Belgian American Architecture
The first Belgian homes on the peninsula were built from readily available logs. Belgians were not accustomed to log construction like many other immigrants, but their work still exhibited tight joinery and refinements. The great fire of 1871 lead to a construction boom and drastic changes in Walloon-Belgian architecture. The two most styles of Belgian homes are the vernacular and stone homes. These are still found frequently in Door County.
Vernacular homes date from the late 1870s into the early 1880s. Homes are modest in size and are distinctively proportional. The first homes were built of wood, and no longer stand. Following the fire of 1871, fire resistant exteriors became common for Walloon-Belgian homes. These homes were constructed of a log interior surrounded by a brick or stone to alleviate the fear of fire. This style of architecture came at a time when the pioneer phase of Belgian immigration had ended and settlers had accumulated some amount of wealth. Brick was a material used more often than stone although limestone was abundantly available from local dolomite quarries. |