles of fast-flowing wild rivers feed the falls as well as excellent whitewater rafting and canoeing. Marinette, the county seat, is the home of the Marinette County Historical Museum with interesting exhibits detailing the area’s rich lumbering and maritime history. To the northwest along the Peshtigo River, the resorts and water recreation of Crivitz make it a popular vacation destination.

The greatest fire disaster in American history took place seven miles south of Marinette. On October 8, 1871, a fire storm completely destroyed what had been the logging boom town of Peshtigo, killing 1,200 people and burning hundreds of thousands of acres of forest. When residents rebuilt the town, they preserved this grim history in what is now the Peshtigo Fire Museum.

For more information about Marinette County, call 800/236-6681 or visit marinettecounty.com.