BelgiumHistory

The following is taken from "Historiesof Washington and Ozaukee Counties", Western Publishing, 1881. It is copiedexactly from the book except that I have capitalized surnames.

The town of Belgium forms the northeast boundaryof Ozaukee County, and comprises all of Township 12, Range 22, and a fractional Township12, Range 23.

It was set off from the original town of Port Washington, and incorporated in 1848.Among those who took an active part in the organization were John WEYKER, NicholasSOSLEY, Anthony BARTOL, S. WILGEN, Nicholas WATRY, Nicholas READING, Peter BUWER,Theodore PIERSON, John P. WATRY, Bernard SCHOMER, Nicholas LANGERS and Nicholas WATRY.The first regular meeting was held at the house of John WEYKER, July 11, 1848. JohnWEYKER was appointed Moderator, and Samuel REYNOLDS, Clerk of the Election. The firstschool meeting was also held at the house of John WEYKER, when the following officerswere elected: District No. 1 - Trustees, Dominique WOLF, Nicholas READING and AnthonyBARTOL; Collector, John WEYKER. District No. 2 was formed in 1849.

The population of Belgium is composed principally of Germans and Luxemburgers, whoadhere to the customs of their native countries. Their principal occupation is farming,the products of the soil making up the bulk of their resources. Next in importanceto agriculture, is the manufacture of cheese. There are five large milk and cheesedairies in the town, which are pushed with considerable enterprise, adding materiallyto the revenue, besides creating a profitable market for the farmers to dispose oftheir surplus milk, which otherwise would be of little value to them. While thereare no villages in the town, stores are stationed at central points where the farmersare accommodated with a market for their produce. There are two post offices convenientlylocated; one taking the name of Holy Cross, the other that of Belgium Station, establishedon the line of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railroad. The farmers of Belgiumare noted for their industry, and have , in a remarkable short time, changed whatwas once a dense forest, into well-cultivated farms, each one possessing a good dwelling-houseand barn. There are two Catholic Churches in the town, this being the only denominationrepresented. The meeting-houses are substantial stone structures, and are designatedby the names of Holy Cross and Lake Church, the latter being located in the easternpart of the town near the lake, and presided over by Rev. George LEETNER. The HolyCross congregation numbered, in 1846, twelve families. They held services at firstat private houses; Rev. Anthony MEYER was the first visiting priest. In 1848, a logmeeting-house was erected as a place of worship. This rude structure was replacedby the present edifice, a handsome stone building, erected in 1865, under the supervisionof Rev. FUSSEDER, and dedicated by Bishop HENNI, of Milwaukee. In 1881, the congregationadded a two-story stone building, at a cost of $4,000, for school purposes. The schoolis in charge of three Sisters of the order of St. Dominique. Both the German andEnglish languages are taught in the school, the average attendance being about eighty.The church has also erected, at various points along the public highways, shrinesor places of prayer. These buildings are pained white and are handsomely decoratedthroughout with artistically designed crosses and holy emblems of the church. Thepublic schools of Belgium have not been neglected. The town is divided into eightdistricts, each of which contains either a frame or stone schoolhouse, surroundedwith grounds sufficiently large to accommodate the children, with ample room fortheir out-door sports.