Slow down in New Harmony, Indiana

Recently, someone posed this question on the Visit Indiana Facebook page: “What are some great honeymoon destinations in Southern Indiana?”

I thought for a minute and then suggested that she check out New Harmony, a small town slightly northwest of Evansville that sits on the banks of the Wabash River. Established in 1814, the town began as a religious community built by the Harmony Society. It later was purchased and set up as a communal living experiment. Though the communal experience was short-lived, New Harmony was to be a center for the period’s great scientist and thinkers. Any history buff will find the story of the the town’s early days fascinating.

I’ve been to New Harmony twice and enjoyed re-visiting in my mind as I thought of why it might make a good honeymoon destination.

To me, a honeymoon is a time for relaxing and decompressing from the craziness that often precedes a wedding. We took our honeymoon to Maine. Had I known about New Harmony then, perhaps I would have suggested we spend our time there. As it was, my first visit to this quiet, quaint locale was not for a honeymoon, but for a wedding.

A friend of my husband’s got married at New Harmony’s historic Roofless Church. Dedicated in 1960, the Roofless Church was built with the belief that the sky is the only roof expansive enough to envelop all worshipping humanity. Contained with the garden-like setting that is the church is a domed structure built to look like an inverted rose bud, large bronze gates and the “Descent of the Holy Spirit” sculpture. Click here for information about other sculpture found in New Harmony.

Visitors to New Harmony have the opportunity to spend some contemplative time walking one of the town’s two labyrinths. These circular, wandering “mazes” in which the path leads slowly to the center, are considered sacred meditative journeys. What a great place for a new husband and wife to wander hand-in-hand, thinking about what brought them there and what lies ahead in their future!

My second visit to New Harmony was to attend my brother-in-law’s art show at one of the town’s many art galleries. After the show, we went to the Red Geranium Restaurant at the New Harmony Inn. I walked in and saw the white tables cloths, then looked down at my then-two-year-old and thought we were in trouble. But our first introduction to Wikki Stix, offered as an alternative to paper and crayons, not only kept the toddler entertained, but also the grown-ups as well. The Red Geranium serves American and Midwest cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Should the Facebook newlyweds decide to visit New Harmony, they have several places to choose from for lodging. The New Harmony Inn is a small, 90-room hotel, which also operates four guest houses. The 1840 Garden House, with a queen-size pencil post bed, fireplace and screened porch would be an ideal honeymoon hideaway. In addition to the New Harmony Inn, the town offers several bed-and-breakfast options as well. Or if they are more the wilderness type, camping and cabins are available at the nearby Harmonie State Park.

Just writing about all that New Harmony has to offer makes me want to book a reservation now! To plan your trip to this small, quiet Southern Indiana town, check out the following links:

New Harmony Leisure Travel Guide

Historic New Harmony

New Harmony.biz