Bishop Hill, Illinois

A look behind the Swedish Façade

by Marilyn Jones

Historic destination planners are masters at taking the locations of bloody battles, war scarred cities and sites of unimaginable genocide and adding a museum, informational plaques and gift shops. A lot of the reality takes a vacation right along with you.

I’m not complaining; I’m usually first in line. But sometimes it comes as quite a surprise when you think you’re headed one place and you find out you ended up someplace entirely different.

Bishop Hill, a Swedish settlement in western Illinois, is a good example of this.

I enjoyed my visit, bought a few Scandinavian souvenirs and visited the many buildings open for tour — just what I expected. What I didn’t expect was the shadowy history of Bishop Hill’s beginnings and Eric Jansson’s own interpretation of Christianity.

The story begins with the Swedish pietist and his followers. Seeking religious freedom and the land that Jansson described as a “land of plenty, brimming with milk and honey,” they founded Bishop Hill as a utopian religious community in 1846.

At Bishop Hill museum, an orientation video brings you up to speed so that you can better understand Jansson and his followers.

Erik Jansson

In Sweden, Jansson preached to his followers the abominations of the Lutheran Church and that the faithful were without sin. As Jansson's ideas became more radical, he began to lose support from many of his sympathizers and was forced to leave Sweden in the midst of growing persecution.

According to Jansson, Bishop Hill would become the "New Jerusalem" where he and his heirs would reign until the end of time. As a result, more than 1,000 colonists emigrated from Sweden to their new home. Jansson also claimed to have been sent to restore the Second Coming and thought of himself as a God-sent prophet, the restorer of the true doctrine, the greatest light since the time of the Apostles and the vicar of Christ on earth.

He once wrote, "I am come in Christ's place to bring grace. Whoever despises me despises God.” He taught that a true Christian has no sin and no shortcomings, or at least cannot be guilty of the same sin twice.

Jansson wouldn’t allow doctors in the village. When Asiatic Cholera struck the colony, he told the people they were dying because they lacked faith. When his wife died, he blamed her for lack of faith. Finally, after being threatened by area residents who planned to report his lack of action, he did allow a doctor to examine and treat the colonists.

Three weeks after his wife’s death, he chose a new wife.

When Jansson was murdered over a family conflict, colonists expected Jansson to rise on the third day because he had presented himself as a messianic leader who was bringing God's kingdom. He was laid in state for three days and then, failing to fulfill the colonists' expectations, was buried.

The colony grew and flourished for fifteen years before disbanding in 1861.

In addition to the video presentation, the museum houses a collection of primitive paintings by colonist Olof Krans (1838-1916). His art illustrates life 150 years ago in Bishop Hill including many portraits.

Touring the Village

After learning about the colony’s beginnings, I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived in the center of the “utopia on the prairie.” Jordbruksdagarna, a 19th-century harvest festival was in full swing. Dancers were performing traditional Swedish folk dances; music, sights and sounds were all a tribute to Swedish Americans. The memory of Jansson didn’t seem to have any effect on the merriment.

A number of historically significant buildings have survived from Bishop Hill’s beginnings and are scattered throughout the village. Four are owned by the state and managed as part of the Bishop Hill State Historic Site.

The Colony Church is a two-story frame building built in 1848. When there was a housing shortage, the basement and first floor were used to house 20 families in 100 square foot single-room apartments.

The second floor contains the Janssonists’ sanctuary, complete with original handmade walnut pews. Outside stairways lead to the sanctuary on the uppermost story. The sanctuary holds 1,000 people seated in pews. Chandeliers fitted with candles serve to light the church.

On Christmas Day, a candlelight service — Julotta — is held here. The service is non-denominational and is presented in Swedish and English.

The three-story Colony Hotel was built in 1852. It served commercial travelers and was a popular stop between Rock Island and Peoria, Illinois.

Today the hotel is a museum with different displays pointing more to Swedish-Americans heritage then the commune of the mid-1800s.

The Boys Dormitory is a small two-story frame structure believed to have provided housing for boys making the transition to working adulthood. There also is a Colony Barn that was relocated to the site of the original Hotel stable.

At one time, the colony owned more than 12,000 acres of farm land. Their best known crops were flax for linen and broom corn.

The end of an era

In the spring of 1861, the colonists decided to dissolve the corporation. Each person over the age of 35 received a full allotment consisting of 22 acres of land, one 2-acre timber lot, one town lot and an equal portion of the barns, animals, tools and utensils. [place butterfly photo here]Those under the age of 35 received land according to their age. The remaining assets were used to pay the colony's debts.

The drama didn’t end here.

In 1865 Olof Johnson, a former trustee, assessed each former member ten dollars for each acre the member had been allotted. In 1868 an additional eleven dollars per acre was assessed. The colonists questioned this action, and a committee was formed to investigate the colony books. Johnson had replaced the original books with new books for the committee to inspect. There was a discrepancy of $42,759 between the two sets. It is estimated that Olof Johnson and the other trustees owed the colony a total of $109,619. The ensuing court battle lasted until 1879, spanning 12 years.

After the final division, many of the Jansonnists left Bishop Hill.

Raised Lutherans, then becoming Jansonnists, many sought new religious homes including Jansson’s wife. She went to Kentucky and joined a Shaker colony. Many preferred to sever all ties with the church.

If you go:

Bishop Hill is a village with several stores specializing in crafts, antiques, gifts and Scandinavian souvenirs. If you want to tour the historic buildings, they are open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. between March and October. From November to February, the buildings are open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bishop Hill is located approximately 15 miles east of Interstate-74, Exit 32. Follow SR 17 east for 8.5 miles, continue on US 34 for 4 miles. Turn left on CR 1700 and travel for 2.5 miles to Bishop Hill.

There is no admission charge.

For more information check the website bishophill.com.

Galva is the closest community — 6 miles — and Galva Inn is a good choice for lodging.

For more information check the website http://galvainn.com/

The closest airport is Moline/Quad Cities International Airport.