Old Economy Village - Ambridge, PA - Home to the Harmony Society

The Old Economy Village is located at Fourteenth and Church Streets at 270 Sixteenth Street in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. It lies on the Ohio River's banks, and downtown Ambridge surrounds the village. The Old Economy Village was established in 1824 as the home of the Harmony Society, a 19th century communal Christian group. The village was known for its industrial prosperity and its piety. The village is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The mission of the village is to interpret the Harmony Society's history and to preserve and interpret the Harmony Society's culture during their period of residence in Pennsylvania.

Old Economy Village is open from March through December. Regular hours of operation are 9:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday and 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday. The site is closed on Mondays. The site is open on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day and closed on other holidays. Admission to the village is $9 per adult (ages 12 to 64), $6 per youth (ages 3 to 11), and $8 for senior citizens (ages 65 and up). There is no charge for admission for children 2 years of age and under.

Old Economy Village has been designated as a National Historic Landmark District. It is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The village features 17 historic buildings and more than 16,000 items that the Harmonists used daily. The site's design and style is that of a German village, and the site contains shops, homes, and pristine gardens.

There is a Museum Store onsite. The Museum Store features unique educational books and gifts. Many of the items offered for sale are reproductions of items used by the Harmonists. The Visitors Center has an orientation exhibit that tells the story of the Harmony Society. The exhibit traces the group's history from their origins in Wurttemberg, Germany, until the group disbanded in 1905. The exhibit also outlines the industries that the Harmonists were involved in, which included the manufacture and production of cotton, wool, silk textiles, beer, wine, and other beverages.

The 6-acre site has many points of interest. The Museum Building and Feast Hall was opened as a Natural History and Fine Arts Museum in 1827. This building also housed the Harmony Society's classrooms and library. The Harmonists used the Feast Hall on the second floor to hold love feasts, to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Harmony Society, and to celebrate other select events. Located next to the Museum Building and Feast Hall, the Community Kitchen is where the communal feasts were prepared.

The Cabinet Shop features many tools that were originally used by the Harmonists. It also includes lathes that were used to fashion the buildings and furniture of the village. There is a room adjacent to the Cabinet Shop that houses the Harmonist Clock Shop and Lock Shop.

Other buildings of interest include the Blacksmith Shop, the Warehouse, the Economy Post Office, the Granary, the Carriage House, and the Mechanics Building, which was home to the Tailor Shop, the Print Shop, and the Shoe Shop.

Additional information about the Old Economy Village can be obtained by calling 724-266-4500.