Early visitors to Vandalia give impressions

In the past, I have written about a German visitor, Frederick Gustorf, who visited Vandalia in 1835. He traveled the National Road and found Vandalia, with a population of 800, “unchanged since it was founded 15 years ago.”
He continued: “One can see about five or six big frame buildings containing stores.  The statehouse is a common brick building.  A solitary bank, a wooden church, with a small tower, and two or three state offices complete the community of Vandalia.

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The Leader-Union | circulation@leaderunion.com | 618-283-3374
P.O. Box 315, 229 S Fifth Street, Vandalia, IL 62471
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