The DCHS and Belgian Heritage Center Team Up to Present the Roadside Chapel Tour

Our Lady of Good Help. Photo by Len Villano.

The Door County Historical Society in collaboration with the Belgian Heritage Center presents a Roadside Chapel Tour on Sept. 19.

The four-hour bus charter will tour 10 historic chapels: Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help (Champion); Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel (Robinsonville); Blessed Virgin Mary World War I Soldier’s Memorial Chapel (Tonet); Walloon Shrine of Saint Hubert and All Saints Chapel (Casco); Our Lady of the Afflicted Chapel; Saint Ghislain Chapel; Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel (Misere); Our Lady of Snows Chapel (Namur); St. Roch Chapel (Namur); and the Norbertine Chapel (Namur).

Chapel of Our Lady

The tour departs at 8:30 am from the Belgian Heritage Center (formerly St. Mary of the Snows Church) and returns at 12:30 pm for a Belgian heritage lunch. Belgian descendant and historian Barb Englebert Chisholm will lead the tour. The traditional Belgian luncheon will feature booyah (chicken soup), trippe (sausage), jutt (cabbage), dinner roll, Belgian pie, coffee and soda.

Roadside chapels are particularly unique to Belgian Catholics. At first glance, these sacred places could be mistaken for a simple garden shed or privy if it were not for the cross usually placed above the door or on the roof. Each chapel has an altar decorated with flowers, candles, religious pictures and statues.

The program fee is $45 for guests and $40 for Door County Historical Society members. Reservation deadline is Sept. 14. To join the tour, call 920.421.2332 or email [email protected].