New Harmony was founded almost two hundred years ago first as a spiritual community, then as a haven for scholars, scientists, and educators whose visions of a utopian communal society gave rise to many progressive ideas and philosophies and inspired social change. We’d like to hear from all of you what your ideal vision of “Utopia” would be and why.
The Harmonists established the cemetery at the beginning of their settlement in New Harmony as the resting place for over 200 members who died due to the harsh conditions of their new frontier life. No headstones mark the graves of these early settlers because the society believed in the equality of all members in both life and death. The red brick wall surrounding the cemetery, while not original, was built in 1874 of bricks rescued from the old Harmonist brick church.
Also in the cemetery are several Native American mounds dating from the Middle Woodland Period, over two thousand years ago. These mounds were investigated by the Harmonists, and, during the Owen-Maclure period, by the artist and naturalist Charles Alexandre-Lesueur.