An integral resource on Luxembourg and Luxembourg-American history and culture, the Luxembourg American Cultural Society supports programs and initiatives to facilitate cultural and educational opportunities for the local community and beyond.
Virtual High School Exchange Between Luxembourg and the United States
Since 2020, members from the LACS board and community have worked with teachers in Luxembourg and the US on a successful virtual school exchange program. Teachers from Lënster Lycée International School in Junglinster, Luxembourg and Aquinas and Central Schools in La Crosse, Wisconsin encourage cross-cultural engagement and bring students together to work on thematic projects.
The role of LACS in these school exchange programs is to facilitate the educational experiences as part of our LACS mission.
School Exchange Program Mission Statement
Our mission is to cherish the Luxembourgish-American (alliance) friendship, strengthen their bond and reconnect families.
At the end of the 19th century, tens of thousands of Luxembourgers emigrated to the United States of America seeking to build a better future for themselves and their families. In the 20th century, the United States of America helped Luxembourg on two occasions to defend its freedom and sovereignty.
The resulting Luxembourg-American friendship is meant to be the foundation for families, students and citizens of both nations. They should be encouraged to find friends, along with the potential of reconnection with the descendants of their ancestors, maintain peace, promote new cooperative activities and support shared goals. Sister cities will begin to collaborate on ways to strengthen our partnership.
Interested in starting an exchange program at your school? Please refer to the document below and complete the survey of interest.
LACS in the Classroom
LACS staff or volunteers can bring Luxembourg-American history and culture to your classroom through a variety of programs.
- In-Class Discovery Boxes gives students the opportunity to explore Luxembourg-American settlers in Wisconsin through touchable artifacts and primary resource materials. Discovery Boxes may be facilitated by LACS staff or volunteers, or they may be rented for up to two weeks. For grades 3-5, learn more about our discovery boxes.
- Research Demonstrations use Luxembourg-American sources from the LACS collection to teach essential research skills, such as interpreting primary source material.
- Recordings of virtual programs may be available to students and teachers to learn about Luxembourg and Luxembourg American history and culture.
Interested in learning about all of our educational opportunities? Please contact LACS Curator, Caitlin Armstrongfor more information: (262) 285-5041 or carmstrong@lacs.lu.
Public Programming
Groups in the greater Ozaukee County region can request for LACS staff/volunteer to give a presentation at their facility. An honorarium of $25 is appreciated.
Current Presentation Topics:
- Stone Haven: A Luxembourg American Connection Lost to Time
- Program Description: Discover the lost company town of Stonehaven, once home to immigrant quarry workers on the shores of Lake Michigan. Built by the Lake Shore Stone Company in the early 1900s, Stonehaven included worker housing, a company store, and a vibrant multicultural community shaped by Luxembourgish, Italian, and Austro‑Hungarian immigrants. Though Stonehaven eventually disappeared from the landscape, its story offers a fascinating glimpse into the immigrant experience and the communities that helped shape Wisconsin’s industrial past. By uncovering Stonehaven’s history, we bring a forgotten piece of our local heritage back to life and remember the people whose contributions helped build the communities we know today.
- Settled in Stone: Luxembourgish Stone Houses and Settler Farm Life
- Program Description: The practice of stone architecture began in Europe and was brought to the United States when families began to emigrate in the mid to late 1800s. Given that many Luxembourgish families immigrated to the Midwest region, and Wisconsin in particular, many of the historic homes and barns are Luxembourg stone houses. This presentation will uncover the mystery of Luxembourg stone house architecture, investigate a few local stone houses, and learn what life was like for these early settlers.
- Resistance and Rebellion: Port Washington’s Civil War Draft Riot
- Program Description: What happens when a small Wisconsin community takes a stand against the federal government in the middle of a Civil War? In November 1862, Port Washington and local Luxembourgers found themselves at the center of a dramatic confrontation over the Union military draft. The resulting riot brought violence to the county courthouse and prompted Governor Edward Salomon to send troops to restore order. This presentation explores how national conflicts shaped life in our own backyard and how Port Washington stood its ground. Because all history is local history, sometimes the stories that help us understand our nation best are the ones that happened right here at home.
- Women of Influence: Significant Women in Luxembourg American History
- Program Description: Women’s experiences and voices are often overlooked in history books, including the history of Luxembourg and Luxembourgish Americans. Yet women have played essential roles in shaping families, communities, and nations, even when their contributions went unrecognized. This presentation highlights the lives of select women who have shaped Luxembourgish and Luxembourg American history through their accomplishments in medicine, historic preservation, national leadership, politics, and sports. From Luxembourg to the communities built by Luxembourgish immigrants in America, these women’s stories reveal courage, leadership, and determination. By bringing their experiences to light, we honor their contributions and gain a fuller understanding of our shared heritage. After all, history that does not include the history of women is not a full history.
- Preserving the Past: The LACS Collections
- A special presentation from the Luxembourg American Cultural Society featuring a unique selection from the LACS museum collection: explore the unique traditions and treasures of Luxembourg Americans by taking a closer look at artifacts from the collection. Discover how these artifacts connect generations through art, heritage, and storytelling-preserving the cultural identity of a community that continues to thrive both locally and across the United States.
Interested in scheduling a program? Please contact Programming Coordinator Dana Lemke for more information: (262) 476-5041 or dana.lemke@lacs.lu
Lëtz Go Kidz” is a virtual education series dedicated to connecting our younger members and local students to Luxembourg American History and Culture. This program is for kids ages 7-10 years old. There are four Luxembourg American themes for kids to explore.
Purpose and Goals:
- Strengthen the sense of community among members and young students.
- Connect students to their heritage, Luxembourg-American History, and local history.
- Provide opportunities for education through creative storytelling.
- Each program directly connects to Luxembourg/Luxembourg-American history and culture, or the relationship between Luxembourg and the United States.
- Use themes of Luxembourg American history to educate students about broader topics of local history, immigration, etc.
Members get exclusive access to the virtual version! Click below to access the Lëtz Go Kidz page.
In the 1980s, Bea Krier wrote a book called Stengegen Heiser, highlighting stone houses, primarily found in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, built by Luxembourg immigrants from the late 1840s through the 1880s. In 2019, the LACS staff worked to identify additional Luxembourg-built stone houses, and mapped them digitally. Take a tour of the stone structures where Luxembourgers and their descendants have lived, worked and worshipped for more than 150 years.
Copies of Stengegen Heiser are available for in-person research at the Dooley-Wagner Research Center at the LACS.