Once boasting the largest Belgian population in our nation, flipping through the Quad Cities Area phone book shows why we are still ranked second in the United States for our Belgian heritage population.
From the mid 1800's to the early 1900's Belgians flocked to our region to farm and work in the area's industries.
As this Belgian population grew, so did its influence and impact on our community. Along with ingenuity and a strong work ethic, the Belgians brought their sports, such as rolle bolle, pigeon racing and bike racing, arts, lace making, and culinary skills, the matchless Belgian waffles.
The Center for Belgian Culture was established to preserve and share our proud heritage, forming a social and professional network to help Belgians residing in, or visiting the Quad Cities area. And of course we promote the image of Belgium and encourage the ties of social relations between Belgians in the Quad Cities and elsewhere in the world.
The Executive Board is responsible for the administrative aspects of the Belgian Center, representing the organization at meetings and official activities, and maintaining relations with other organizations. We maintain an up-to-date list of members and continue to work on expanding our museum.
