Merkle Farmstead, 8570 Louella Lane, south side of U.S. Route 64, Shiloh, St. Clair County, IL

Significance: The Merkel Farmstead represents the large rural home and working farmstead of an early (1830s), relatively wealthy, German immigrant family. The Merkel family was one of the first German immigrants to locate in the Shiloh vicinity which was shortly afterward to be know as the Lateiner Settlement. Although the farmstead was previously improved by an American family, the collection of buildings at this site is indicative of a German farm family. The earliest buildings exhibit characteristics typically associated with German immigrant families. By the early twentieth century, the newer structures are typical of those being constructed by the assimilated German families. Although no documentary evidence has been found to support our contention, the Merkel family appears to have delved into wine production upon initially coming into the region. The farmstead exhibits evidence of early commercial activity associated with wine production a specialized form of agriculture that flourished for a short duration in this region during the early to middle nineteenth century and was strongly influenced by the German background of the immigrants.
Survey number: HABS IL-1191