Weather: Partly Cloudy 56/71F
Route: From Mammoth Cave National Park 137 miles NW I-165, US-231 N, IN-66 W.
Significance: New Harmony is an example of something very American - the idea of making a Utopia. The Harmonists were a religious group from Germany, who broke off from the Lutherans in Southwest Germany. Their founder was George Rapp. At its height, the Harmonists had over 10,000 members in Germany. They attracted the attention of the local authorities and felt that they needed to move to the United States in 1804. Their first settlement was in western Pennsylvania. In 1814 they moved to this site in Indiana with the hope to be in a more isolated environment, where they could practice their faith without interference.
After 10 years they decided that the location was too far from eastern markets and moved back to the Pittsburgh area. They sold the town to a Welsh textile manufacturer and social reformist, Robert Owen. Owen's social ideas started in New Lanark, Scotland - where he co-owned a mill. His focus was on child education and treating his workers with much more generosity than other mill owners at the time.
His ideas included the inhabitants living in a large building, as depicted in the painting below. The community only lasted two years, but many scientists, artists, and social reformers came to New Harmony in that time and Owens children became important leaders in science and education in the United States.
Website: Indiana State Museum
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