The Owenites

The Owenites were founded around 1825 by Robert Owen and lived for a short period in the Glen.  Not much is known about this particular settlement, but it is believed to be related to New Harmony, Indiana.  

Owen was primarily concerned with eliminating the effects of poverty.  He sought to do this by establishing communities between 500 and 3,000 people who lived together in one large building.  Each family would have private apartments and the community would raise the children once they were toddlers.  These communities would be completely self-contained with a wide variety of jobs. 

Despite Owen’s idealistic plan, the community never was successful.  Financial troubles plagued the group from the start, as did various dissenters.  The group dissolved a year after it was formed due to financial problems that prevented the group from buying the land they lived on. 

<< Back to the history timeline