In 1846, a group of Swedish immigrants seeking religious freedom left their native land under the guidance of their charismatic spiritual leader, Erik Jansson. The site for their new utopia, later called Bishop Hill, was described to them as a “land of plenty, brimming with milk and honey,” and they struggled to make it so. These Janssonists built a successful communal society based on economic and religious principals. Many of the structures erected during this building campaign still exist. The colony grew and flourished for fifteen years before disbanding in 1861.
Today, Bishop Hill is a quiet country village where descendants of the flesh and descendants of the noble spirit of those original colonists still live and strive to make this community a utopia restored. Bishop Hill is a National Landmark Village, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and it is an Illinois State Historic Site. We are the pride of Henry County, Illinois.
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