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Bishop Hill __________________ Driving Directions Take US-24 from Quincy to State 97. Follow State 97 north for 37 miles to I-74 at Appleton. Take I-74 west 9 miles to Galesburg, take US-34 north east 20 miles to Rt 39, turn left and go about 3 miles to Bishop Hill. Calendar of Events For a complete calendar of events visit Bishop Hill’s Calendar of Events online or Henry County's list of events online. History Between 1846 and 1861 thousands of Swedish immigrants came to Bishop Hill looking for religious freedom and prosperity. The group, led by Erik Jansson, believed that the Bible was the only true book of God and that simplicity was the key to salvation. The Swedish state church and local government persecuted the Janssonists, imprisoning their leader several times. Because of the persecution, the group decided to pool their resources in a communal fund and set out for America and religious freedom. The first group arrived in the Fall of 1846. Led by Jansson, the group purchased a tract of land and named it Bishop Hill after the Swedish parish, Bishopskulla, where Jansson was born. Their first winter was difficult with 96 colonists dying due to lack of proper shelter and nutrition. The following spring more colonists arrived and the communal village started to prosper. Colonists worked, ate, and lived together under the supervision on Jansson. As a group they would build more than 20 large commercial buildings, farm more than 12,000 acres and provide for all their daily needs right down to producing more than 12,000 yards of linen per year. Jansson was realizing his dreams of a religious utopia on the American prairie. Tragedy struck on May 13, 1850 when Jansson was fatally shot by his cousin’s husband, John Root. Bishop Hill’s religious unity was disrupted but they continued to thrive economically. In 1853 the colony incorporated and seven trustees ran the colony’s operations. In the Spring of 1861 colonists decided to dissolve the corporation and split the assets among its members. Today, Bishop Hill’s 130 residents preserve the history of its unique beginnings. Bishop Hill has been called “the most valuable Swedish monument outside Scandinavia”. Annual celebrations include Jordbruksdagarna, an agricultural celebration held in September, Julmarknad, a Christmas market, and Lucia Nights, a festival of lights. QuincyNet Home Copyright© 2003 by QuincyNet, a division of HCW Ltd. All Rights Reserved