Belgian-American Research
The Belgian-American Research Collection documents the history and culture of Belgian-Americans, with a focus on the Walloon settlements in Brown, Door and Kewaunee Counties. Established through a grant, the collection features a rich array of materials, including books, photographs, oral histories, maps and manuscripts, highlighting the experiences of people of Belgian descent in the United States, specifically in northeastern Wisconsin.
Architectural Surveys
Created between 1975-1976, the architectural surveys document the distinctive structures and cultural legacy of northeastern Wisconsin’s Belgian-American community. This region is home to one of the nation’s largest concentrations of Walloon-speaking Belgians, with farms often owned by the same families for five or six generations. The surveys highlight the following:
- Family farmstead maps: Detailed layouts showing the placement of buildings, gardens and other features.
- Log structures: In-depth photographs and architectural notes on homes and other buildings constructed by early settlers.
- Wayside chapels & shrines: Reflecting the community’s deep religious traditions.
- Outdoor ovens & summer kitchens: Common features of traditional Belgian farmsteads.
Belgian Pedigree Charts
As part of the grant to create our Belgian-American Research Collection, the Archives collected pedigree charts from individuals of Belgian descent. While the charts themselves aren't available online, the names they include are indexed and searchable.
Have a Belgian pedigree chart to contribute? Charts from individuals of Belgian descent are still accepted and welcome additions to the collection. To learn how to submit your chart, contact Archives.
Belgian Heritage Photos
Explore over 1,500 photographs showcasing Belgian families, farms, celebrations, traditions and events. You can search and view the photos online. Copies of photos may be made for researchers upon request.
Subject Files
The files in the Belgian-American Research Collection contain information in a variety of formats. Discover topics such as customs, emigration, community life, recipes, and family histories. They contain a variety of materials, such as:
- Articles
- Newspaper clippings
- Reports
- Family histories
- Recipes
Belgian Oral History Recordings
The table below provides a synopsis of 53 oral history interviews were conducted with local Belgian-Americans from 1975 to 1976. The interviews cover subjects such as folklore, fishing, customs, foods, occupations, gender roles, and religious beliefs. Some of the interviews contain Walloon folk songs with translations. Personal interviews were also conducted with farmstead owners to accompany the architecture survey of Belgian-American farms. The interviews are available for researchers to hear online.
| Name | Location | Recording Details | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ausloos, Frank | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/19/1976 | A retired farmer who lived in the New Franken and Dyckesville area for 55 years relates experiences dealing with brick making, education, farming, fishing, funerals and the process of making Hoegaarden beer, which must be used immediately. |
| Baudhuin, Martha | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape Farm No. 59 | A discussion of location of buildings on the farm and farming practices. Taped to accompany an in-depth farm survey map. Photographs are also available. |
| Becker, Rev. Simon | Casco, Wisconsin | BT/22/1976 | An account of religious activity in the Belgian community as seen by a Roman Catholic priest from St. Hubert's Catholic Church at Rosiere, Wisconsin. |
| Bosman, Louis | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/3/1975 | Eighty-four year-old former superintendent of schools describes his educational experiences as a student in the Gardner School, Door County, Wisconsin, and also advanced education at the Door-Kewaunee County Training School at Algoma, Wisconsin. Included are impressions of his boyhood on his grandfather's farm at Gardner. |
| Bosman, Louis | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/8/1976 | Religious conflicts within the Belgian community are recalled. Particularly discussed are impressions of the Spiritualist Church and of Joseph Rene Vilatte of the Old Catholic Church. Included are descriptions of funerals, attitude toward local government and a discussion of religious and special holidays and their meaning. |
| Chaudoir, Harry | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/32/1976 | A member of a family of fishermen discusses the influence of Swedes on Belgian fishing activities, varieties of fish that were caught, the women's role and effects of pollution on fishing and the history of Chaudoir's Dock. |
| Chaudoir Quilting Party | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/17/1976 | Taped at a quilting party where the members discuss the use of a quilting frame and various Belgian foods. Mr. Chaudoir relates some of his experiences as a commercial fisherman. |
| Clabots, William | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/7/1976 | A retired Flemish Belgian farmer who lived in the southern part of the Belgian community discusses early life on the farm, experiences in a lumber camp, kermis celebrations and his attitude toward World Wars I and II. |
