In 1843, the Cline and Newkirk families arrived in the area, followed by the Wildermuths in 1846. All were related by marriage and drawn there by fertile land and the Pecatonica River. Disillusion with their current religion and family tragedies led to their conversion to the Mormon faith in 1850. These families founded Zarahemla, or "City of God," and attracted other Mormons. In the early 1850s, the community consisted of log cabins, a general store, and a grist mill. This short-lived community became Blanchardville by the late 1850s.