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There are so many things to do in New Harmony, Indiana, from visiting the Atheneum, to walking around their two labyrinths, to visiting the roofless church. This former utopian society has plenty of secrets to explore!

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Two Utopian Societies with two totally different labyrinths. A roofless church with gilded gates. One unusual place. 

Located alongside the Wabash River about 35 minutes exterior of Evansville, Indiana, the city of New Concord, Indiana looks like another well-manicured midwestern city. However its spic and span look is not only neighborhood satisfaction – however hearkens again to when it was a real-life utopian society. Properly, truly, two of them.

Throughout city lush flowers are planted in opposition to the picket properties of the previous Utopia members, with a contemporary labyrinth close to the center of city. And proper exterior the town heart stands a second historic box-hedge labyrinth with a hut standing within the center. It’s no shock that artists nonetheless flock right here to hunt inspiration immediately on this strange city.

Fortunately our Editor-in-Chief Richie Goff spent a weekend right here to let you know all about one of the best issues to do in New Concord, Indiana. Take it away, Richie!

Psst: in search of extra weekend journeys close to Indiana, Kentucky, or Tennessee? Take a look at our different posts:

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Man walking at the catherdral labyrinth in new harmony indiana.
New Concord is known for having two labyrinths, that are used for meditation and religious perception. That is the Cathedral Labyrinth in the midst of city.

What’s the historical past of New Concord, Indiana?

Indiana was initially inhabited by prehistoric mound builders, and later by the Piankeshaw Tribe lengthy earlier than it was ever a Utopian society, however with the Treaty of 1818, these Indigenous Folks have been pressured from their land and out of Indiana. Whereas there isn’t a proof that folks lived precisely the place New Concord stands immediately, it appears possible that Native Folks as soon as handed via these elements.

What we do know is that in 1814 the city of New Concord, Indiana was shaped by Father Johann George Rapp. Father Rapp was a charismatic chief who initially lead his congregation of Lutheran separatists from Germany to their first utopian settlement in Concord, Pennsylvania in 1804. They stayed till 1814 when he then moved the group once more to Indiana believing that the climate could be extra temperate to develop grapes, and “New Concord” was born. 

Father Rapp and his congregation of “Harmonists” or “Rappites” believed that the second coming of Jesus was imminent, and labored arduous for ten years constructing their mannequin neighborhood to attain the Christian ideology of perfectionism. Nevertheless, all the things wasn’t excellent.

Whereas the 850 Harmonists have been fully self-sufficient and produced all kinds of products, like textiles, spirits, horticultural merchandise, and leather-based items that have been acknowledged worldwide for his or her nice high quality, they began to comprehend that Indiana was a bit extra distant than Pennsylvania so far as commerce and trade went. Additionally, malaria carried by mosquitos dwelling by the swampy river killed about 200 members, in order that wasn’t good both.

Portrait father rapp in new harmony indiana
A portrait of Father Rapp within the Working Males’s Institue reveals him in his conventional, er, gnome garb?

So regardless of creating a big, orderly, and high-functioning society, they moved again to Pennsylvania in 1824 to start out a brand new utopian metropolis, “Economic system.” This transfer was to be nearer to different German Individuals and the japanese market, and due to an interpretation of the bible the place the “Sunwoman” fled into the wilderness a number of instances, which they recognized with since Economic system was actually their third commune.

Father Rapp additionally had one other imaginative and prescient of the second coming of Christ, which he believed would occur September fifteenth, 1829, so I assume they thought the third utopia could be the allure…

The very subsequent yr, a Welsch social reformist named Robert Owen moved to America and simply occurred to be out there for a utopian neighborhood. What luck! He and his enterprise companion William Maclure bought New Concord to start out their very own utopian social experiment, although secular versus non secular. 

Owen believed that one of the simplest ways to vary the world was via training, and introduced with him lecturers and scientists to show each girls and boys in regards to the world via hands-on studying (which was fairly revolutionary on the time). He additionally began the US’s first kindergarten and ladies might put on pants (yay pockets!).

Sadly, this utopian experiment fizzled out after solely two years, as that they had hassle establishing how the neighborhood would truly run, had hassle securing donations, and customarily had extra “thinkers and scientists” than employees.

In solely 13 years, two utopian societies had did not launch.