| DeBaker, Oliver | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/25/1976 | Income from fishing helped to make possible Mr. DeBaker's migration from the Dyckesville area to Green Bay as a young married man. |
| Destrie, Mr. & Mrs. Gordon | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/14/1976 | Presently an employee of a lumberyard as well as a farmer, Mr. Destrie describes fishing for added income and personal satisfaction. Mrs. Destrie discusses uses of fish as food and fertilizer. |
| Foshion, Pearl | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/1/1975 | St. Nicholas Day, education, politics, religion (especially Spiritualist) and Belgian foods are some of the subjects examined by a retired teacher who was born in the Gardner, Wisconsin area. |
| Foshion, Pearl and Helen Naze | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/20/1976 | Two friends sing and tell a fable in Walloon and then translate into English. Folk medicine, funerals and courtship are also subjects of the conversation. |
| Greene, Stanley | Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin | BT/10/1976 | Joseph Rene Vilatte and his influence on the Belgian community is examined by a person who is not of Belgian descent. |
| Greene, Stanley | Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin | BT/11/1976 | A non-Belgian gives his impressions of the Belgian community, its farming practices, beer making, politics, religion and special holidays (including the Kermis). |
| Herlache, Edwin | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/13/1976 | A retired commercial fisherman describes commercial fishing as an occupation, effects of pollution and legislation on fishing. |
| Herlache, Edwin | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/30/1976 | Commercial fishing equipment, summer vs. winter fishing, the woman's role and construction of the tools and equipment used in fishing are described in detail. |
| Herlache, Harold | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 74 (Anthony Gerdmann) | Former owner of the Anthony Gerdmann farm, Mr. Herlache describes life on the farm on which he was born and lived his adult life. Building construction, shingle making, beer brewing, contact with other nationalities and religion are all touched upon. Inheritance practices, transporting supplies over the ice of Green Bay to Marinette and preference for dairy farming rather than commercial fishing are also described. Photographs are available. |
| Jeanquart, Alvin | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/35/1976 | Fishing equipment, its construction and use are described as each piece is examined in an outdoor interview. Photographs are available. |
| Jeanquart, Harvey | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/31/1976 | A retired commercial fisherman and farmer describe wintertime commercial fishing. |
| Jeanquart, Hattie | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/16/1976 | Aspects of farm life and the role of the Belgian woman on the farm are revealed in this interview. Belgian foods, education and politics are also discussed. |
| Jeanquart, Henry | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 84 | Construction of buildings, acquisition of farm and additional land, as well as the history of buildings is discussed in connection with in-depth farm survey. Photographs are available. |
| Jeanquart, Henry | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/15 & 18/1976 | A 77-year-old Belgian farmer who still lives on the home farm discusses attitudes toward education, farming practices, politics and conservation. Because of the quality of the tape, a rough transcription has been made. The tape is available if desired. |
| Jilot, Frank Sr. | Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin | BT/9/1976 | The Walloon language, education, peddlers and the stagecoach are discussed and special holidays such as Kermis and St. Nicholas Day are recalled. Attitudes toward religion are particularly revealing. |
| Juza, Evangeline | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/29/1976 | Her self-image as a Belgian comes to light as she discusses childhood experiences, frequent family relocation from a rural to urban setting and her marriage to a non-Belgian. |
| Kinnard, George, et al. | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 82 | Several people discuss location of buildings, changes in the buildings, butchering and preservation of meat. Also discussed are cropping practices and the history of landowners in the vicinity of the farm. Photographs are available. |
| Lardinois, Ida; Louise LeCloux, Mary Woldt, Gabriel Vantertie & Evangeline Guth | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/28/1976 | An interview in the Walloon language dealing with early childhood, farm life and social activities in the Belgian community. Each member of the group also sings a folk song in Walloon. |
| LeGrave, Frank | Brussels, Wisconsin | (Tape to accompany Wendricks farm survey). Arch. Tape, Farm No. 10 | A former owner of the farm, now in his 90s, describes his childhood and adult life on the farm, which is presently owned by Harry Wendricks. Included is an account of 18 people living in the house at one time, general living conditions and a discussion of growing tobacco for home consumption. Photographs available. |
