Date with History: October 8

Chicago burned while, unnoticed, a deadlier fire consumed a small Wisconsin town.

One paperback for one calendar date: what happened on October 8, and who was born on it.

What happened on October 8

1871: The Great Chicago and Peshtigo fires burn the same night

The Great Chicago Fire began on October 8, 1871, killing roughly 300 people and leaving 100,000 homeless. The same night, the Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin killed between 1,500 and 2,500 people, making it the deadliest wildfire in American history, though it remains far less remembered.

1967: Bolivian forces capture the revolutionary Che Guevara

Bolivian special forces, backed by CIA advisors, captured Che Guevara on October 8, 1967, in a remote valley after his attempt to spark revolution in South America failed. He was executed the next day, and his image later became a global symbol of rebellion.

Famous birthdays on October 8

1970 — Matt Damon
Matt Damon, born 1970, co-wrote Good Will Hunting before becoming a leading man.

1949 — Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver, born 1949, redefined the action hero as Ripley in the Alien films.

Nearby dates

October 7 · October 9 · All October dates

Part of Date with History, a 366-book collection with one book for every date of the year. 5″×8″ paperback, cream paper.

Historical selections are editorially researched. This is a date-specific book, not a personalized or custom-made product.