Historic New Harmony

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Historic New Harmony is a University of Southern Indiana program dedicated to preserving, sharing, and celebrating the unique history and heritage of New Harmony, Indiana.

If you'd traveled aboard the Boatload of Knowledge, who would have been your historical twin?Maybe you'd be sketching sp...
10/30/2026

If you'd traveled aboard the Boatload of Knowledge, who would have been your historical twin?

Maybe you'd be sketching specimens. Maybe you'd be studying rocks. Maybe you'd be teaching lessons or recording the whole adventure for posterity.

"Who's Your Boatload Twin?" matches your answers with passengers including William Maclure, Thomas Say, Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, Marie Duclos Fretageot, Lucy Sistare, Robert Dale Owen, Stedman Whitwell, and Donald MacDonald.

Take 10 quick questions and receive your own passenger ticket revealing your Boatload Twin.

❓ Find your match at the link in the comments.

Come back and tell us who you got!

Have you considered volunteering for The Wall That Heals?It is a powerful and deeply meaningful experience. Volunteers h...
10/29/2026

Have you considered volunteering for The Wall That Heals?

It is a powerful and deeply meaningful experience.

Volunteers have the opportunity to meet visitors, hear personal stories, and connect with veterans, especially those who served during the Vietnam War. These conversations are some of the most memorable aspects of volunteering.

Please consider giving a few hours of your time to help honor our veterans and support this important community experience.

Sign up here: https://www.usi.edu/outreach/thewallthathealsevansville2026/volunteer

Costume parties are nothing new in New Harmony, Indiana.This photograph, taken on October 26, 1897, shows Ella Bennett...
10/29/2026



Costume parties are nothing new in New Harmony, Indiana.

This photograph, taken on October 26, 1897, shows Ella Bennett (left) and Emma Wolfe posing outside a New Harmony home in elaborate fancy-dress costumes. Their flowing garments, striped stockings, floral decorations, and theatrical poses suggest they were dressed for a special social event, performance, masquerade, or costume party.

At the end of the nineteenth century, fancy-dress events were a popular form of entertainment. Participants often created imaginative costumes inspired by literature, history, flowers, seasons, or allegorical characters, then posed proudly for photographs like this one. The dramatic drapery and oversized floral accessories worn by Ella and Emma give the image an almost stage-like quality.

More than 125 years later, the photograph offers a glimpse of the creativity, playfulness, and community life of New Harmony's young residents. While we may never know exactly where they were headed, they were clearly ready to make an impression.

📸 Ella Bennett and Emma Wolfe in New Harmony, Indiana, October 26, 1897. Photographer once known. MSS 247-4434, Don Blair Collection, University of Southern Indiana Archives and Special Collections. Link in comments.

Funeral cards were the Victorian equivalent of a group text: brief, formal announcements delivered by hand to share news...
10/28/2026

Funeral cards were the Victorian equivalent of a group text: brief, formal announcements delivered by hand to share news of a death and funeral.

This mourning card marks the death of Richard Owen (1810-1890), son of Robert Owen and one of New Harmony's most influential residents. Owen arrived in New Harmony as a teenager and remained connected to the community throughout his life. He became a geologist, taught natural science at Indiana University, and was appointed the first president of Purdue University. Although he helped shape the new institution, he resigned before Purdue welcomed its first students.

During the Civil War, Owen commanded Camp Morton, a prison camp for Confederate soldiers in Indianapolis. Former prisoners later contributed funds for a bust honoring him at the Indiana Statehouse, citing the humane treatment they received under his leadership.

Owen died in New Harmony in March 1890 after accidentally drinking embalming fluid he reportedly mistook for mineral water. It was a tragic and unusual end for a scientist whose career was devoted to identifying and understanding the natural world.

The black mourning card, printed with gold lettering and decorative flourishes, includes memorial poetry and the inscription "In Loving Remembrance of Richard Owen." Families distributed cards like this to notify friends and relatives of a death and funeral. Many recipients preserved them in family Bibles, albums, and scrapbooks, which is why so many survive today.

It's December 1825. You're leaving Pittsburgh for New Harmony, and the Ohio River is your way there.Take the controls in...
10/27/2026

It's December 1825. You're leaving Pittsburgh for New Harmony, and the Ohio River is your way there.

Take the controls in "The Boatload of Knowledge," an Oregon Trail-style game inspired by the real journey of the Philanthropist and its remarkable passengers.

Stock your provisions, choose your pace and rations, and navigate snags, sandbars, ice, and the Falls of the Ohio.

Your goal? Get everyone safely to New Harmony.

🎮 Start your journey at the link in the comments.

Let us know if your Boatload makes it!

This Week at Historic New Harmony | October 26-November 1, 2026There is plenty to explore in New Harmony this week!📚 Owe...
10/27/2026

This Week at Historic New Harmony | October 26-November 1, 2026

There is plenty to explore in New Harmony this week!

📚 Owen-Maclure 200 Monthly Lecture Series
Join us on Wednesday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Working Men's Institute for "Gerard Troost: A Life Told Through Collections," presented by Peggy Fisherkeller, Curator of Geology at Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. Discover the life and legacy of pioneering geologist Gerard Troost through the collections he left behind and learn about his connections to New Harmony. Admission is free and open to the public.

🚋 Tram Tours of New Harmony
Enjoy a guided 45-minute tour aboard our tram and discover the stories, people, and places that shaped New Harmony. Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Departing from the Atheneum.

🏛️ Atheneum Tours
Explore New Harmony's history and unique heritage through the exhibits and model town display at the Atheneum. On-demand guided tours are available throughout the week. Tuesday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday: Noon-5 p.m.

🏘️ New Harmony History Tours
Join a two-hour guided walking tour through New Harmony's historic district and learn about the communities that made this place famous around the world. Tuesday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. Departing from the Atheneum.

For information or reservations:
📧 [email protected]
📞 812-682-4488

We hope to see you in New Harmony this week!

What's your fall personality?
10/26/2026

What's your fall personality?

Address

New Harmony, IN
47631

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18126824474

Website

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