The first Luxembourgers to come to Chicago immigrated in either 1842[2] or 1846[3] along Ridge Road[4] in Edgewater[5] which was just north of Chicago at the time. In 1871, just after the Great Chicago Fire parishioners of St. Michael's Church in Chicago formed the first Luxembourgish-American organization in the United States, the Luxemburger Unterstützungsverein (Luxembourg Mutual Aid Society).[6] Other organizations followed such as the Luxembourg Brotherhood. Many Luxembourgers were Roman Catholics, and the first initial wave of immigrants lived alongside Germans in places like Old Town, later seeking to distinguish themselves from the Germans.[7] After the fire, they moved further north to areas like Rogers Park.[8] In 1880, there were approximately 500-700 Luxembourgers in Chicago[9] and by 1900, that number had ballooned to about 16,000.[10] The majority of the immigrants came from the Moselle river area,[11] which borders Germany.
Trucks from 'Angel Guardian Florist' with 'Angel Guardian Orphanage' in the background on 2001 Devon Avenue.
Many Luxembourgers became involved in the growing of plants in greenhouses, so much so that by 1910, most of the 100 greenhouses in Chicago were owned by Luxembourgish Americans.[14][15][16] Some are still in operation to the present day.[17]
Luxemburger Zeitung, later known as the Luxembourg Weekly, began publication in Chicago in 1899, with national subscription by mail beginning in 1902. It is still published, under the name Luxembourg News of America.[26]
Luxembourg-American Social Club was founded in Chicago in 1960[27]
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