Across from the Atheneum at 401 North Arthur Street
Built: 1814-1824, replanted 2021
Original Use: Growing fruit-producing trees and grape vines
The western edge of present-day New Harmony is where the Harmonist Orchard was located. The split rail fence indicates the border of the original Harmonist town. The Harmonists did not build or plant any closer to the river due to the Wabash River's annual flooding. The orchards contained "mostly apple and peach trees, also some pear and cherry trees."
Access: Open. Remember that the trees are still growing and establishing themselves. Help us protect them by looking without touching. No climbing, no picking fruit or damaging the branches.
In 2021, Historic New Harmony spearheaded a project to achieve two important goals: replant a key icon of the New Harmony story and recognize and say 鈥渢hank you鈥� for the generous support of several Southwestern Indiana organizations and entities by Jeremy Efroymson and the Efroymson Family Fund (EFF), who have exceeded $1 million in cumulative giving for the betterment of our area and organizations.聽聽
The Harmonist Orchard extended through the Harmonist Cemetery and all the way to the grounds of the Atheneum, marked by the large wooden rail fence and as far as South Street. The Harmonist Orchard included not only grape vines, but also fruit producing trees like apple, pear and sour cherry. For this effort, the land directly across from the Atheneum and lined by North Street and the Harmonist Cemetery was selected and prepared for the replanting, as shown in the graphic below:
We followed the Harmonist grid and placement detailed in the 鈥淲eingartner Map鈥�. The Weingartner Map is a map of New Harmony, Indiana, that was drawn from memory by Wallrath Weingartner in 1832, seven or eight years after the Harmony Society had returned to Pennsylvania. Though other contemporaneous maps exist, it is the only one that depicts the physical appearance and locations of the buildings and orchard in 1824.
For this first phase, fifteen sour cherry trees were planted. Sour cherry trees were chosen because they were used by the Harmonists to produce wine, when mature the blooms will further add to the beauty of the space and New Harmony, and because the long-term maintenance is lower than other fruit trees that the Harmonists planted.
After much research, the variety of sour cherry tree selected was Prunus Cerasus (or Amarelle), a sour cherry from Europe. Not only is this variety "of the period" it was also detailed as being used by Prince Maximilian in his 1832 account while staying in New Harmony.
Additional thanks go out to 缅北强奸 Associate Professor of Anthropology World Languages and Cultures Mike Strezewski, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, the Department of Natural Resources and local arborist, Tom Guggenheim. Everyone helped craft a thoughtful and respectful approach for this project on this beautiful and historic site.
Note that this was a community funded project and was not funded by the 缅北强奸.
Contact Diane Sanders at desanders@usi.edu or 812-682-4488.