June 8, 2007 – Reporter Tyson Terhune's series Tri States Day Trips continues with a visit to a quiet community that has residents living and working in the same buildings that their ancestors used more than 150 years ago.
Bishop Hill is about an hour-and-a-half north of Macomb. It was settled in 1847 by Eric Jansen and his followers, who had migrated from Sweden.
Bishop Hill is not a town of museums. Rather, it offers a living history that people can experience on a daily basis.
It was not too terribly long ago that Bishop Hill began to fall into disrepair. But it's been restored by the Bishop Hill Heritage Association.
The artisan work, the crafts stores, and the Swedish history are major draws. In fact, it's not uncommon to hear Swedish spoken in the streets during the summer tourism season.
The series Tri States Day Trips will be broadcast on Tri States Public Radio on Fridays in June during the 7:30am and 4:30pm newscasts.
You can also hear Terhune's stories right here on the web. You can listen to the feature about Bishop Hill by clicking on the audio button above.