Bethel is a village in Shelby County,

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, United States. The population was 135 at the 2020 census.

History

Bethel was founded as a Bible utopian colony in 1844 by Dr

William Keil William Keil (March 6, 1812 – December 30, 1877) was the founder of communal religious societies in Bethel, Missouri, and Aurora Colony in Oregon, that he established and led in the nineteenth century. Influenced by German Lutheranism, pietis ...

(1811–1877), a

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

n-born preacher. He and his followers, who were almost exclusively German immigrants to America, believed that the Book of Acts required that Christians hold all property and means of production in common and they organized their Colony accordingly. Traditionally male work was communally performed; however, traditionally female work was still individualized and performed in single family households. By 1850, the Bethel Colony had a population of 500; by 1860, 600. It owned thousands of sheep, cattle and horses, and had over 3,500 acres under cultivation. It was the commercial center of the region. However, the construction of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad threatened Dr. Keil's

theocracy Theocracy is a form of government in which one or more deities are recognized as supreme ruling authorities, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries who manage the government's daily affairs. Etymology The word theocracy originates fr ...

. In 1855, he led his some of his followers westward over the

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kans ...

, to eventually settle

Aurora, Oregon Aurora is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Before being incorporated as a city, it was the location of the Aurora Colony, a religious commune founded in 1856 by William Keil and John E. Schmit. William named the settlement after h ...

and form the

Aurora Colony Aurora Colony, also called Aurora Mills, was a Christian utopian communal society founded in 1856 by William Keil in modern-day Aurora, Oregon, US. At its peak in 1868, the Aurora Colony had about 600 people and of land. The colony, along with ...

.Aurora
The Oregon Encyclopedia Other wagon trains followed in subsequent years. The remainder of the Bethel Colony retained their communal ownership of property and shared means of production until three years after his death in 1877. In 1880, the property was divided among the remaining members, thus ending Missouri's most successful

communal experiment An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, ...

. The Bethel Historic District, bounded by Liberty, King, 1st, and 4th Streets, was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1970. At least twenty of the buildings constructed by the Bethel Colony are still extant. These houses are on exhibit to visitors and to the public. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are nearby Elim and

Hebron Hebron ( ar, الخليل or ; he, חֶבְרוֹן ) is a Palestinian. city in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judaean Mountains, it lies above sea level. The second-largest city in the West Bank (after Eas ...

Geography

Bethel is located at (39.877205, -92.024433). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the village has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 122 people, 60 households, and 34 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 79 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 93.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 2.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 4.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.5% of the population. There were 60 households, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.3% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age in the village was 45.7 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 24.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 53.3% male and 46.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 121 people, 56 households, and 31 families living in the village. The

was 856.5 people per square mile (333.7/km²). There were 77 housing units at an average density of 545.0 per square mile (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.35%

, and 1.65% from two or more races. There were 56 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.6% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 3.03. In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $22,083, and the median income for a family was $53,750. Males had a median income of $22,292 versus $21,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $13,958. There were no families and 6.8% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including no under eighteens and 42.9% of those over 64.

Notable person

Henry Theophilus Finck Henry Theophilus Finck (22 September 1854 – 1 October 1926) was an American music critic and author. Among "the most prolific and influential critics of his day", he was chief classical music critic of both the ''New York Evening Post'' and ...

(1854-1926), musical critic

References

Nordhoff, Charles. ''The Communistic Societies of the United States from Personal Vision and Observation''.... 1875. NY: Schocken Books, 1965. Hinds, William. ''American Communities and Co-Operative Colonies''. Chicago: Charles H. Kerk & Co., 1908. {{authority control Villages in Shelby County, Missouri Utopian communities in the United States Populated places established in 1844 Villages in Missouri 1844 establishments in Missouri