Miller-Fiege Home

Established in 1850

— Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail —

Miller-Fiege Home Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Thomas Smith, November 2, 2019

1. Miller-Fiege Home Marker

Inscription. In 1850, John Dahmer, a German immigrant, constructed this vernacular German cottage. Peter Miller bought the home in 1858 annd ran a blacksmith shop next door that provided shoes for horses and he repaired farm equipment in a shed between the house and blacksmith shop. The blacksmith shop eventually became an automobile repair shop, which was torn down in the 1950s; however, the Miller-Fiege Home still remains.

Erected by Columbia Heritage and Preservation Comnission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Immigration • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 38° 26.541′ N, 90° 11.907′ W. Marker was in Columbia, Illinois, in Monroe County. It was on South Main Street just west of East Cherry Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 140 South Main St, Columbia IL 62236, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in Greater St. Louis.

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It was also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: The Miller-Fiege House (here, next to this marker); Roessler Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Columbia Star Printing Co (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Engine House & Faust Dry Goods (within shouting distance of this marker); Gedern - Columbia Sister Cities since 1993 (within shouting distance of this marker); Columbia (within shouting distance of this marker); Breidecker House (within shouting distance of this marker); Franklin Inn & Buck Tavern (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.

Additional commentary.
1.
The P.W. Miller-Fiege House was not built by Peter Miller. It is a historical treasure

The Miller-Fiege Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Thomas Smith, November 2, 2019

2. The Miller-Fiege Home

and unique because of its architecture and the fact it was built by one of Columbia’s earliest German emigrants. The house was built in 1850 by Henry Dahner (Dahmer) who was an immigrant from Wernings, Germany which is in the same stadt as Gedern, Germany, Columbia's Sister City. The home was subsequently purchased by Peter W. Miller on November 3, 1857, who built his blacksmith shop on the neighboring north city lot. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor

— Submitted June 26, 2025, by Dennis Patton of Columbia, Illinois.

Plaque on the building image. Click for full size.

September 29, 2019

3. Plaque on the building

Credits. This page was last revised on January 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2019. This page has been viewed 863 times since then and 83 times this year. Last updated on January 6, 2026. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 2, 2019, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. 3. submitted on September 30, 2019. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.