Belgique, Missouri
| Belgique, Missouri | |
|---|---|
| unincorporated community | |
Belgique, Missouri, roadsign
|
|
Location of Perry County, Missouri |
|
| Coordinates: 37°50′15″N 89°46′52″W / 37.83750°N 89.78111°WCoordinates: 37°50′15″N 89°46′52″W / 37.83750°N 89.78111°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Perry |
| Township | Bois Brule [1] |
| Elevation | 372 ft (113 m) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 63775 |
| Area code(s) | 573 |
| FIPS code | 29-04042 [2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 713893 [2] |
Belgique is an unincorporated community in eastern Perry County, Missouri, United States. It is located about five miles south of Chester, Illinois in Perry County's Bois Brule Township.
Name[edit]
Since a town already existed in Missouri by the name of Belgium, the Flemish residents opted to use the French name for their homeland.
History[edit]
The town was originally settled by Catholic Flemings from Belgium. A Catholic church, The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, existed in Belgique from 1884 to 1992.[3] A post office was established in 1890, but as the name "Belgium" had already been taken, the French name for Belgium "Belgique" was used instead.[4] Its post office has closed and its mail now comes from Perryville.[5] Since the flood of 1993 there is no longer an existing town.[6]
Floods[edit]
Of the many floods over the centuries, most devastating flood was the Great Flood of 1993. The subsequent flood destroyed the village, leaving only a handful of residents to return to the area following the flood.[7][8]
Geography[edit]
Belgique is located on the flat alluvial plain of the Bois Brule Bottom situated in the northern part of Perry County.
Gallery[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Histopolis
- ^ a b Roadside Thoughts
- ^ Missouri Historical Society: Perry County Place Names, 1928-1945
- ^ Flemish Genealogy
- ^ Missouri Postal History
- ^ Nativity Cemetery - Perry County, Missouri
- ^ Erin Ragan (August 14, 2013). "Remembering the 1993 flood: Locals look back at flood fight". Southeast Missourian.
- ^ US Army Corps of Engineers (December 1993). "Upper Mississippi River Basin Flood of 1993, Flood-Fight Reconnaissance and Survey of Expedient Methods Employed".