Historic New Harmony

09/06/2026

🧩 Sunday Crossword Challenge: The Boatload of Knowledge Edition! 📚

Did you enjoy our first Sunday Crossword challenge featuring New Harmony? Then get ready for this week's puzzle, inspired by one of the most remarkable journeys in New Harmony's history: the Boatload of Knowledge.

Starting on December 8, 1825, a keelboat carrying an extraordinary group of scientists, educators, artists, and social reformers traveled from Pittsburgh to New Harmony to join Robert Owen's Community of Equality. Nicknamed the "Boatload of Knowledge," this expedition brought together some of the brightest minds of the era, including leaders in education, natural science, and the arts.

The arrival of these talented people helped establish New Harmony as a nationally recognized center for learning, scientific research, and educational innovation. Their ideas, discoveries, and collaborative spirit left a lasting legacy that continues to shape New Harmony's unique place in American history.

How much do you know about the people, places, and ideas connected to this famous voyage? Put your knowledge to the test with this week's crossword challenge!

✅ Try the puzzle yourself
✅ Challenge a friend or family member
✅ Share your score in the comments and tell us which clue was the trickiest

Happy puzzling and exploring of New Harmony's fascinating past!

Link to the online crossword puzzle: https://crosswordlabs.com/embed/boatload-of-knowledge

09/06/2026

✨ Lights of Liberty 2026 ✨

What a night! I am so grateful to everyone who came out to New Harmony tonight to celebrate Lights of Liberty with us. Seeing families, friends, neighbors, and visitors gathered together is one of the things I love most about events like this.

I also want to acknowledge that tonight didn’t go exactly as we had hoped. We experienced unexpected technical issues that delayed the drone show by more than 40 minutes. I know that was frustrating, and I completely understand that some people weren’t able to wait. To everyone who stayed, were patient with us, and helped keep the evening positive while we worked through the delay—thank you. We truly appreciate your grace and understanding.

There is an enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes to put an event like this together. I am incredibly grateful to every person, organization, volunteer, staff member, partner, vendor, and community member who contributed their time, energy, creativity, and expertise to make Lights of Liberty possible. It takes a village, and New Harmony has an amazing one.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who joined us tonight. I hope you enjoyed the music, the festivities, the beautiful setting, and—whether you stayed for the drone show or had to head home early—a little bit of that special New Harmony magic. ❤️🇺🇸

I’m proud of what our community came together to create, and so thankful to everyone who helped make tonight possible.

Thank you, New Harmony. ❤️

-Diane Sanders, Director of Historic New Harmony and Co-chair of the Owen-Maclure 200th Committee

09/05/2026

Tonight is the event that we’ve been waiting all summer for: Lights of Liberty - A Drone Show in New Harmony.

Bring your lawn chairs, enjoy delicious offerings from local food trucks, and spend the evening listening to live music from the New Harmony Community Choir, Third Thursday Bluegrass, and The Liberty Belles with the Rodenberg Blue House Band. The finale will be in the sky via a breathtaking drone show beginning at 9:05 p.m.

📍 New Harmony, Indiana
🗓️ Saturday, September 5
💲Free
🚚 Food Trucks Open: 5 p.m.
🎶 Live Entertainment: 6 to 9 p.m.
🚁 Drone Show: 9:05 p.m.

You can find a schedule, map, FAQs, and info on the food vendors at this link to our website: https://www.usi.edu/hnh/visit/events-programs/special-events/lights-of-liberty

09/04/2026

✨ Tomorrow night in New Harmony! ✨

Join family, friends, and neighbors for an unforgettable evening at Lights of Liberty, a spectacular drone show celebrating community, history, and the spirit of America.

Bring your lawn chairs, enjoy delicious offerings from local food trucks, and spend the evening listening to live music from talented regional performers before looking skyward for a breathtaking drone show beginning at 9:05 p.m.

📍 New Harmony, Indiana
🗓️ Saturday, September 5
💲Free
🚚 Food Trucks Open: 5 p.m.
🎶 Live Entertainment: 6 to 9 p.m.
🚁 Drone Show: 9:05 p.m.

Whether you're coming with family, friends, or simply looking for a wonderful way to spend a September evening, there’s a place for you here. We hope you'll join us as we gather together under the lights and celebrate what makes our community so special.

Learn more about Lights of Liberty at https://www.usi.edu/hnh/visit/events-programs/special-events/lights-of-liberty

09/03/2026

🏛️

At first glance, this might look like a typical photograph of the 1830 Owen House in New Harmony, Indiana.

Look a little closer.

Taken in March 1979, the image shows the west addition of the 1830 Owen House under construction. Today, visitors often see historic buildings as finished products, but this photograph demonstrates that preservation is an ongoing process. Every generation makes decisions about how historic places are cared for, adapted, and maintained.

Another detail worth noticing is the motorized cart traveling down Tavern Street. In one frame, the photo captures nearly 150 years of history: an 1830 building, a twentieth-century preservation project, and a vehicle that would have looked completely out of place when the house was first built.

Photographs like this raise an interesting question:

When does a historic building stop changing? Or is change itself part of its history?

📸 1830 Owen House at the corner of Tavern and Brewery Street, March 1979. Photographer once known. UA 058-09152, Historic New Harmony Slide Collection, University of Southern Indiana Archives and Special Collections.

🔎 Take a closer look at https://library.usi.edu/record/1545360?ln=en&p=New+Harmony+man&v=uv #?xywh=-544%2C-88%2C5263%2C2988

09/02/2026

📬 September's edition of First Look is here! Take a few minutes to catch up on the latest news, updates, highlights, and opportunities from Historic New Harmony and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art. We hope you enjoy this month's issue and find something that inspires you.

👉 Read the newsletter here: https://sh1.sendinblue.com/aonkfc441xpfe.html?t=1788357286458

Get the first look at events and programs happening with Historic New Harmony and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art in September 2026.

09/01/2026

As summer turns toward fall, there's plenty to explore in New Harmony this week, from guided tours and museum experiences to one of the community's biggest events of the season!

✨ The highlight of the week is Lights of Liberty: A Drone Show in New Harmony on Saturday, September 5. This free, family-friendly event will bring hundreds of illuminated drones to the night sky above the Atheneum in a spectacular celebration of community, creativity, and patriotism. Food trucks open at 5 p.m., live entertainment begins at 6 p.m., and the drone show launches at 9:05 p.m.

This event is the result of many partnerships and countless hours of planning by organizations, businesses, volunteers, and community members across New Harmony. It represents what can happen when people come together to create something special for our region. We hope you'll join us and help make this celebration a success.

We know there are plenty of activities happening around the region this holiday weekend, but we encourage you to spend your Saturday evening in New Harmony. Bring a lawn chair, enjoy dinner from a local food truck, listen to live music, and experience a one-of-a-kind drone show under the stars. Best of all, admission is completely free.

While you're here this week, take advantage of our guided History Tours, Tram Tours, and Atheneum Tours, and remember that Historic New Harmony is proud to participate in the Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission for active-duty military families through Sunday, September 6.

We can't wait to welcome you to Historic New Harmony. See you this week! 🌟

08/30/2026

🧩 It's Crossword Sunday!

Put your New Harmony knowledge to the test with our new weekly online crossword puzzle. From local history to familiar landmarks, each puzzle offers a new way to explore the stories that make this community unique.

Give it a try today! https://crosswordlabs.com/embed/new-harmony-indiana

How many clues can you solve without looking anything up? 👀