Statue of William Tell and his son stands in front of city hall, in a park bounded by Main, Jefferson, 9th, and Mozart Sts. The statue is visible from the Main St. side. It celebrates the Swiss heritage of Tell City. In the late 1850s, the Swiss Colonization Society, a group of people who immigrated to Cincinnati, from Northern Switzerland, purchased land in Southern Indiana, on the Ohio River. Planning for the city was very deliberate, with straight, wide streets and a place where all would be welcome and equal. They wanted it to have an American sounding name, so chose that of the legendary Swiss hero. Folklore has it that William Tell lived 700 years ago when the Swiss were rebelling against Austrian rulers. Tell was considered a Robin Hood type figure, refusing to bow to noblemen. His punishment for it was to shoot an arrow through an apple, perched on his sons head. An excellent marksman, he did so safely and valiantly. The Swiss proclaimed him a hero in the fight against injustice and to live in equality. Today, a statue of William Tell and his son can be seen in the town square in Altdorf, Switzerland. A replica of the statue sits in the city park of Tell City, Indiana. No other town in the United States, or world, is named Tell City.