Towns Actually Named Belgium in the USA

Scattered across the Midwest are three towns named called Belgium – small in size, but big in historical quirks.

In Part 1, I explored American towns that borrowed the names of Belgian cities. I discovered that there are places in the USA such as Ghent, Charleroi, and Namur. But there’s another, more surprising category: places that are not named after a specific Belgian city at all, but after Belgium itself.

Here’s an interactive map showing all the locations mentioned in Parts 1 & 2:

Belgium, Wisconsin – A Luxembourgish Mix-Up

In Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, you’ll find both the Town of Belgium (est. 1848) and the Village of Belgium (incorporated 1922). Their names suggest Walloon chapels and Flemish farmhouses – but here’s the twist: Belgium, WI is actually the heart of Luxembourgish-American culture in the United States.

The explanation lies in a 19th-century clerical mix-up. When Belgian and Luxembourgish immigrants were settling northeastern Wisconsin, paperwork mistakenly swapped their intended community names. The Belgians ended up with Luxemburg, WI, while the Luxembourgers received Belgium, WI – and the names stuck.

Today, Belgium, WI embraces its heritage proudly through the Luxembourg American Cultural Society & Center, which houses the Roots & Leaves Museum. Every August the village hosts Luxembourg Fest, a weekend of music, parades, and Luxembourgish foods such as träipen (blood sausage). Walk down Main Street during the festival and you’ll see the Luxembourg flag flying alongside the Stars and Stripes.

Belgium, Illinois — A Name as a Tribute

Drive to Vermilion County, Illinois, near the city of Danville, and you’ll come across a tiny community of just a few hundred people: Belgium, IL.

Unlike its Wisconsin namesake, Belgium, Illinois does not appear to have been founded by Belgian immigrants. Instead, the name seems to have been chosen simply as a tribute to the European nation – perhaps because of Belgium’s reputation in the mid-19th century as a rising industrial state, or perhaps simply because it was distinctive.

Today, Belgium, IL is a quiet village with fewer than 400 residents. Its link to Belgium is limited to its name, yet it still stands as one of the very few places in the United States where the entire country, not just a city, is remembered in a place name.

Belgium Township, Minnesota — Settled by Belgians

In the open countryside of Polk County, Minnesota, lies Belgium Township. Established in 1880, it was named directly for the many Belgian settlers who farmed the Red River Valley in the late 19th century.

Unlike Belgium, IL, this was a genuine Belgian immigrant community. Families from both Wallonia and Flanders arrived seeking fertile farmland, and their collective presence gave the township its name. Today, Belgium Township remains rural and sparsely populated – barely over 100 residents – but the name keeps the memory of those pioneer Belgians alive on the Minnesota prairie.

A Curious Legacy

I enjoyed researching these three “Belgiums”. While none are bustling cities, they remind us that Belgium’s footprint on the American map is not only tied to Belgian places like Ghent or Namur, but also to the country’s name itself – scattered across the Midwest, in towns where the Belgian flag might still flutter on festival days.

Have you ever visited a town called Belgium, or another place with a Belgian name? I’d love to hear your experiences – share them in the comments below!