When’s the Greatest Time to Go to New Concord, Indiana?

Before everything, your greatest wager is to reach on a Friday and keep via early Sunday, or go to on one among today. Since so lots of the excursions, outlets, and eating places are solely open on the weekend for vacationers, it’s essential that you just come on these days and never in the course of the week.

So far as time of the yr goes, Spring and Fall would be the most temperate, however fall is even higher for those who plan to take a ghost tour whilst you’re right here. Utopian vibes mixing with altering foliage and cooler temperatures will make the expertise much more unusual and weird.

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New harmony sign in new harmony indiana
The labyrinth is a giant a part of New Concord – you’ll see its symbology all over the place!

How Do I Get to New Concord, Indiana?

New Concord, Indiana is positioned about 35 minutes exterior of Evansville, Indiana, two hours from St. Louis, Missouri within the west, and two hours from Louisville within the East. It’s an excellent straightforward drive there from any of those areas.

When you might fly into Evansville Regional Airport, visiting New Concord might be greatest paired with a visit to Louisville or stopping by whereas testing another Weekend Getaways in Indiana. New Concord is nice for a weekend getaway and will simply try some neighboring small cities.

How Do I Get round New Concord, Indiana?

The city of New Concord is fully walkable, because it’s underneath a sq. mile in dimension! Park your automotive within the downtown space and also you’ll be capable to simply get across the lovely neighborhood and see all of the issues to do in New Concord, Indiana.

You may as well hire a golf cart from New Harmony Inn Resort & Conference Center to get across the whole city in a flash. If you happen to keep on the resort, you can even borrow a motorbike without cost!

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The atheneum in new harmony indiana
The Atheneum Guests Heart in New Concord, Indiana is sort of a modernist iceberg amongst the previous, picket buildings.

Issues to do in New Concord, Indiana

New Concord is small with solely 753 residents, and the primary draw is tourism between the previous Harmonist Village and outlets they’ve on the town. It’s arduous to withstand the city’s allure and draw — you possibly can very a lot see the remnants of when hope for Utopia nonetheless existed. Most of the unique Harmonist buildings nonetheless stand with superbly manicured gardens, and immediately it attracts all types of artists, from writers to potters.

harminst homes and gardens in new harmony indiana
Your tour round New Concord will embrace a tram trip and visiting contained in the Harmonists’ properties and beautiful gardens.

Take a Tour of the City

A wonderful first cease in New Concord is the very odd-looking Atheneum Visitors Center, named after the goddess Athena, the Greek goddess of knowledge and battle. The stark white, boxy constructing was accomplished in 1979, standing out in opposition to the backdrop of picket Harmonist properties like a modernist iceberg. 

Inside you’ll discover miniature replicas of the city and pop artwork prints of Robert Owen’s face, however that is additionally the assembly place for the tour of New Concord. Your information will first take you across the small museum and present the miniature-scale mannequin of the city, explaining how the city was specified by a symmetrical trend, and the way they constructed over 180 log body and brick buildings of their settlement on 20,000 acres. 

Additionally within the Atheneum, you’ll be proven a brief movie explaining the historical past of New Concord, earlier than you board a tram exterior which is able to take you to totally different elements of the city. Alongside the way in which, you’ll cease at picket cabins to see how the Harmonists lived, with their easy furnishings and splendid gardens (that are nonetheless maintained to at the present time).

As a Harmonist, nobody was allowed to personal private property apart from primary requirements, however working for the neighborhood meant you have been taken care of for all times. If you happen to ever determined to depart the neighborhood, you’ll be returned the property you set in and given a lump sum to start out your new life.

The Harmonists believed in celibacy with a purpose to be “pure” for the approaching of Christ, and marriages and having kids have been discouraged, although eight infants have been born in the middle of their ten-year keep. Households lived in their very own separate homes (which you’ll go to on the tour), although they have been additionally anticipated to be celibate, and their marriages have been dissolved by the neighborhood.

You’ll additionally make a cease at one of many neighborhood homes. The neighborhood homes have been an fascinating characteristic of the city, as they have been constructed for single members of society and housed each women and men in a communal setting.

