Bethel Historic District - Bethel, Missouri - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

This historic district has twenty-six contributing buildings constructed between 1844 to 1880 and encompasses a successful German communal community of Bethel. The commune settlement was led by German emigrant, charismatic autocrat Dr. William Keil. The commune was successful and expanded quickly. By 1854 the community had about 600 members and Dr. Keil decided to the community was becoming too crowded and started a new community in Aurora, Oregon. From 1854 and 1863, about 400 of the 650 people in Bethel in 1855, migrated west to Oregon placing a drain on the population and resources of the Bethel community. By 1874-75, the Bethel community owned about 4,000 acres of land and the community was around 200 people with a church, saw mill, grist Dill, tannery, general store, drug store, shops for carpenters, blacksmiths, coopers, tinners, tailors, shoemakers, and hatters along with several brick homes.

The government and leadership of the both Bethel and Aurora resided in one individual, Dr. William Keil, and it was his powerful will, magnetic personality and autocratic leadership which kept both communities together and functioning. Upon his death in 1877 the communities lost their unifying force and soon dissension developed. Without a strong leader and many of the younger members became dissatisfied with the communal way of life it was decided to first divide the property between the two communities and then among the members of each community.

Street address: Roughly bounded by Liberty, King, 1st, and 4th Sts. Bethel, Missouri County / Borough / Parish: Shelby Year listed: 1970 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Person Periods of significance: 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899 Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic Current function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Commerce/Trade, Domestic, Government Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Secondary Website 2: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/20/2006 YoSam. visited it