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After an initial settlement in 1833, they began arriving in waves, leaving their mark on the tri-state area. And chances are most modern-day residents don't realize it.

"About 50 percent of the (tri-state area) people who say they are German actually have Luxembourg roots," said Mary Pat Breitfelder, St. Donatus, Iowa, resident and historian for the Luxembourg Society of Iowa.

The society recently used a grant from Humanities Iowa to bring an exhibit titled "Luxembourg-USA: A Migration Story" to Dubuque's National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.

"We are so excited to have it here," Breitfelder said.

Sponsored by the Luxembourg American Cultural Society, Inc., the exhibit will remain in Dubuque through Aug. 31. Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture, Higher Education and Research for the European Cultural Year 2007 created the exhibit's 36 interpretive panels, which debuted last year at Ellis Island.

"They arrived in New Orleans and came up through St. Louis," Breitfelder said.

The area of Dubuque and Jackson counties became one of America's centers of Luxembourg settlement.

"The St. Donatus area resembled Luxembourg in many ways," Breitfelder said.

Located on the Great River Road nine miles north of Bellevue, St. Donatus has the largest and best-preserved collection of 19th century Luxembourg architecture in the United States, with 34 sites recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

A "push-pull" effect prompted emigration to America, Breitfelder said, as large families virtually outgrew or were "pushed out" of the small nation of Luxembourg, roughly the size of Dubuque and Jackson counties combined.

"There was also major pulling from the U.S., because of the need to fill territories," she said. "They tried to draw more people over here."

Exhibit panels describe the reasons for Luxembourg immigration, the trans-Atlantic journey and immigrant life in the United States -- particularly within settlements in Dubuque and Jackson counties.

"This is a great example that local history is national history," said Jerry Enzler, the river museum's executive director and Breitfelder's younger brother. "Our local residents can come and learn about their heritage."

Breitfelder learned that the panels would be available for touring once their Ellis Island stay had concluded and wanted to bring them here to mark both the 160th anniversary of the St. Donatus Catholic Parish and Dubuque's 175th anniversary.

"I thought it was so important that we have it here at this time," she said.

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