West Street Log Cabins
301 West Street
Built: 1814-1819 (moved to New Harmony in 1974)
Original Use: Family residences
Architecture: Log construction with square timbers ("block houses")
Three cabins and two barns were dismantled and moved to New Harmony from a farm in White County, Illinois in 1974. The cabins were built between 1814-1819, making them from the correct period and very similar to Harmonist "block houses"—called "block" because they were made with square timbers. The two houses were placed on the original sites of Harmonist cabins.
Weber Cabin
Built in August 1814, this cabin represents the most primitive conditions under which the Harmonists lived. It is named after Christopher Weber, the Harmonist potter whose home was located at this site.
Today, the Weber Cabin houses a public art project called The Oculus. Artist James Buchanan turned the entire cabin into a camera obscura. Visitors sit on the benches along the wall. With the door closed, an image of the outside surroundings is projected through the hole in the door and onto the walls.
Access: The Weber Cabin is temporarily closed for repairs.
Eigner Cabin
Built in 1819, this cabin represents improved living conditions from the earliest days. A wooden floor and loft are included here, as well as a chimney with a stone attached for heating and light cooking. The walls were whitewashed to help keep out insects and brighten the interior.
Access: Interior accessible during guided tours. The Eigner Cabin is not always featured on the New Harmony History Tour, so we recommend asking your interpreter to stop at this site.
