In 1879, St. Paul Evangelical Church (Blue Point) was built northeast of town, as a place of worship for the local German immigrant farmers. A village was organized a quarter mile west of the church in a six-acre triangular tract of land.
This piece of land, next to the now defunct Wabash Railroad, had multiple commercial buildings including a general store ran at various times by Herman Albrecht, Fred Ziegler, and Herman A. Klitzing. The store attracted crowds with its phonograph playing music. A post office was also connected with the store.
Other businesses in the area included Barney Kopplin’s blacksmith shop, Klitzing and Munzel’s grain elevator, Bill Dammerman’s grist mill, Bill Luehrman’s swine and cattle stockyards, and a beer cold storage owned by Springfield Brewing Company.
The village began to decline in the early 20th century. With the advent of the automobile, it became easier to drive into Altamont for supplies or buy food from the grocery store in Dexter. Local residents would also hop on the train to Altamont. Blue Point didn’t have a train station, but the train would stop by the church and let passengers off.
Not much is left of the village with the only remnant being the raised ground from the Wabash Railroad.
The church is still going strong. Many of its members are descendants of the first German settlers in the area.
Altamont, IL History 