Lasting Legacy
Belgian community pride has deteriorated over the past 20 years due to many factors. The entire Door Peninsula has experienced a population decline in recent years. This can be attributed to the decline in dairy across the state. Fewer family farms are present in the region; therefore there are fewer employment opportunities. An improved highway system leading to Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay has created an in-migration of non-Belgians in the area. Vestiges of Belgian pride still exist like Marchant’s Foods in Brussels, St. Francis/St. Mary Parish in Brussels, St. Hubert Parish in Rosiere, and the Belgian Bar in Namur.