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 , 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. == Gallery ==