New Wells, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Wells, Missouri
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Census-Designated Place
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Location of New Wells in Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Cape Girardeau |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.58 sq mi (1.51 km2) |
| • Land | 0.58 sq mi (1.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 40 |
| • Density | 68.61/sq mi (26.51/km2) |
| FIPS code | 29-52364 |
| GNIS feature ID | 731626 |
New Wells is a small, unincorporated community in northern Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. It is located about 20 miles north of the city of Cape Girardeau. New Wells is part of the larger Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Population in New Wells
New Wells is a very small community. According to the 2020 census, only 40 people lived there.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 40 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
What's in a Name?
The original name for this community was Johannisberg. It's not completely clear where this name came from. There are many places in Germany called Johannisberg. However, none of them seem to be the original home of the Saxon settlers who came to this area.
Later, settlers from Austria arrived. They started calling the community Neu Wels. This name came from the city of Wels in Austria, which was their home. Over time, the name Neu Wels was changed to sound more American, becoming New Wells.
A Look Back: New Wells' History
New Wells has an interesting history, starting with German settlers.
The Saxon Migration
In 1839, a group of German settlers known as the Saxon migrants came to Missouri. They established several communities, and Johannisberg was one of them. It was like a spin-off community from another settlement called Dresden.
In May 1840, some Saxon migrants who had arrived from New York decided to create their own village. This new village was about 7 miles away in Cape Girardeau County. They had a disagreement about selling land in another settlement, Wittenberg. This group didn't want the land sold to just anyone. So, they decided to form their own separate community. Even though they separated financially, they still kept other connections with the main Saxon group.
For a while, church services were held on a hill near the town.
New Settlers and a New Name
In 1852, more settlers arrived, this time from Austria. They first attended church in a nearby town called Altenburg. However, getting to Altenburg was often difficult because Apple Creek would flood.
Because of this, a separate church was started in Johannisberg in 1853. The Austrian settlers never called the place "Österreich" (German for Austria). Instead, they called it Neu Wels, after their home city of Wels in Austria. Eventually, this name was Americanized to New Wells, which is what the community is called today.
Learning in New Wells
Students living in New Wells attend schools in the Jackson R-2 School District. This district includes Jackson High School.
