Heritage center to offer bus tour of Belgian settlement

For the Star-News

BRUSSELS – On July 13, the Belgian Heritage Center (BHC) will offer a one hour narrated bus tour of the Belgian settlement, in partnership with the Brussels Lions Club.

Join BHC’s Historian Barb (Englebert) Chisholm to see roadside chapels, traditional Belgian houses, summer kitchens, cemeteries and where the first Kermiss was held.

Tour participants will also receive a guided tour of the BHC campus, including exhibits, the votive chapel of St. Roch and the restored Schoolhouse/Convent.

The tour is offered in cooperation with the Brussels Lions Club as part of their annual Belgian Days celebration July 12-14.

At the Belgian Days, located at Brussels Town Park, the BHC will have traveling exhibits with local history and merchandise.

The Belgian Heritage Center, located at 1255 Cty Rd DK, Brussels, will hold regular open hours during the weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, a local genealogist will be available to answer questions and the “Giants” will be on display.

In partnership with the Peninsula Belgian American Club (PBAC), the BHC is bringing back an old Belgian tradition.

Thanks to help from Southern Door High School, the giants that first paraded through “downtown” Brussels in 1985 have been restored and will make appearances locally.

The Giants were a gift to PBAC by people who came from Belgium to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the biennial exchange visits.

The tradition of Belgian processional giants goes back centuries and is recognized by UNESCO on its lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Giants represented various mythological, biblical or local characters.

“Our female giant represents Jacqueline de Croy, called Quiquine del Vi Tchestia (Jacqueline of the old castle) In the 16th century, Jacqueline directed the transformation of the castle of Walhain which had been built in the 12th century.  The male giant is D’Josef d’Amerique (Jef of America) and represents Jean-Joseph Strijckmans who was born in Walhain, Belgium in 1806 and came to the US in 1855. After several months, Jean-Joseph returned to Belgium and helped recruit about 250 Belgians to immigrate to Wisconsin. Upon his return to the US in 1856, Jean-Joseph settled in his new village, which he called Walhain,” a BHC release stated.

For more information, please go to www.belgianheritagecenter.org or contact Theresa at 920-265-5605.