Whenever you go to the neighborhood home, you’ll additionally make a cease up within the attic the place the second utopian chief, Robert Owen, began his utopian paper known as “The Disseminator of Helpful Information,” the motto of which was “Ignorance is the fruitful reason behind human distress.” Principally, Robert Owen believed that training would set everybody free.

He believed this a lot that his enterprise companion, William Maclure, rounded up internationally recognized educators and pure scientists, put them on a ship known as the Philanthropist, and shipped them to New Concord. Owen dubbed this his “Boatload of Knowledge,” boasting “no boat ever carried a lot data”.

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diarama in the wolff house in new harmony indiana
This massive, spherical, transferring diorama within the Salomon Wolf home seems like one thing you’d discover at Disney World.

One of many weirdest, and most fantastic, stops on the tour is the brick house of Salomon Wolf, who was the city shepherd. My journey buddy stated, “He was a shepherd and his title was Wolf?” which our tour information thought was hysterical however had by no means considered himself. I wager he makes use of that on his excursions now! 

Anyway, on the within, it’s been transformed right into a 360-degree theatre of a diorama of New Concord and the encompassing land, within the fashion of a Disney-esque land-of-tomorrow present with spotlights and dramatic voiceover. At one level your entire mannequin even lowers so you possibly can see the neighborhood from above. It’s very informative, participating, and very, very kitschy.

The tour is sort of lengthy, so be able to spend at the very least two hours exploring the city along with your information. Carry an umbrella if it appears like rain, one thing we positively regretted on the open-air tram!

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the harmonist labyrinth with grotto in the middle  in new harmony indiana
The unique Harmonist Labyrinth constructed by the Harmonists in 1815 resides on the outskirts of city, with a stone grotto within the center.

Go to a Labyrinth (or Two)

In all probability one of many coolest, and most mysterious, issues to do in New Concord, Indiana is visiting its labyrinths. Sure, labyrinths, they’ve two! The unique Harmonists Labyrinth is a big box-hedge labyrinth constructed by the Harmonists in 1815, whereas the newer Catherdral Labyrinth was in-built 1998 by Jane Blaffer Owen, whose husband was of Robert Owen’s descendants. So ultimately, each utopias obtained their very personal labyrinth!

It’s good to grasp first that the labyrinth just isn’t the identical as a maze. Whereas a maze consists of lifeless ends and totally different paths, a labyrinth is unicursal and solely consists of one path to the middle and again out once more. In keeping with The Labyrinth Society (sure that’s a factor), labyrinths are “an historical archetype courting again 4,000 years or extra, used symbolically, as a strolling meditation, choreographed dance, or web site of rituals and ceremony”.

The unique labyrinth of New Concord was constructed round 1815, however the one which stands immediately needed to be restored in 1939 because it had gone into disrepair within the years following the Harmonists’ departure. The Harmonists constructed a labyrinth in every of their three utopian cities, and to them, the labyrinth symbolized their tough journey to New Concord (and one’s non secular journey basically). It was a spot of reflection— a spot the Harmonists might go and ponder their journey, life and God.

In the course of the Harmonist Labyrinth is a grotto, which is a stone hut that doesn’t appear to be a lot as you wander via the hedged path. However upon wanting via the home windows, you see a extra elaborate inside, with blue paint and Greek keys on the partitions, which symbolizes the heaven inside.

Jane Owen commissioned theCatherdral Labyrinth, which duplicates the one on the Chartres Cathedral, constructed within the twelfth century close to Paris, France, in the midst of city in 1998, together with the Roofless church and several other different religious items (we’ll get to these). She felt the labyrinth inspired religious awakening and constructed for meditation and prayer, the identical because the Harmonists did. 

Whereas the labyrinth on the town is way smaller with no central grotto, it’s made with lovely grey granite with a fountain close to the beginning the place you possibly can wash your ft earlier than you stroll the trail. Traversing the labyrinth barefoot is right, and if you are able to do it by the sunshine of the complete moon it’s much more advisable!

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the gilded fates with the roofless church in the background in new harmony indiana
The Roofless Church in New Concord, Indiana is certainly one among a form!

Discover the Roofless Church

Whereas the roofless church might sound like an odd kind of place in concept, it’s precisely what it seems like— an outside church and not using a roof! Commissioned by Jane Owen and constructed by postmodern architect Philip Johnson, who earlier than changing into an architect, was a journalist throughout WWII and a Nazi sympathizer, eek. He finally retracted his views and stated to Vainness Truthful, “I’ve no excuse (for) such unbelievable stupidity. … I don’t understand how you expiate guilt”.

