For nearly seven decades, Jane Blaffer Owen was the driving force behind the restoration and revitalization of the town of New Harmony, Indiana. In this delightful memoir, Blaffer Owen describes the transformational effect the town had on her life. An oil heiress from Houston, she met and married Kenneth Dale Owen, great-great-grandson of Robert Owen, founder of a communal society in New Harmony. When she visited the then dilapidated town with her husband in 1941, it was love at first sight, and the story of her life and the life of the town became intertwined. Her engaging account of her journey to renew the town provides glimpses into New Harmony’s past and all of its citizens—scientists, educators, and naturalists—whose influence spread far beyond the town limits. And there are fascinating stories of the artists, architects, and theologians who became part of Blaffer Owen’s life at New Harmony, where, she says, ‘My roots could sink deeply and spread.’
Table des matières
Foreword John Philip Newell
Foreword J. Pittman Mc Gehee
Preface Jane Blaffer Owen
Acknowledgments Jane Blaffer Owen
Historical Note Connie A. Weinzapfel
From Spoken to Written Words Nancy Mangum Mc Caslin
1. Twin Vows
2. Indian Mound
3. The Sixth Generation
4. Harmonist House
5. Harmonist Church and School
6. Acquiring the Granary and Mansion
7. May Day Fête
8. Lipchitz
9. Enter Paul Tillich
10. Polio Epidemic
11. Sir George Mac Leod
12. Iona
13. Assy
14. Kilbinger House
15. Poet’s House and Beyond
16. Violets Down the Lane
17. Enter Philip Johnson
18. Cornerstone Dedication
19. May Day Dedication of the Roofless Church and Barrett-Gate House
20. Tillich Visits Houston
21. Mac Leod’s Dedication of the Lipchitz Gate
22. Estranged and Reunited: The New Being
23. The Undying Dead
24. Paul Tillich Park
25. Paul Tillich Commemorative Service
26. Open Windows
27. Tumbling Walls
28. Glass House
29. Orchard House
30. Rapp-Maclure-Owen House Restoration
31. Art and Carol’s Garden
Epilogue
Editor’s Note
Afterwords:
Life Was To Celebrate Anne Dale Owen
Through a Child’s Eyes Jane Dale Owen
Biography Jane Blaffer Owen and Kenneth Dale Owen
Notes
Index
A propos de l’auteur
Jane Blaffer Owen (1915–2010) was a Houston oil heiress who grew up traveling the globe. A sophisticate who studied at Bryn Mawr, the Washington School of Diplomacy, the Kinkaid School, and the Ethel Walker School, she has also received accolades and honorary degrees from many universities. She was recipient of the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) and of the State of Indiana’s Sachem Award for her lifelong dedication to enhancing the landmark historic community of New Harmony. In 2008, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized her accomplishments in New Harmony with its highest honor, the Louise Du Pont Crowninshield Award.