BIEHLE OFFERS MAJOR SHOPPING AREA FOR REGION

BIEHLE -- To many people the town of Biehle is little more than an exit sign on Interstate 55 between the Perryville and Old Appleton exits.

But a short drive west on Route B reveals a community with roots to before the Civil War; a Catholic church built 125 years ago by the town's German immigrants, who wanted their own parish; and a sprawling retail center operated by the same man who started it 60 years ago with $200 borrowed money.

The town and church are named for Maurus Biehle, a German immigrant who was born in 1821 and died in 1897. He donated land for the church, and it was named St. Maurus in his honor. Construction of the church began in 1867 and was completed in 1870.

The rock church has been remodeled many times. It barely survived a tornado in March 1925 that wrecked the sanctuary and destroyed the main altar and the church steeple. Two people were killed.

But parishioners worked quickly to repair the church and school, and St. Maurus continued to operate.

A small school adjacent to the church still operates today, with students attending kindergarten through eighth grade.

Once the church was built it became a focal point that led to homes being constructed nearby. Ultimately, the town of Biehle developed.

At one time the Houck Railroad ran through Biehle, with the depot being just across the road from St. Maurus Church. Just after the turn of the century the trip to Cape Girardeau was almost a day's journey.

Louis Houck of Cape Girardeau built a railroad that began operating in October 1905. It connected Cape Girardeau and Chester, Ill., with stops in between at Oak Ridge, Biehle and Perryville. The train made one trip north and one south each day until the railroad was discontinued in 1917 because new and better roads made the limited train travel obsolete.

Biehle's first postmaster

Maurus Biehle served as first postmaster of Biehle, having been appointed in June 1867. On Sept. 30, 1957, the Biehle Post Office was closed and combined with Perryville.

In the center of town today is Buchheit's store, which sells lumber and building materials, farm supplies and general merchandise, placing a special emphasis on customer service. Although the Biehle store is the centerpiece of the operation, in recent years Buchheit's has expanded by opening new stores at Herculaneum and in Illinois at Sparta and Jacksonville. More stores are planned.

Rudy Buchheit, who started it all in 1934, is still a familiar face around the store and town of Biehle. His son Ken manages the Biehle store. Ken and his wife Rhonda have eight children, and seven of them work in the family business; the other is still in high school.

From the beginning of the store, Rudy Buchheit firmly believed the best way to keep customers loyal was to provide quality service. That has become a trademark for the Buchheit's stores.

In a letter to new citizens of Jacksonville when the store there was opened last month, Rudy said: "In running this business I have learned many things. One is that mistakes will be made. I feel that it is important to correct these mistakes as they arise and to take care of our customers."

He also credits much of the success of Buchheit's to family members who have provided ideas, work and inspiration. The company logo is a wagon wheel with 11 spokes around a B, with each spoke signifying one of Rudy's 11 children.

Rhonda Buchheit said the store draws customers from a wide area who not only like the variety offered but the country store atmosphere and customer service.

Tim Peters, who has worked at the store for the last eight years, believes the success of Buchheit's is simple. "It's not in the big city and is kind of a country store setting," he said. "We handle about everything and have a pretty good variety. I think customers like to come here because there is personalized service for everybody.

For most of the town's history, Biehle has not been incorporated. But because of the need for fire protection, a small area of Biehle that includes Buchheit's store was incorporated as a village on Sept. 16, 1991.

General store destroyed

In April 1986, a fire destroyed the general store, despite efforts of fire departments in the region. The Buchheit family realized there was a need for closer fire protection, not only for the store but for many others who lived in the area.

A 56-acre area of Biehle was incorporated. It includes eight residents, all but one of them members of the Buchheit family. A five-member town board was formed with Ken Buchheit serving as chairman. Peters was also chosen to serve on the board.

Soon after incorporation, the village approved a 1-cent sales tax, which would be collected at the store to pay for fire protection in the area. The sales tax brings in about $90,000 a year, with 75 percent of it going toward the fire district and the rest for a reserve fund and to pay for legal and operating expenses of the village.

Despite the family makeup of the town board, Rhonda Buchheit said meetings are held in accordance with the law to insure that everything is done properly. "Our incorporation has worked out real well, and I think the fire department is serving the area well," she said.

Before formation of the Biehle Community Fire Protection Association, the closest service to the area was about 10 miles away. A steering committee of 16 people worked in forming the association, and at the first meeting of the membership on March 11, 1992, a five-member board of directors was elected.

Five on fire protection board

Board members are Bob Kutz, Weldon and June Ernst, Joe Schumer and Bonnie Gerringer.

Sales tax revenue began coming in July 1, 1992. In March 1993, the department was officially opened on a 10-acre lot with a 70-by-80-foot building one mile north of the corporate limits.

Bernie Hoernig, a captain with the department, said families in a five-mile radius are served by the association and about 150 households contribute to it.

Peters, who is one of 17 volunteers with the department, said with membership dues paid by families and the sales tax money the Biehle area has a first-class department and does not need to rely on benefit fund-raisers as many departments do. "We're set up pretty good here and could handle almost anything," said Peters.

Said Hoernig, "Having the sales tax gives us a bigger budget to work with than most rural departments have, and we have a pretty big investment in equipment already, even though we have been organized a short time."

Besides the 17 volunteers, the department also has one EMT in its group. All of the volunteers have first-aid and CPR training and are equipped with modern and complete turnout gear and a pager or radio.

The department has four vehicles, including two pumpers -- a 1952 Ford pumper with a 500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 500-gallon booster tank, and a 1978 Tandem Brigadere with a 3,400-gallon tank and a 500-gallon-per-minute portable pump.

The other two vehicles -- a 1978 4-by-4 Dodge brush truck with a 200-gallon tank and portable pump, and a 1982 Chevy van used to haul equipment -- were both donated by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Biehle has mutual-aid agreements with the Perryville and East Perry County fire departments. Volunteers meet twice a month for training sessions.

Fire district officers named

Besides Hoernig, other officers with the department are Shawn Bohnert, chief; Ron Oehl, assistant chief; Jeff Leible, lieutenant; Jeff Buchheit, training officer; and Jared Unterreiner, safety officer.

In its first year of operation, Hoernig said only three calls came to the department, one of them an accident requiring extrication across from Buchheit's store. But so far this year there have been four calls, one to a burning house and three others to grass fires.

Overall, Hoernig and Peters believe residents of the area have a growing confidence in the department and recognize its benefits to the Biehle area. Recently, a state inspection resulted in an Insurance Service Organization rating of 9, which will lead to reduced fire insurance rates. One reason for that rating is the quality of equipment the department has.

"I think a lot of people here are feeling more comfortable, having a department here this close," said Hoernig during a tour of the facilities.

Said Peters, "If we can't handle something, we can at least keep it somewhat under control until some of the departments we have mutual-aid agreements with can get here."

Besides Biehle, some of the nearby towns that are served by the association include Friedheim, Apple Creek and Highland.