Roughly bounded by CTH K, Brussels Rd., STH 57, Belgian Dr., and the Green Bay Rd.

Summary

Namur Belgian-American Historic District
Union Township and parts of Gardner Township, Door County
Construction dates of contributing buildings: 1871-1930

Namur was settled in 1853 by French-speaking Belgian immigrants. Most of the immigrants farmed in their European homeland and brought their agrarian skills with them. It is the Nation's largest rural settlement of Belgian nationality where the importance of farmsteads and landscape play a key role. Although social and religious centers retain their distinctive role in the history of Namur, the vitality of the district is seen through the area's architecture. The Namur Historic District exemplifies the character of Belgian-American vernacular architecture.

At the time of settlement, the area's abundant timber provided the immigrants with building materials for their log cabin homes. However, the 1871 Peshtigo fire destroyed both timber and many of the wood buildings in the area. As a result, the immigrants constructed new dwellings with red brick similar to the stone houses of the Belgian tradition.

There are a total of 261 buildings within the district built between 1871 and 1930. Typical farmsteads include a red brick farmhouse located near the adjacent road, a log barn and many small outbuildings. The buildings are usually centered on the farmyard and surrounded by fields and pasture land. The district includes Belgian community buildings such as St. Mary of the Snows Catholic Church and cemetery, Fairview Elementary School, the Harold Euclide General Store, and non-farm residences.

These buildings are privately owned and not open to the public. Please respect the privacy of their owners.

Property Details

Resources Within The Property

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