Fruits of Failure: Lasting Legacy of the Owen-Maclure Community of New Harmony, Indiana

In January 1826, the passengers of the Philanthropist arrived in New Harmony, Indiana to participate in a social experiment led by Robert Owen and William Maclure focusing on communal living. Although this experiment dissolved by 1828, the community continued to innovate through art, education, music, printing, scientific investigation, and social justice. Specifically, the children of Robert Owen found success in a diversity of endeavors, attracting many well-known artistic, political, and scientific influencers of the day.

Dr. William Elliott earned a B.S. degree in Geology (1995) from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and an M.S. (1998) and Ph.D. (2002) in Geology from Indiana University. He started his teaching career at Southern Oregon University in 2002 and joined the Geology and Physics Department at the University of Southern Indiana in August 2009 as Chair. Since 2009, Dr. Elliott has developed a passion for the history and philosophy of Geology, and in particular, the historical significance of New Harmony, Indiana to scientific investigations conducted in the mid-nineteenth century. In 2014, Dr. Elliott installed a new museum exhibit entitled “New Harmony, Indiana: Crossroads of Geology” at the Working Men’s Institute unveiled at the town’s Bicentennial Celebration. This work is supported by generous funding from Historic New Harmony and the Bigham Award Award of Historic Southern Indiana. Dr. Elliott also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Historic New Harmony and continues to be engaged with research highlighting the historical significance of New Harmony.

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