The Roofless Church was accomplished in 1960, surrounded by tall brick partitions amidst the unique Harmonist homes. What catches your eye instantly are the large, gilded gates, with emblems of angels and a lamb mounted on prime. The phrase “pearly gates” positively involves thoughts, and the primary time we pulled into New Concord I stated “what’s THAT?” and needed to go discover.

Contained in the 9,800 sq. foot rectangle, you’ll find numerous gardens, a statue of Jesus, and within the heart, an open-air constructing with a… roof. Beneath this roof, which appears like a fabric draped over a ball, you can find a statue known as The descent of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Lipchitz, which as you possibly can surmise by the title, appears like an summary angel. 

Off to at least one facet of the courtyard, you’ll additionally discover a gap within the brick wall which overlooks a really scenic cornfield that’s surrounded by forest. I imply, that is Indiana in any case. 

The Roofless Church actually provides to the religious high quality of New Concord, and it actually feeds into the larger-than-life and utopian vibes of the city, the place previous and new converge.

bust of tillich at tillich park new harmony indiana
The bust of Paul Tillich with the lake and Chapel of Little Portion within the background.

Wander round Tillich Park and Our Lord’s Woods

Situated proper behind the New Harmony Inn Resort & Conference Center and throughout the street from the Roofless Church, you’ll discover Tillich Park, which commemorates Paul Johannes Tillich who was a German-American Christian existentialist thinker and Lutheran Protestant theologian (that’s… fairly a title).

Tillich was good friend of Jane Owen, who was answerable for creating new religious areas of New Concord within the second half of the twentieth century, and she or he devoted this park to him in 1963.

The looping paths via Norwegian Spruce bushes have stones engraved with Tillich’s quotes, akin to “Man and nature belong collectively of their created glory – of their tragedy and of their salvation”. A big bust of Tillich can also be positioned in a clearing by the lake, displaying the extreme and considerate face of the late thinker. 

Additionally behind the New Concord Inn, you’ll discover Our Lord’s Woods subsequent to Tillich Park, with winding paths over bridges by the lake, with the Chapel of Little Portion standing on the opposite facet of the water.

Even for those who aren’t notably non secular, this space is a superb place to take a soothing, meditative stroll, and soak within the religious essence of New Concord.

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working mans institute museum new harmony indiana
On the museum, you’ll find a skeleton of a battle hero horse, in addition to loads of taxidermied critters and the historical past of the world!

Discover Indiana’s Oldest Library (and Museum)

The Working Men’s Institue was based in 1838 by William Maclure, Robert Owen’s enterprise companion and the person who bought New Concord and rounded up the “Boatload of Information”. He believed that having a library for the working class as an alternative of simply the rich would assist society, think about that. Of the 144 WMIs in Indiana and 16 in Illinois, that is the one remaining one.

Inside you possibly can discover the library in fact, however the spotlight is the free museum which is decked out with historic artifacts from the time of the Harmonists to the current. Head as much as the second ground and see work of Father Rapp in his traditional gnome garb; taxidermied animals like angry-looking wolves, peacocks, and crocodiles; snakes in jars; tiny brooms; and even the complete skeleton of a war-hero horse (with a photograph of the horse subsequent to it no much less).

You may as well see conventional instruments Harmonists used to work the land, and random contraptions like {an electrical} machine from 1856 used to generate static electrical energy, for some motive. There are many instructional indicators displaying the prehistoric historical past of the area and geology, which was a budding area of research and one which Maclure was very fascinated with. 

One room is devoted to paintings collected by the Owenites, with work of goddesses, flowers, nonetheless lifes, and folks being fancy and making their manner on this planet. There are additionally objects owned by the Owenites, like a hearth engine from 1814, which appears loads much less like a contemporary one and much more like a metallic water barrel on wheels. 

That is really the most effective locations in New Concord to get a extra full image of what went on right here, particularly within the Owenite neighborhood. So cease by and ponder all of the bizarre sh*t on this constructing!

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new harmony clay project in new harmony indiana
The New Concord Clay Undertaking. You may see some scholar works on the left and their kiln on the precise.