| Lemense, Grace | Casco, Wisconsin | BT/21/1976 | A former teacher relates some of her experiences in education, presents a historical sketch of St. Michael's church at Misiere and recalls her childhood in Rosiere. She also comments on inheritance practices, childbirth and duties of a farm woman. A portion of the tape is in Walloon. |
| Lampereur, Leonard | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/26/1976 | Devil stories and folk beliefs are described in Walloon and translated. Also discussed are the Peninsula Belgian-American Club, trips to Belgium, the Kermis, Belgian jokes and attitudes toward them. |
| Macaux, Mr. & Mrs. Henry | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/36/1976 | Fishing with hook and line and gill nets is discussed. Marketing of fish, farming and its role in a commercial fishing operation and the preparation of fish for eating are described. |
| Macaux, Mrs. Henry | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/37/1976 | A 79-year-old woman's account of the Renard family, who fished rather than farmed for a living. Fishing experiences with her husband are also related and she describes the steps necessary in preparing the fish for market, as well as where they were marketed. She also tells of her grandmother's relationship with the Indians. |
| Massart, Charles | Casco, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 78 | Charles Massart, 76 years old, gives a history of the farm on which he was born and on which he lived until his son took over. Chapels, inheritance practices, women's activities as seen by a man and the source of building supplies are all discussed. Photographs available. |
| Miller, Marie | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/6/1975 | Flemish Belgian culture on the west side of Green Bay is described. Truck gardening, differing personalities of grandparents, as well as foods of Flemish families are recalled. |
| Noel, Thelis | Green Bay, Wisconsin | BT/4/ & 23/1975-1976 | An 86 year-old retired banker discusses his early experiences on a farm near Rosiere, Door County, Wisconsin, and his move to Green Bay. Religion, foods, holidays, medical treatment and education are covered. He also recalls his life as a banker in Denmark, Wisconsin and Green Bay. |
| Parins, Alex | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 55 | The owner cites problems created by the road today that did not exist in the "horse and buggy days." Because of a boundary change due to an error in surveying, a road separates the farm buildings. A history of the buildings, carpenters in the area and construction techniques are also described. Photographs available. |
| Ropson, Louis | Luxemburg, Wisconsin | BT/5/1975 | Eighteen miles was not too far to walk for a music lesson for this 73-year-old farmer whose first love was music. He was a recognized craftsman making clocks, violins and violas. He recalls his life in rural Kewaunee County. |
| Square Dance at Coun's Hall | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/27/1976 | Ivan Draise calls an American square dance in the Walloon language. The tape also includes brief interviews with members of the square dance group. |
| Stade, Mabel | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/12/1976 | A woman in her 60s, who thinks of herself more as Bohemian than Belgian, discusses family life in a Belgian/Bohemian home. |
| Vandertie, Alfred | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/2/1975 | Walloon folk songs taught by his father are sung and translated by a 66-year-old tavern keeper. A description of how the Kermis used to be celebrated is also included. |
| Wautier, Norman | Brussels, Wisconsin | BT/33/1976 | The tape is a copy of Walloon folk songs that were recorded in Belgium for the Wautier family. Two songs are then translated, and there are eight others that are a combination of Walloon and French, which are not translated. |
| Wautlet, Mr. & Mrs. George and Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Lemense | Algoma, Wisconsin | BT/24/1976 | Life in rural Rosiere, Door County, Wisconsin, is recalled in the Walloon language. Mrs. Wautlet then gives an English translation. |
| Wendricks, Mr. & Mrs. Harry | Luxemburg, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 10 | History of the farm, butchering practices and problems of present day farming are discussed by the Wendrickses, who bought the farm from Frank LeGrave in 1943. See also interviews with Frank LeGrave and Grace LeMense listed above. |
| Wery, Louis | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 57 | Farm history and farming practices as seen by the husband are recorded to accompany an in-depth map of the farm. See Norma Wery's tape for the woman's point of view. Photographs available. |
| Wery, Norma | Brussels, Wisconsin | Arch. Tape, Farm No. 57 | Farm history and farm life as seen by the wife is recorded to accompany an in-depth farm survey. See Louis Wery tape for husband's point of view. |
Have Questions?
Our collection is rich with Belgian-American history. If you need more information, reach out to us with your specific inquiries.