News & Events
Bethel Spring Market
Join us in historic Bethel for the Spring Market on Saturday, April 26th, from 9am to 4pm. Bethel was founded in 1844 as a communal colony by Wilhelm Keil and his German-American followers. The community was early noted for its handicrafts and musical band. These...
2025 Events in Bethel
Bethel holds a variety of events each year, giving visitors the opportunity to learn more about our unique history. From local vendors selling their wares at Bethel Market events, to young musicians learning one-on-one with music masters at a week-long camp, we hope...
Bethel School House Project
Bethel recently lost a very important member of the Historic Bethel German Colony Board. Wendeline Brumbaugh served this organization for decades, most recently as Colony Board President and a driving force behind humanities endeavors such as our youth and adult...
Our History
Membership was about 650 in 1855 when Keil, fearing Bethel too subject to outside influence, led a group west and established Aurora Colony in Oregon. Their expedition over the Oregon Trail is unique for it was conducted as a funeral cortege. Keil’s son, Willie, died before he realized his father’s promise to lead the group and was carried instead in the head wagon in a metal box, alcohol-filled. After six months and over 2000 miles, he was buried at Willapa, Washington.
Keil never returned to Bethel, directing affairs there by letter. When the colonies disbanded, 1879-1881, they held property in common valued at $109,806. Bethel supplied $64,328 of this and owned 4267 acres.
