Paul Tillich Park

 

The view from our balcony at New Harmony Inn looked right on to Paul Tillich Park.

Who was Paul Tillich?

Tillich was a Lutheran theologian, philosopher, professor and author of the 20th century who was very influential at his time. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1959. Dr. Martin Luther King wrote about Tillich in his dissertation.

Remember those two Utopian societies I mentioned? The last was started by the Owen family. Jane Blaffer Owen married into the family several generations later and fell in love with the town of New Harmony and its history.

Jane, as it turned out, was the daughter of a wealthy Houston oil baron. And it was Jane who poured her heart and soul (and money) into this town's revitalization.

Ah, oil money! Wealthy heiress! That explains all the amazing art!

Jane was a big fan of Tillich, one of her contemporaries. She considered him to be her spiritual mentor. When Tillich died in 1969, he had his ashes interred here in what was to become Tillich Park.

It is surrounded by these towering evergreens. Very peaceful.

The park is situated next to this pond, with this statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

                                An interesting man, an interesting town, an interesting history.