historicbethel.org | Historical Bethel German Colony

News & Events

Bethel School House Project

Dec 10, 2024

Bethel recently lost a very important member of the Historic Bethel German Colony Board. Wendeline Brumbaug h served this organization for decades, most recently as Colony Board President and a driving force behind humanities endeavors such as our youth and adult...

Bethel Market Call for Vendors

Nov 8, 2024

We're already looking forward to 2025 events in Historic Bethel, Missouri! During the Bethel Colony Market in spring and fall, the Colony Barn and surrounding areas fill up with artisans and vendors, and we'd like to invite you to take part! The 2025 show dates are...

Christmas in Bethel 2024

Oct 24, 2024

We hope you'll plan to join us on Sunday, December 8th, 2024, for the annual Christmas in Bethel celebration. Free admission. . During the communal years, colonists observed many "fete" days such as Easter, Christmas, New Years, harvest feasts, Independence Day and...

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Our History

Bethel, in North River Valley, five miles from Shelbyville, was founded in 1844 as a religious communal colony by Wilhelm Keil and his German-American followers. Keil (1812-1877), an independent preacher, called his adherents “Christians.” Without a written agreement, they shared their property and labor, though private earnings were allowed. Bethel community was early noted for its handicrafts and musical band.

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.