fs 3 new harmony - university of illinoisconferences.illinois.edu/cela/fs 3 small town...
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CELA | Field Session Saturday, March 31, 2011
FS 3: Small Town: Cultural and Spiritual Landscapes of New Harmony, Indiana
All Day Field Session: $50 with full registration/ $75 for others (one-‐day and student rates). Max 50/ Min 25
Moderators: Stephen Sears, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-‐Champaign Kent Schuette, Clinical Associate Professor, Purdue University
SIGNIFICANCE: The town of New Harmony was established in 1814 along the Wabash River in southern Indiana. Initially founded as the religious enclave of Harmonie, a second utopian community would grow from its later incarnation as New Harmony – a social experiment by Robert Owen who sought an enlightened world society through progressive experiments in education, communal living and science. New Harmony became an influential training and research center for geologists, naturalists and botanists. The town was the site of the early headquarters of the U.S. Geological Survey and provided the earliest geological and natural science collections for the beginnings of the Smithsonian Institution.
Today New Harmony is an independent and culturally rich community. It is a destination for free thinkers, academic conferences, and holds religious symbolism for devoted pilgrims. The built environment reflects layers of historical charm, a mature urban forest and modest, sustainable public infrastructure. In addition to the Athenaeum there are more than forty historic properties and gardens, contemporary works by leading international architects and landscape architects, a Victorian downtown district and the first Workingmen’s Institute, which includes the oldest continuously operating public library in the State of Indiana. ITINERARY: All listed times are Central Standard Time (CST) 7:30am Depart I-‐Hotel Conference Center by motor coach. Water and boxed lunch provided. 20 min. morning stop in Effingham, Illinois
11:00 Arrive at New Harmony Athenaeum (Richard Meier, 1979). Walking Tour featuring: Roofless Church (Philip Johnson, 1960); Tillich Park (Robert Zion, 1963); works by Jacques Lipchitz, Toby Kahn, Simon Vaerte, James Rosati; The Cathedral Labyrinth and the Harmonists Labyrinth; the Thrall’s Opera House; The Workmen’s Institute, including town history exhibits. Alternatively, participants are free to explore the town on their own.
3:30 Depart New Harmony from Athenaeum. 20-‐min. afternoon stop.
7:00pm Arrive at the I-‐Hotel Conference Center. Dinner on your own.