Workingmen's Institute - New Harmony Historic District - New Harmony, IN
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 07.722 W 087° 56.174
16S E 417944 N 4220508
Oldest continuously operating library in Indiana
Waymark Code: WMN316
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2014
Views: 3
County of building: Posey County
Location of building: 407 W. Tavern St., New Harmony
History of Building:
William Maclure and other intellectuals came to New Harmony 1826 to join Robert Owen's utopian experiment. Maclure established the Workingmen's Institute 1838 to serve as model of self-education for laborers. Operated in various New Harmony sites until construction of this Romanesque style building 1894.
This is the last remaining workingmen's library of 144 in 89 Indiana counties sponsored by Maclure's bequest. It still serves as library, archives, and museum and is oldest continuously operating public library in the state. Part of National Historic Landmark Historic District designated 1966.
Historic Marker by Indiana Historic Bureau