An American Community Proud of its First Swiss Settlers

Authors

Leo Schelbert

Keywords

Master thesis, review, historical geography, highland Illinois, Swiss community

Abstract

The study traces quite successfully in eight chapters "the past geographical circumstances of the Swiss community at Higland, Illinois, and describes the main changes which occurred within that community from 1831 to 1930. After briefly sketching Swiss settlement migration to the United States and to the state of Illinois (1) and the general geographical and hiatorical setting of the later Highland region (2), the author discusses the founding (3) and the cultural character ·(4) of Highland.Then an analysis of its morphology (settlement pattern, areal extension, and the growth of the city) (5) und a sketch of the Highland economy (6, 7) are presented. The author concludes (8) that the transplantatio of Swiss attitudes and skills, primarily in the fields of commercial agriculture and of various industries (embroidery, milk products, pipe organ-, shoe-, and heavy equipment manufacturing) were decisive in the successful development of the Highland community.

Recommended Citation

Schelbert, Leo (1969) "An American Community Proud of its First Swiss Settlers," Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter: Vol. 5: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_newsletter/vol5/iss1/4