Take a Pottery Class

New Concord retains the neighborhood arts training going with the New Harmony Clay Project, positioned in an excellent cute and vibrant studio proper exterior the partitions of the Roofless Church. On most days you possibly can stroll by and see the brand new pottery sitting exterior subsequent to the kiln, colourful designs as whimsical and numerous as New Concord itself.

If you happen to haven’t taken a pottery class earlier than, New Concord is the proper place to take one, since they do date evening courses which can be one-off courses. There’s a lot to encourage you, from the unusual postmodern structure, utopian beliefs, and loads of nature and flowers. Get bizarre! Experiment! Heaven is aware of the 2 utopian societies did.

From Could-August they’ve their date night classes, the place singles, associates, or {couples} can have their likelihood to be taught the artwork of throwing pottery. They’ll educate you learn how to heart your clay and throw a chunk of your very personal creation, after which on the finish of the evening, they serve wine and light-weight hors d’oeuvres and briefly assessment the evening’s work. I’m in!

If you’re enamored with any items you make, you may get it trimmed, glazed, and fired for an extra small price, and a month later you possibly can decide up your immortalized venture! This actually feeds into the soul of New Concord, the place artwork and inspiration take flight. So get artsy!

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29 Amazing Places to Eat in Louisville, Kentucky: A Local’s Guide

Monte Cristo sandwich and Florentine Benedict brunch at the red geranium in new harmony indiana
Brunch on the Purple Geranium is pleasant, try the Monte Cristo sandwich and Florentine Benedict!

Eat a Good Meal

New Concord is a small city, with restricted eating choices. So small in reality, that two of their gasoline stations are listed underneath their “food and drink” part on their web site.  

That’s why it’s essential to go to in the course of the weekend, and never in the course of the week! My husband, who’s from Evansville and used to go to the city on college area journeys rising up, took me on the way in which house from visiting his household on a Monday and actually one place was open to eat (moreover the gasoline stations in fact). So if you need one thing that extra intently resembles meals, come Friday via Sunday!

For lunch, The Yellow Tavern has typical bar meals like pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Rueben sandwich and buffalo wings with onion rings have been each tasty and completely acceptable! In addition they have a sandwich listed on the menu that simply says “mind”, which I didn’t strive.

For dinner, we ate at The Red Geranium (there appears to be a shade theme on this city), which is the city’s hottest restaurant because it is part of the New Harmony Inn Resort and Conference Center. We had the french onion soup and backyard salad (which is contemporary from the Harmonist gardens), and for our entrees had a 6 oz bacon-wrapped filet and a rack of lamb. This, together with Mary Scott’s, are most likely your greatest bets for nice eating (or, any eating) in New Concord!

For brunch, it was again to The Red Geranium, however this time on their lovely patio overlooking the Roofless Church. Brunch right here is basically scrumptious and extra reasonably priced, and we beloved our Monte Cristo sandwich and our Florentine Benedict. Positively our favourite meal whereas we have been on the town!

Whereas New Concord is not any foodie metropolis, these are good choices to gas up whilst you’re right here!

man holding coffee from Black Lodge Coffee Roasters in new harmony indiana
Espresso from Black Lodge Espresso Roasters is a pleasant discover in a small city!

Seize a Good Cup of Espresso

If you happen to’re like me (or Lia for that matter), you might be gonna want to seek out the closest GOOD espresso. No gasoline station espresso, none of that cremated crap in your lodge room, however some fancy, obnoxiously brewed fair-trade espresso that tastes fantastic and perks you up.

Fortunately, New Concord has simply that in Black Lodge Coffee Roasters. The baristas have been tremendous pleasant and useful as quickly as we walked via the door, with the scent of Brazilian fair-trade espresso filling the air.

They provided to make us one thing particular, OR, make us a shock fancy drink primarily based on what we like. Naturally, we selected a shock drink, they usually made us one thing with hazelnut syrup that was candy and scrumptious.

Probably the most noticeable factor about Black Lodge is that it’s a reference to the Black Lodge in Twin Peaks. The partitions are painted in reds and blacks, with a lot of symbolism and reference to the present. I’ve by no means seen Twin Peaks, however my journey buddy has, and she or he was obsessive about the decor and vibe. 

