of the first 1000 colonists died from disease on the way to Bishop Hill (named for Eric Jansson's birthplace, Biskopskulla), while others became disillusioned and stayed in New York. The quarters in Bishop Hill were cold and crowded and food was scarce. After the first winter, life at the colony began to improve. In the next few years housing was upgraded from dugouts to brick living areas, and crops were planted on of land. By 1849, Bishop Hill had constructed a flour mill, two sawmills, a three-story frame church, and various other buildings. The Bishop Hill Colony was communistic in nature, as dictated by Jansson. Thus, everything was owned by everyone and no one had more possessions than another. Work in the colony was highly rigorous and regimented. It was not uncommon to see hundreds of people working together in the fields or large groups of laborers engaged in other tasks. Photo gallery References Further reading Lowe, David G. A Prairie Dream Recaptured American Heritage Magazine. October 1969. Volume 20, Issue 6 Swanson, Troy, Ph.D. Why Rock Island? A Friendly Rebuttal March 2010, a discussion of the role of religious diversity on the prairie and relationship between Augustana College and the Bishop Hill Colony External links Bishop Hill Colony Illinois Great Places - Bishop Hill Colony Society of Architectural Historians SAH ARCHIPEDIA entry on Bishop Hill Colony American Communities and Co-operative Colonies (1908) pp 340-360 at the Internet Archive National Historic Landmarks in Illinois National Register of Historic Places in Henry County, Illinois 1846 establishments in Illinois Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Swedish-American culture in Illinois 1861 disestablishments in Illinois Swedish-American history Utopian communities in the United States