On May 11, 1845, a German-speaking Protestant congregation was organized at the Philip Baum residence near here. That same year, a log church was erected and a cemetery was opened on six acres immediately north of this spot, donated by Heinrich Mueller and Philip Hoffmann. In 1883, a stone church with steeple, bell, and rooster was built on this three-quarters acre plot, donated by Anton Sparwasser. The stonemasons were Ilchner and Neumann. The congregation belonged to the German Evangelical synod of North America, which later became the United Church of Christ in Belleville.