Old Economy Village is definitely a great historical site to visit in the Pittsburgh area. Settled by the Harmonists in 1824, this village setting provides several artifacts, live demonstrations, and interesting historical facts about a group of people who settled in western Pennsylvania and became successful industrialists before perishing by their own volition. read more

This is somewhat of a hidden in plain view gem on the Ohio River. I drove by here for years going to the airport and finally made a trip on a Friday afternoon. The premises were quiet as we were basically the only guests there so we essentially got a private tour. The grounds are beautiful and it's always great to learn about the history of our region. And there's a strong moral to the story of this settlement... Practicing celibacy is not the answer for a thriving community. read more

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Local gem can spend the day & bring a picnic lunch. 6 1/2 acres and 17 buildings 2 different tours for 1 admission price. Special seasonal & holiday events are a favorite for the family. Beautiful grounds and a rich local history of a unique group of people. read more

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This was a lovely, unexpected, stop! The site was in immaculate condition and the blacksmith was really friendly. The store attendant and the tour guide were nice too, but a little more quiet. Would definitely come back! read more

Ever since Zombo at WRCT Radio made this his personal cause célèbre, I have been a true fan of Old Economy Village. The Harmonists are a fascinating movement, and the Village was left pretty much intact and in 1919 became a state historic site. You will be fascinated by the gardens, the wine cellar, seventeen restored historic structures in all, that tell the story of this fascinating religious cult. The guides are well trained and passionate about the subject. There are 6 acres and lots of things to learn about, I highly recommend. read more

It's pretty hard for me to come up with an adequate star rating for Old Economy Village. It is an historic district, but it's a little "dry"--once you've seen it, you've seen it. It's worth going to once, but you'll probably only return either 1) when you have out of town guests, or 2) when there are special events. I give it four stars because it is presented well, and the staff is very good and knowledgeable. My husband Rick and I went here last Saturday Evening (12/6/2008) for the annual Christmas At the Village. Christmas here is wonderful! The village is decorated in a 19th Century German style. They have music, crafts, traditional German food (which is cooked by a local church), crafts, and family events. They also have the "Weihnachtsmarkt" which sells unique handmade gifts made by local craftsmen. I bought a few for stocking stuffers. Another Chirstmas event (which we didn't make this year) is "Christmas with Belsnickel". "Belsnickel" is the "Dark Santa" and it's his job to see if you are gonna get candy or coal in your stocking! Just a little bit of history about this place. It was settled by the Harmony Society, a 19th-Century religious communal society. The Harmonists were a very successful industrious people. They created and adapted new technologies for textile manufacturing and agriculture. They were early users of steam power in industrial uses. The village consists of the Museum Building and Feast Hall, where communal feasts were held. The Community Kitchen was where communal feasts were prepared. Other buildings include the Cabinet Shop, the Blacksmith's Shop, the Grainery, the Warehouse, and the Community Store. At the Community Store, non-Harmonists could buy Harmonist cloth. The store also sold everyday items brought in from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The Visitor's Center is the main museum for the village. I should mention that the Harmonists were a sect and as a result, had some "unusual" beliefs. You could even consider them early practitioners of Socialism. And if you want to learn more, visit Old Economy Village's website www.oldeconomyvillage.org. read more

Came here with my daughters Girl Scout troop. We had such a fantastic time. We had guided tours and even got to watch a lady make stone soup. The amount of history here was unbelievable. Who would have known you this is all on our backyard. To see everything and take the tours, you need at least four hours. There is a lot to see. The wine cellar is the coolest thing you will ever see!! read more

I have to recommend spending the afternoon at Old Economy. They show you a movie on the community and a tour for $10 each. Our guide Chloe was fantastic. She was a wealth of knowledge. She made the experience fun. read more

Old Economy Village - Great way to spend the afternoon. - Museums Near Me - Ambridge, Pennsylvania

I was just recently given a tour of Old Economy Village, and loved every minute of it. My tour guide, Barb, was fantastic and very passionate about the history of the Harmonist Society and what they have left behind. This was my first visit to the site and I did not realize the extent of the village. My personal favorite building of the tour was the wine cellar and the sample of bread that came from the outdoor oven (the whole tour is very interactive).The Feast Hall was also impressive and the acoustics were amazing. All in all, it is hard to pick a favorite because all of the buildings on the tour were interesting in their own ways and really depict the wealth of history that is embodied by Old Economy Village. I recommend this attraction for all ages! read more

I attended a local school that was near the site of one of the other Harmonist settlements, so I've learned about the Harmonites before. I actually learned a lot more on the Old Economy Village tour, which is reminiscent of tours that I've taken in Colonial Williamsburg--which is a much older and larger historic tour site. Old Economy holds its own! For a reasonable admission price (less if you have AAA), you get a decent length of touring time and can even explore a bit on your own later if you'd like. It's a great way to learn about the once thriving area before the decline and eventual end of the Harmonist society (celibacy will do that to you...) I look forward to going back for their seasonal festivals. read more

Left in the Cold for Christmas Dinner... In October, my wife, a 17 year teacher, made reservations for the Dec. 6th, 2017 Christmas Dinner at Old Economy. Since then, our two daughters (9 & 13yrs old) and my wife have been excited to go to this dinner and enjoy the festivities. Only to be informed that somehow, they did not process our reservation. They offered to make room for my wife and I, but not our girls. Somehow, during the discussion with Jason, who runs it, the blame has been placed back on us...??? Five hours before the dinner????? What a shame that a good, multi-year membership has been tarred by this kind of terrible customer/member service. I received a call back from Michael, who was far more professional in his approach, however he did not make any offer to correct the situation either. It should be noted that I moved other people's schedules today to accommodate us attending this evening. Truly a great example how customer/member service can mar a relationship in spite of the great facility. read more

We held our wedding in the garden at Old Economy Village in July, and it was beautiful. The garden was well-kept, and Sandy (who did all the arrangements) was so helpful in the entire process, as well as on the day of the wedding. It was an affordable venue that all of our guests loved! read more

As a person who lives in a harmonist home, I think old economy village is wonderful.However, I do agree with Susan, once you seen it; you seen it and Old economy needs improvement in that area. I think a lot of the dryness comes from many different issues. However, The thing that will make things more interesting is asking people who have a harmonist house questions about their homes.This will help us get very pumped and wanna have open houses on days that old economy is having events. in addition to having our own events. read more