Simply one other a type of quirky, random stuff you don’t look forward to finding in small-town America!

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the mews new harmony indiana
The Mews is 11 outlets in a single in a sprawling constructing they name their very own “labyrinth”.

Store Native & Quirky!

In a small city like New Concord, there may be little or no company presence and quite a lot of good, native buying alternatives! 

Being an artist’s residence, you possibly can look forward to finding quite a lot of domestically crafted gadgets, in addition to loads of vintage shops to pique your curiosity. A number of the greatest are:

  • BackBeats Records and Just Looking Antiques is your one-stop store for classic and quirky finds. Their slogan is “A collection of issues with a questionable previous…”, which isn’t solely hysterical, however true. They’ve an enormous classic ebook assortment, and loads of classic toys, and that is the place I purchased a Muppets Take Manhattan puzzle. Value it.
  • The Mews is basically 11 outlets in a single, with loads of cool New Concord themed merchandise, clothes, and even posters up explaining the historical past of New Concord. The shop simply retains going – it’s big! – they usually check with it as their very personal New Concord Labyrinth. I purchased a Lacroix puzzle right here; I swear I don’t normally purchase this many puzzles.
  • Whenever you wanna get clear, go to the New Harmony Soap Company! Their soaps are created from natural oil and uncooked Shea butter, then infused with nutrient-rich botanical formulations which have been optimized for pores and skin absorption. In addition they make room spray, physique wash, tub bombs, roll-ons, lotion, with superb fragrances like Wabash Woods (Spruce and Fir tree scent), rosemary mint, and grapefruit jasmine.
  • New Concord’s Farmers and Artisans Market usually runs between April and November, and is one of the best place to get contemporary produce and all types of handmade items. You will discover issues like jewellery, clothes, picket kitchen gadgets, baskets, and soaps. I even purchased a neighborhood cookbook from the market!

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The Best 13 Hikes in Louisville, Kentucky (A Local Guide)

woman sitting on the banks of the wabash river new harmony indiana
Chillin’ by the Wabash River is an effective way to spend the afternoon on the pristine Harmonie State Park.

Go to Harmonie State Park

Harmonie State Park is positioned 4 miles exterior of New Concord, located alongside the pristine and rolling Wabash River. It’s the form of state park that, very similar to New Concord, is quaint and quiet with few crowds and plenty of allure. We visited on a Sunday morning and there have been few folks there.

Like most state parks, there are a number of mountain climbing trails you possibly can take, averaging a few mile in size, with the longest being 2.5 miles winding via the hilly, forested Indiana hillside. However the actual allure is the Wabash River.

The Wabash River is the most important river in Indiana and drains a lot of the state into the Ohio River. Harmonie State Park incorporates a .25 mile river stroll, which follows the Wabash River from the picnic space to the boat ramp.

The complete space is quiet, scenic, and completely pristine. As somebody who has frolicked across the Ohio River, I can let you know this space is trash-free, surrounded by forest, solely the sound of nature and wilderness round you.

It’s the proper place to carry a picnic lunch and sit by the waters, pondering nature and life, in an setting that really feels one with nature.

man playing dulcimer at creation station in new harmony indiana
Rick Huffman will fortunately offer you a dulcimer lesson and a efficiency, or three!

Be taught to Play the Dulcimer

New Concord is an artist’s paradise, so it’s no shock that New Concord additionally has a reasonably particular music scene. This consists of being the house of the New Harmony Dulcimer Company, the place they make a few of the greatest dulcimers on this planet, and even internet hosting an annual dulcimer competition, Dulcimer Chautauqua on the Wabash.

The dulcimer is a protracted, fretted instrument, usually with three strings. It’s thought of to be one of many solely (or the solely) true American devices, developed in Appalachia. What’s extra, because the Appalachian dulcimer solely has three strings it’s easy to play – you possibly can be taught a primary music in minutes!

Fortunately, whenever you go to Creation Station chances are high store proprietor Rick Huffman will probably be there and he’s more than pleased to bathe you with dulcimer data, and sit you down for a lesson, or three! His enthusiasm is contagious, and you may simply spend an hour there letting him chat your ear off. 

He’ll sit you down and get a dulcimer in your lap, explaining the fundamentals of the instrument and displaying you ways simply you possibly can fret chords. After a couple of minutes, you’ll be enjoying people Appalachian tunes, even when it’s the primary time selecting up an instrument.

