We German scholars immediately know what to expect when we encounter an unfamiliar word, like “erntedankfest”. After all, “ernte” means harvest, “dank” implies thanks, and “fest” certainly means festival. Obviously “erntedankfest” refers to a festival giving thanks for an abundant harvest. The good folks at Old Economy Village traditionally celebrate such a festival early in October each year. This year my daughter and I were fortunate to be able to attend it.
Old Economy Village is a massive museum, covering six acres which contain an impressive collection of buildings and grounds that faithfully record life on this specific site nearly two centuries ago. Administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, it is supported by numerous volunteer organizations coordinated by the Friends of Old Economy Village. In addition, the surrounding fifteen block neighborhood in the Borough of Ambridge contains over fifty associated historic buildings owned and maintained by the public.
The Harmony Society was officially organized in 1805 by a large group of “pietists” who had left Germany and migrated to Butler County where they established a community named Harmony. Their leader was Father (George) Rapp. Members surrendered all their belongings to the society and took a vow of celibacy, believing that the Second Coming of Christ would occur during their lifetimes. In 1814 they sold their property at Harmony and moved west, establishing a new community in southern Indiana Territory.
Ten years later Father Rapp concluded they would be better off back in Pennsylvania. They sold New Harmony, Indiana, for $150,000 and purchased 3,000 acres of river-front land in what is now Ambridge. There they established the community of Economy and prospered for many years in agriculture and manufacturing. The flaw in their business model was the lack of workers, as the celibate community failed to produce replacements as its members aged. By 1905 the Society had dwindled to three persons and was officially dissolved. Fortunately, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the six acres that have been preserved as Old Economy Village in 1916.
Our tour began in “Father Rapp’s garden”. Although the Harmony Society was communal with all its members being equal, some were more equal than others, much like George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. Rapp lived more like a benevolent lord of the manor than just one of the commoners. The garden is maintained by volunteers and has an impressive variety of vegetables, flowers, and medicinal herbs.
We then inspected the Grotto (where Father Rapp meditated), the pavilion housing the statue of Harmonia, and the vineyards before entering a wing of the George Rapp House where Three Rivers Fiber Focus was presenting a series of demonstrations of spinning, weaving, and silk reeling. Textile manufacturing was a specialty of the Harmonists and a major source of revenue to them. They imported silk worms and technology; it was impressive to see a docent extracting tiny strands from silkworm cocoons and producing silk thread.
Next we walked down the Cobblestone Street where we were entertained by a legitimate “Oompah Band”, Burke’s Bavarian Brass. The Baker House, at the end of the street, was open as an illustration of the living quarters for the Harmonists in the mid-1800s. The footprint of the brick house was about twenty-five feet square. Its first floor consisted of a “mud room”, a living/dining room, and a bedroom for the housekeeper. The other five or six occupants slept on pallets in the loft, accessible by a sloping ladder. Meager by today’s standards, but elegant as compared to the log cabins and sod huts many people lived in in those days.
The store was our next stop. The re-enactor there explained that the store provided all the Society members’ necessities, with the housekeeper acting as intermediary. If a gentleman needed a new pair of shoes, he notified the housekeeper and she negotiated with the storekeeper. The storekeeper was also the interface with the outside (non-Society) world; he was responsible for selling surplus products, primarily textiles and wine.
The nearby Warehouse housed two interesting demonstrations. Broom making seems routine at first glance; however, watching an expert put a broom together quickly illustrates the fact that expertise is valuable. Converting three strands of cord into a useful rope is just the opposite. With the proper equipment, it too turns out to be a fairly easy task. The rig for twisting the individual strands and then interweaving them into a sound rope is extremely effective. The demonstrator called upon members of the audience to do the actual dog work; the rope they produced was perfect.
Next to the print shop was a Scherenschnitte demonstration. Again, “schere” is German for scissors, und “schnitte” for cut; consequently, scherenschnitte can be translated as scissor cuts, an art form in which paper is cut into artistic designs. Unfortunately, the demonstrator was using an Exacto knife on a preprinted pattern. I think the scherenschnitters used tiny scissors and folded the paper expertly to generate the desired effect.
Old Economy has a legitimate outdoor baking oven; I was disappointed that the bread bakers were not demonstrating it, although they were selling “home-baked” bread. I felt the same way for the folks selling cider and sauerkraut; I guess I am more impressed with how folks do impressive things than I am with their products.
Blacksmiths always impress me; the gentleman we watched spent ten minutes reheating and hammering on a glowing piece of iron, to produce a very respectable three-penny (inch and a quarter long) nail. That is a vivid demonstration of why nails were so valuable back in colonial times. Although he had a large bellows above his forge, he used a modern electrical blower to force air into his hearth, another deviation from authenticity.
All told, it was a very pleasant visit back to the middle 1800s. Old Economy Village is just one more of the many assets that make our region so special.