Old Economy Village, presently located within Ambridge Pennsylvania, was once a thriving and prosperous Pennsylvania town founded in the 1800’s by the Harmonist Society, a strict fundamentalist group that emigrated from Germany in 1803.

In 1807, celibacy was advocated as the preferred custom of the community in an attempt to purify themselves for the coming Millennium. In the mid 1800’s the village grew to its largest population of approximately 800.

Primarily due to the celibacy policy, the society gradually lost most of the members and by 1899 the number had dwindled to only a few people. The society was formally dissolved in 1906.

As I walk around the grounds of the wonderfully preserved Old Economy Village, I can’t help but wonder how in 1900, the final few aged members perceived the last days of Olde Economy Village.