Rick can also be joyful to point out you round his retailer, and provide the historical past of New Concord, or allow you to in that the one true approach to stroll a labyrinth is barefoot by the sunshine of the complete moon. You critically can ask him something!

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Take a Ghost Tour

In a city as previous as 1814, there are sure to be some ghosts, and pair that with its utopian begin you get an eerily creepy allure. So if you need one of many scariest issues to do in New Concord, Indiana, look no additional…

New Concord has one ghost tour firm known as Haunted New Harmony Ghost Walks & Investigations, began by Joni Mahan who has actually written the ebook on Haunted New Harmony. We have been fortunate sufficient to have Joni as our tour information (which you’ll be able to see who your information will probably be whenever you ebook your tour), and very similar to the daytime tour from the Vistors Heart, you’ll be touring a lot of the city, however at nighttime and creepier!

The tour begins on the Opera Home, which was initially constructed as a neighborhood home proper earlier than the Harmonists left. Robert Owen’s son later turned it into theatre, and immediately there may be stated to be a phantom of the opera that also resides there (properly, not that phantom, however you get it).

Apparently, the ghost of a girl named Frances Golden of the Golden Theatrical Troupe haunts the theatre, and folks have stated to listen to strolling and voices, together with a candy fragrance, by the stage.

Investigators have left a observe asking if a ghost resided within the corridor, and the following day they discovered it crumpled up. Creeeeeeepy! There are additionally different basic theatrical ghosts who go to infrequently simply to relive good recollections. If I do know something about actors, they will by no means get sufficient stage time!

The neighborhood homes the place the Harmosists lived even have their justifiable share of hauntings. In neighborhood home quantity 2 they’ve noticed somewhat lady in white by the fireside, a mysterious particular person joined the tour however disappeared midway via, and a determine was seen on the second ground. It looks like ghosts additionally take pleasure in taking ghost excursions, who would have thought?

Ribeyre Gymnasium new harmony indiana
One way or the other the Ribeyre Gymnasium simply appears extra sinister at evening…

Alongside your tour, you’ll cease on the Harmonist Cemetery, the place round 200 of the 850 Harmonists have been buried after an outbreak of malaria. Not one of the graves are marked as they believed within the equality of all members in each life and demise, so the walled-in cemetery appears extra identical to a grassy area. Nevertheless, within the cemetery, there are additionally Native American burial mounds, which date again to the Center Woodland Interval, over two thousand years in the past. So there’s a lot happening there!

One of many creepier stops alongside your tour is on the Ribeyre Gymnasium, constructed in 1924. It was solely open a yr earlier than a category 5 twister flattened the close by city of Griffin on March 18th, 1925, killing 52 folks, together with a faculty bus full of kids. The model new fitness center was then employed to accommodate the lifeless and the injured, some so gruesomely mangled that it was arduous to inform who was lifeless or dwelling.

One paralyzed lady was mistaken for lifeless and positioned down there among the many decomposing our bodies for 3 days earlier than she was discovered blinking. They have been in a position to repair her spinal harm and finally would stroll once more, however who can know what number of haunting nightmares she had for the remainder of her life!

The most typical ghost sightings on the gymnasium are of kids who by no means had the possibility to develop up, operating round in Nineteen Twenties clothes. Throughout one investigation they rolled a ball into the shadows and it saved rolling again. Creepy ghost little one? Or simply the wall… I assume you’ll have to go to and discover out!

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new harmony inn indiana
The New Concord Inn Resort & Convention Heart is simply as charming as the remainder of the city!

The place to Keep in New Concord

To remain proper in the midst of all of the motion, I like to recommend staying on the New Harmony Inn Resort & Conference Center, for a lot of causes, moreover the very fact it might be the one place to remain in New Concord.

You’ll be proper in the midst of city, inside strolling distance of the guests heart, the Cathedral Labyrinth, the Roofless Church, and just about all the things. In addition they have free bikes you possibly can borrow and trip across the city, or you possibly can hire golf carts to benefit from the city that manner.

The rooms are easy with picket decor, and lots of overlook the lake within the again and are simply plain serene. More often than not you possibly can ebook a package, which supplies you a present certificates to the Purple Geranium for dinner and brunch, which is a fully stellar deal.

