The Harmony Society

In 1805, a group of Pietists who had immigrated from Germany, formed the Harmony Society. The society was a communal society, believed in the Second Coming of Christ and thought celibacy was a sign of purity. The Harmony Society built the towns of Harmony and Economy (present Ambridge), and New Harmony, Indiana. In 1905, the members grew old and died out and after only one hundred years in America, the society was dissolved. In Western Pennsylvania, the legacy of the Harmony Society can be seen everywhere. The infrastructure they built such as railroads, roads, and bridges are still in use today. The town of Ambridge became the home of the American Bridge Company, Hussey Copper, Armco Steel, and the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company. These mills were all built on land cleared and owned by the Harmony Society. Geneva College, a Christian liberal arts college located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, was built on land donated by the Harmony Society. The society may have only lasted a generation, but their legacy can be seen everywhere if you know where to look.