New Harmony: A Welshman's Dream

From Newtown, Powys to New Harmony, Indiana – this is the story of Welshman Robert Owen’s “great experiment” seeking a socialist Utopia.
“If we cannot reconcile all opinions, let us endeavour to unite all hearts," he said.

Now another Welshman, Colin Flynn, has moved to New Harmony delves into the history of the town, and as the town marks the 200th anniversary of Owen's extraordinary adventure finds links to that experiment still exist, .

Robert Owen was a colossal figure in Western thinking - he introduced the 8-hour working day, the first nursery, free healthcare and many other social advancements which are now taken for granted. He sought ways of creating idealistic communities based on socialist principles and in some ways New Harmony was the prototype.

And this is not a dry study in social history. Older inhabitants of New Harmony - some of whom can trace their family tree back to that time and have stories about their ancestors - believe some of the Owen ethos survives in the town today.

Local groups are working to preserve and research New Harmony's history and local University tutors are marking 2026 as the 200th anniversary.

Through narration and interviews Colin builds a fascinating and compelling story of how a Welshman changed a small Mid-Western town and how that legacy lives on today.

Produced by Steve Groves