Probably my favourite characteristic is the coated and heated pool that sits by the lake, actually nothing is extra stress-free than getting to sit down within the pool or sizzling tub after a protracted day of utopian exploring.

If you would like one thing somewhat extra personal you possibly can ebook this “Haven in Harmony” charming blue cottage, with a stunning fireplace pit out again!

In regards to the Writer: Richie Goff is a Louisville, Kentucky native with an ideal love of the outside. When he’s not rising flowers for enjoyable, he’s the Editor-in-Chief of Sensible Wanderlust and Let’s Go Louisville. He has been a good friend of Lia’s since highschool, they usually have taken loads of their very own disaster-prone adventures collectively!

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Able to go try the strange New Concord, Indiana? Which of our issues to do in New Concord, Indiana sounds coolest to you? Drop us a remark beneath!

In search of extra weekend journeys close to Indiana? Take a look at our different posts:

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There are so many things to do in New Harmony, Indiana, from visiting the Atheneum, to walking around their two labyrinths, to visiting the roofless church. This former utopian society has plenty of secrets to explore!

In search of extra USA inspiration? We’ve got a MASSIVE journey information for all our favourite locations within the US and useful recommendation, packing suggestions and journey guides. Click on the hyperlink beneath to obtain!

Our High Journey Suggestions & Sources

Listed here are our favourite journey suggestions & sources for saving cash and planning journey logistics! For extra suggestions, try our travel tips resource page or our guide to planning a trip.

  • Reserving Flights: To attain flight offers, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Cash-saving suggestions: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on solely on a funds airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
  • Lodging: We normally keep in budget-friendly trip leases, boutique lodges or personal rooms in hostels. We use Booking.com to ebook lodges (we love their versatile cancellation coverage) and Hostelworld to ebook hostels (low deposit, straightforward change/cancellation, and wonderful critiques). For trip leases, we choose to ebook utilizing VRBO as a result of they have decrease charges and higher help than Airbnb, and we’re not followers of Airbnb’s unethical observe document. You may as well ebook trip leases on Expedia and Hotels.com. We additionally use TrustedHousesitters as each hosts (for our house and our fur-child) and vacationers!
  • Journey Insurance coverage: We at all times, at all times, ALWAYS purchase journey insurance coverage for worldwide journeys, and we STRONGLY counsel it – go to our Travel Insurance Guide to seek out out why. We suggest both World Nomads or SafetyWing for worldwide journey insurance coverage. SafetyWing is among the few insurance policies that covers Covid-19, they usually have wonderful month-to-month insurance policies which can be excellent for Digital Nomads and long run vacationers!
  • Journey Credit score Card: We ebook all of our journeys on our favourite journey bank card. Not solely can we earn money again that we will spend on extra journey, however the card affords implausible journey perks like journey insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation protection, misplaced baggage reimbursement, and rental automotive protection, which helps shield us on our travels. Learn more here.
  • Vaccines & Meds: We use the journey guides on the CDC website to analysis beneficial drugs and vaccines for worldwide journeys. We at all times suggest getting each vaccine beneficial by the CDC! You may get them at your main care physician’s workplace or a walk-in pharmacy.
  • Excursions: We love reserving guided excursions, particularly meals excursions and strolling excursions, to get a neighborhood’s perspective and a historical past lesson whereas sight-seeing! We ebook our excursions utilizing Viator and GetYourGuide.
  • Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to determine learn how to get from place to put, and ebook native transportation on-line utilizing Bookaway wherever we will. After we ebook a rental automotive, we use Kayak to match rental corporations and discover one of the best deal.
  • Baggage Storage: At any time when we’re testing early or profiting from a protracted layover, we use LuggageHero to securely retailer our baggage whereas we’re operating round. Use the code PRACTICALW for two hours of free baggage storage on us.
  • VPN Service: A VPN retains your digital data (like web site login particulars, financial institution information, and so forth) secure, even whenever you’re related to an unsecured community whereas touring. Plus, it helps you to use Netflix & different streaming websites overseas! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO whenever you enroll!
  • What to Pack: Here are the travel essentials that we carry on each journey. We even have packing lists for hot weather, cold weather, and lots of extra. Check out all of our packing guides!

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