Descendants' Day
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August 24, 2024
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Old Economy Village welcomes Harmony Society descendants for a day of activities and camaraderie on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
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Learn more about your ancestors and meet some distant cousins! The day will include lectures from Dr. Cheryl Couthard from her upcoming book on women in the Harmony Society and Sarah Buffington, Old Economy Village Curator, on the Harmonist's arrival in Economy in 1824. Attendees will enjoy a private tour of Old Economy and the Historic gardens, the new exhibit Building Economy: In Their Own Words, and Saint John's Lutheran Church with the site's Curators and Historians. Opportunities to share your family's history and stories with others and other fun activities will be provided. An authentic German lunch and dinner are included.
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Schedule of Events
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Friday
Visit Historic Harmony Museum located at 218 Mercer St. Harmony, PA 16037 from 1:00-4:00 with guided tours at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The new Harmonist House will be open. Also, the Mennonite Log House, Bake Oven, Weaver’s Cabin, and 1753 Washington Cabin will be on the tour. Visitors can also pick up a self-guided tour map, which highlights 28 original Harmonist and Mennonite sites.
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Saturday
8:30 - 9:30 Registration at Old Economy Village Visitor Center
Coffee and breakfast pastries provided
Register for Show and Tell
Optional viewing of Old Economy Village's Bicentennial Exhibit Building Economy: In Their Own Words and orientation film.
9:30 Cheryl Coulthard Lecture Old Economy Village Visitor Center Classroom
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"Exceptional Women at Harmony Society—Susanna Duss, 1859-1946"
Susanna Duss, like Gertrude Rapp, stands out from the bulk of Harmonist women because her leadership role in the community resulted in a greater documentary record of her life. Duss’s life overlapped Gertrude’s in the mid-nineteenth century, but there are significant differences in how she came to be a Harmonist and the role she played. Unlike Gertrude Rapp, who was born a Harmonist and to its leading family, Susanna Duss joined the community as a married woman and went on to become its final leader. Very little has been written about Susie Duss, and there are few archival sources about her life. Often, we have to view Susie’s life through her husband’s. This presentation will address the absence of Susie Duss from the historical discussion of the Harmonists.
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Cheryl Coulthard received her PhD in History from Texas A & M University in College Station in May 2019. After graduating Cheryl and her family left Texas for Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley where she is enjoying small town living and finishing up a book on women in the Harmony Society. Last year, Cambridge University press published her book, Communal Societies and New Religious Movements, as part of the Elements series. Cheryl serves on the board of the Communal Studies Association and is Associate Editor for the journal Communal Societies.
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11:00 Private tour of Saint John's Lutheran Church with Pastor Gordon Strunk
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12:00 Authentic German Lunch in Old Economy Village Granary
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Silent films of "Old Timers Reunions​"
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1:00-2:30 Private Tours of Old Economy Village with Educator David Miller, Private Garden tour with Alexis Evans, site Historic Horticulturalist, and a collections showcase of Harmonist Textiles in Old Economy's Village's Collections Storage. Print your own Old Economy Bicentennial poster on our 1833 iron hand press and produce a Descendants' Day commemorative print on an 1893 press to remember your visit!
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2:30-4:30 Show and Tell – For those who have genealogy, photos, memorabilia, and stories to share, we have set aside the Feast Hall for a Show and Tell afternoon that everyone can enjoy. Please bring a copy of your photos or written history about the items you are sharing for the curator to preserve in our library. If you need or have a special request concerning your Show and Tell participation, please reach out to Heather Hicks at heathicks@pa.gov or at 717-409-0602.
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4:30 Sarah Buffington Lecture Old Economy Village Visitors Center Classroom
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"Moving to Economy"
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In 1824 the Harmonists moved from Harmony, Indiana, to establish the new town of Economy, Pennsylvania. There is more to the story than most know. Learn about why the communal group decided to move, the trials and tribulations of 700 people re-establishing themselves in a complete wilderness, and how this affected their lives going forward. This presentation coincides with the current exhibit, Building Economy: In Their Own Words.
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Sarah Buffington has been the Curator at Old Economy Village since 2002. As chairperson of and in concert with the Old Economy/Ambridge Bicentennial History & Education Committee, she recently published a book called Old Economy and Ambridge on the Ohio: A Bicentennial Celebration, 1824-2024. In her spare time, she likes to research where the Harmonists lived at Economy because there are no sources indicating in which house each member lived. Sarah has a degree in Apparel Design and Textiles with an Historic Emphasis from Michigan State University.
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6:00 Authentic German Buffet dinner
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Sunday
11:15 Worship at St. John’s Lutheran Church
Walking Map of Historic District Available
Feel free to visit Old Economy Village for more exploring free of charge!
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Lodging
Special rates available at Cobblestone Inn & Suites - Ambridge. Please ask for the OLD ECONOMY rate when calling.
All reservations must be made with the hotel directly at 724-266-7100 to get the Group Discount.
1111 New Economy Drive
Ambridge, PA 15003
(724) 266-7100
(724) 266-0837
ambridge@staycobblestone.com
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​​Registration Fee $125
​​​​​​​​​​Click Here for Printable Registration Form
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Prefer to pay by check or credit card over the phone? Please contact Heather Hicks heathicks@pa.gov or 724-266-4500 x103
Make payment by check to: Friends of Old Economy Village
Please include contact information on check.
Old Economy Village
270 Sixteenth Street
Ambridge, PA 15003
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