Step Back In Time At Illinois' Authentic Historic Village Of Bishop Hill
By Melissa Mahoney|Published August 23, 2021
×
Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
There are many historic villages and small towns around the Prairie State. While they are all quaint and charming places to visit, there’s nothing quite like Bishop Hill and its interesting history. Let’s take a step back in time when life was simpler with a visit to Bishop Hill.
Located in Henry County, the village of Bishop Hill is 0.53 square miles. Founded in 1846 by Swedish immigrants under the leadership of Erik Jansson (more commonly spelled Janson), it's a place that actually hasn't changed too much over the past 175 years.
Its founding father, Erik Janson, and his followers, the Jansonites, had fled Sweden after he was jailed for his religious beliefs. In the new country, he wanted to set up a utopian community based on shared beliefs and one where everything was owned by everyone in the community.
They settled in western Illinois and created a village they named Bishop Hill. Over the next few years, the Jansonites built a church, housing dormitory, a bakery and flour mill, two sawmills, a brewery, a hospital, and a school, among others. To make a living and support the community, they made and sold brooms, buggies, and rugs and they farmed and harvested the land.
Erik Janson's life ended when he was murdered by a former member of his community. After his death, a board of trustees was formed to run the colony. The once-promising utopian society was disbanded in 1861.
Today, Bishop Hill is still a living, thriving community of approximately 120 residents with several surviving buildings from the days of Erik Janson and his fellow colonists. One such building, shown here, is the 1848 Colony Church, one of the very first structures built in the village.
The Greek Revival-style 1854 Steeple Building was originally meant to be a hotel. Instead, it served other functions as a school, administrative building, and a home, among other purposes. It now houses the Bishop Hill Historical Museum, which is a must-visit.
The Bishop Hill Heritage Museum offers tours of the village and its last remaining original buildings. You can inquire about a tour on the museum's website.
Although there is plenty of history to explore around Bishop Hill, the village also has its fair share of restaurants and shops. Stop by some of these local businesses and get a feel for the community and the Swedish influence that remains here today.
