National Historic Landmark

Namur Belgian-American District

Namur, Door County, Wisconsin
Listed
November 6, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
87002553

About this property

The Namur Historic District, also known as the Namur Belgian-American District, is a historic district in southwestern Door County, Wisconsin. The district includes the community of Namur and a rural landscape extending 3 miles (4.8 km) to its north. It contains one of the nation's highest concentrations of immigrant Belgian and Belgian-American culture, land use, and architecture. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990. In the 1850s, in response to a drive by the state of Wisconsin to increase settlement of its rural areas, immigrants from Belgium began to arrive in the state. Originating in the provinces of Namur and Brabant, they settled on the eastern shore areas of Brown, Kewaunee, and Door counties. They used indigenous materials in combination with traditional building practices imported from their homeland to construct an architecturally distinct landscape. Houses were typically built out of either red brick or limestone, with frame outbuildings. In the 1860 and 1870 censuses Wisconsin had a higher percentage of Belgian-origin residents than any other state. The area around the village of Namur was judged in a wide-ranging survey of Belgian-settled areas to best represent this influx. The historic district is basically rectangular in shape, with the village of Namur just north of its southern boundary. To the west and north, it is bordered by Green Bay and County Road "K", and to the east it is bordered by the properties on Thruway Road. Covering about 3,500 acres (1,400 ha), the district includes over 180 historically significant buildings, most of them farm-related buildings. There are 41 separate farmsteads, each averaging more than five buildings. Properties were typically developed between 1880 and 1930. Non-residential properties include the St. Mary's Catholic Church and parsonage house in Namur, and the Harold Euclide General Store, built in 1916. National Register of Historic Places listings in Door County, Wisconsin Namur Historic District, Wisconsin Historical Society Archived April 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Former St. Mary of the Snows Schoolhouse/Convent, history presentation, Door County Library, May 10, 2021, 45:09 long

Location

Namur, Door County, Wisconsin
44.75565, -87.66787

Categories

EUROPEANARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

Bouche, J.B., House
Industrial
2.8 mi
Draize, August, Farmstead
Industrial
3.2 mi
Falque, Joachine J., House
Industrial
3.3 mi
Vangindertahlen, Louis, House
Industrial
4.4 mi
Monfils, Joseph, Farmstead
Industrial
4.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Namur Belgian-American District listed on the National Register?

Namur Belgian-American District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Namur Belgian-American District?

Namur Belgian-American District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Namur Belgian-American District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Namur Belgian-American District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Namur Belgian-American District?

The period of significance for Namur Belgian-American District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Namur Belgian-American District?

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