Pocahontas

The village of Pocahontas was formerly known as Hickory Grove. Benjamin Johnson called it that because of a row of hickory trees near his home. The first post office opened in 1850, and that’s when the name changed to Pocahontas. The National Hotel stood on the northeast corner of the village square. The St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute Railroad ran through Pocahontas. The National Road and the railroad helped Pocahontas to thrive.

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Highland

Highland is located in Helvetia Township in Bond County. Helvetia is the Latin word for Switzerland. Swiss immigrants had settled the area. The earliest Swiss settlers were Joseph Suppiger and Dr. Koepfli. These two men and J. Reynolds, a Justice of the Peace, agreed that 100 acres should be platted for the town of Highland. George Semple, a newcomer to the area, Suppiger and Koepfli couldn’t agree on a name for the town. Suppiger and Koepfli wanted a Swiss name like Helvetia or New Switzerland. Semple wanted a more American name. They eventually agreed on “Highland”. It reflected Semple’s Scottish roots and the altitude of Switzerland, the beloved homeland of Suppiger and Koepfli. The named was briefly changed to Helvetia because of a northern Illinois city named Highland Park. Highland was platted in 1837 and became a village in 1865. There was a windmill in the town, which ground grains like wheat into flour.

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Images courtesy of Phil Lewis and the Historical Collectors' Association for the Effingham County and National Road Museum Association.
Effingham County and National Road community histories by Phil Lewis

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