Teutopolis

Teutopolis. A Community Built On Faith. They traveled West by horse and wagon, oxen and Conestoga, and by foot. They represented a staggering assortment of crafts, talents and trades. They emigrated from Germany in search of affordable land, economic opportunity, and political and religious freedom- and they found it on the National Road., In 1837, a group of German Catholics in Cincinnati, Ohio, pooled their resources to purchase land for a new community. After scouting sites in Indiana, Missouri and Illinois, they settled on 10,000 acres in a well-timbered section of Effingham County., From a hat, they drew numbered slips of paper corresponding to plats. Names were recorded, lists penned, plans made, prayers spoken, and Teutopolis was born. , (photo captions:), Excellence in Education , The Franciscan friars made higher education a priority. At their prompting, with support from the community, St. Joseph's College opened in 1862. The school, which later became St. Joseph's Seminary, offered courses in several languages, philosophy, mathematics, and natural science. , Language Barrier , While life in Illinois offered religious freedom, it also presented challenges. Area priests weren't conversant in Low German, the language spoken by most of the village. In 1858, nine Franciscan friars came from Germany to meet the community's needs. In time, the number of friars would grow, and their ministry would serve a large section of Southern Illinois., A crowd gathers on the National Road in preparation for Weber Bros. spring opening. The company has operated on the National Road since 1895., Mill Town , Brothers Clement and Herman Uptmor built the town's first mill in 1842. Forty years later, Hope Mills, Uptmor and Siemer, Proprietors, opened for business. In 1906, Joseph Siemer and his son, Clemens J., bought out the Uptmor interests and changed the operation's name to Siemer Milling Company., (aside:), A Road of Dirt, Rock, And Dreams, In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to provide federal funding for a National Road. Surveyed from Cumberland, Md., to the Mississippi River, the National Road was a highway for pioneers eager to settle the West., Today, as US 40, the National Road in Illinois spans 164 miles. From Indiana to East St. Louis, you can still see how the ambitions and accomplishments of early Illinois immigrants shaped our communities. You'll find their influence in our art and architecture, our industry and agriculture, and in our way of life. Enjoy your time on the Road.