Moline, Illinois: A slice of Belgium in America's Midwest

Belgium's black, yellow and red flag will be flying in parts of the American Midwest this 21 July - one of the most popular areas in the US for Belgians to settle.

The Quad Cities are comprised of four major counties in north-west Illinois and south-eastern Iowa. From the mid 1800s to the early 1900s, Belgians flocked to the region to farm and work in the area's industries.

According to Belgium's honorary consul in Illinois, Patrick Van Nevel, the Quad Cities' major appeal to Belgians was job opportunities. "Belgian immigrants came here to work in the agricultural equipment factories, such as John Deere, Farmall and International Harvester, the Weyerhauser and other lumber companies, and as farmers looking to work the fertile farmland,” he said.

The Mid-western region of the United States has a climate similar to that of Belgium and made it easy for farmers to become familiar with the land.

Moline, Illinois, is home to approximately 15,000 people of Belgian descent, many of whom came from Flanders, according to Van Nevel.

As the Belgian population grew, so did its influence and impact on the community. With such a large number of Belgians living in Moline, Belgian culture and traditions can be found throughout the town.

One of the most quintessential places for Belgians in the city to get a taste of the motherland is at the famous Belgian Village Inn. The restaurant opened in 1977 then closed for two years in 2014 but is now back and as popular as ever, now as a takeaway outlet. The local favourite is the Vanderueben on rye - with ham, corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese.

Sabrina Scott is an Illinois native with a Belgian family history. "My great grandma was born in Belgium and came over on a boat when she was 12," she says.

Despite being generations removed from living in Belgium, her family still gets together every year to celebrate the Belgian national day. "We usually make a huge dinner and all get together on that day,” Scott adds.

Moline is also home to a Belgian museum and cultural centre, which holds a monthly Belgian waffle breakfast and is another way this community stays connected to its Belgian roots.

Photo: Belgian Ambassador to the US Dirk Wouters visits Moline, Illinois to meet local residents and business leaders. © Courtesy Jason Tanamor