By May 10 the men had found suitable land along the Wabash River in the Indiana Territory and made an initial purchase of approximately 7,000 acres (28 km 2). Baker, and Ludwick Shirver (Ludwig Schreiber) traveled west in search of a new location for their congregation, one that would have fertile soil and access to a navigable waterway. The New Harmony State Memorial is located south of town on State Road 69 in Harmonie State Park. Contemporary additions to the town include the Roofless Church and Atheneum. These structures, along with others related to the Owenite community, are included in the New Harmony Historic District. Many of the town's old Harmonist buildings have been restored. Numerous scientists and educators contributed to New Harmony's intellectual community, including William Maclure, Marie Louise Duclos Fretageot, Thomas Say, Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, Joseph Neef, Frances Wright, and others. The town also served as the second headquarters of the U.S. Its prominent citizens included Owen's sons: Robert Dale Owen, an Indiana congressman and social reformer who sponsored legislation to create the Smithsonian Institution David Dale Owen, a noted state and federal geologist William Owen, a New Harmony businessman and Richard Owen, Indiana state geologist, Indiana University professor, and first president of Purdue University. Town residents established the first public library, a civic drama club, and a public school system open to men and women. New Harmony changed American education and scientific research. The Owenite social experiment failed two years after it began. Robert Owen, a Welsh industrialist and social reformer, purchased the town in 1825 with the intention of creating a new utopian community and renamed it New Harmony. The Harmonists built a new town in the wilderness, but in 1824 they decided to sell their property and return to Pennsylvania. In its early years the 20,000-acre (8,100 ha) settlement was the home of Lutherans who had separated from the official church in the Duchy of Württemberg and immigrated to the United States. The town's population was 789 at the 2010 census.Įstablished by the Harmony Society in 1814 under the leadership of George Rapp, the town was originally known as Harmony (also called Harmonie, or New Harmony). It lies 15 miles (24 km) north of Mount Vernon, the county seat, and is part of the Evansville metropolitan area. Of course, we take our residents all across the tri-state, but we don’t always have to travel far when Charles Ford Retirement Communities is located right in the middle of it all! Come experience the difference for yourself.New Harmony is a historic town on the Wabash River in Harmony Township, Posey County, Indiana.

These are just a few of the many places to go, things to see, activities to do and cultures to explore in historic New Harmony. We encourage our residents to immerse themselves in the unique culture of New Harmony. Maybe you enjoy the local arts and architecture at the Women’s Institute & Gallery, Working Men’s Institute, Murphy Auditorium or the Rapp-Owen Granary. Whether you prefer to learn, play, or learn while you play, New Harmony has it all – from the historic beauty of Harmonie State Park, Tillich Park, and local farms and gardens to the spiritual atmosphere of the Roofless Church, Cathedral Labyrinth and Sacred Garden or Our Lord’s Woods.

Historic New Harmony, Indiana, has been a place of spiritual inspiration since the early 1800s – a vibrant, one-of-a-kind, small-town cultural community that provides a place for you to thrive and enjoy the true beauty of life. At Charles Ford Retirement Communities, we take pride in immersing ourselves in the unique culture that surrounds us. We understand how important it is to let our residents experience life independently and enjoy the world around them.

New harmony indiana