Intentional Communities
Intentional Communities
An open database of intentional communities. Research oriented and largely historical.
For context on this project see https://github.com/orgs/life-itself/discussions/144 (May 2022). Also feel this project could also expand to include utopian writing and ideas in general - see https://github.com/orgs/life-itself/discussions/523
NB: this is not an attempt to create a database of current communities. For that, see e.g. https://ic.org/
Oved: Two Hundred Years of American Communes
Y. Oved, Two Hundred Years of American Communes (going off of 2nd printing 2007, originally pub 1988) table 1 p 485 - 490
Type key:
R=Religious
O=Owenites
S= Socialists
M=Miscellaneous
SH=Shakers
F=Fourierists
AN=Anarchists
Locations are all in the US.
| Name | Dates from | Dates to | Duration active | Location | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plockhoy Community | 1663 | 1664 | 1 | R | NB: First 'R' | |
| Labadists (Bohemia Manor) | 1683 | 1696 | 13 | Maryland | R | |
| Woman in the Wilderness | 1694 | 1708 | 14 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Irenia | 1695 | 1697 | 2 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Ephrata | 1732 | 1813 | 81 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Bethlehem | 1744 | 1762 | 18 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Mount Lebanon | 1787 | 1947 | 160 | New York | SH | NB: First 'SH' |
| Watervliet | 1788 | 1938 | 150 | New York | SH | |
| Jerusalem | 1788 | 1820 | 32 | New York | R | |
| Hancock | 1790 | 1960 | 170 | Massachusetts | SH | |
| Enfield | 1790 | 1917 | 127 | Connecticut | SH | |
| Harvard | 1791 | 1960 | 169 | Massachusetts | SH | |
| Tyringham | 1792 | 1875 | 83 | Massachusetts | SH | |
| Canterbury | 1792 | 1992 | 200 | New Hampshire | SH | NB: Oved states it was still existing in 1984, when he presumably last researched it. After my own research, I have concluded the commune finally disintegrated as an active site 8 years after the date given by Oved, in 1992. It then transitioned to (and still remains) a thriving historical site, with community life replicated through lunches, tours, exhibitions, etc. |
| Shirley | 1793 | 1908 | 115 | Massachusetts | SH | |
| Enfield | 1793 | 1923 | 130 | New Hampshire | SH | |
| Alfred | 1793 | 1932 | 139 | Maine | SH | |
| Sabathday Lake | 1783 | Present | 238 | Maine | SH | NB: Oved's date of 1794 is wrong for start. Still active in 2021! NB: 1984 is the date given by Oved, but the community remains very much in tact, 'the only active Shaker community in the world today' according to their website. |
| Gorham | 1794 | 1819 | 25 | Maine | SH | |
| Dorrilites | 1798 | 1799 | 1 | Vermont | M | NB: First 'M' |
| Snow Hill | 1798 | 1870 | 72 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| The Union | 1804 | 1810 | 6 | New York | M | |
| Harmony Society | 1805 | 1814 | 9 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Union Village | 1805 | 1912 | 107 | Ohio | SH | |
| Watervliet | 1806 | 1910 | 104 | Ohio | SH | |
| South Union | 1809 | 1922 | 113 | Kentucky | SH | |
| Pleasant Hill | 1806 | 1910 | 104 | Kentucky | SH | |
| West Union (Burso) | 1810 | 1827 | 17 | Indiana | SH | |
| Harmony (New Harmony) | 1814 | 1824 | 10 | Indiana | SH | |
| Savoy | 1817 | 1825 | 8 | Massachusetts | SH | |
| Zoar | 1817 | 1898 | 81 | Ohio | R | |
| Pilgrims | 1817 | 1818 | 1 | Vermont | R | |
| North Union | 1822 | 1889 | 67 | Ohio | SH | |
| Economy | 1825 | 1905 | 80 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Whitewater | 1825 | 1907 | 82 | Ohio | SH | |
| New Harmony | 1825 | 1827 | 2 | Indiana | O | NB: First 'O' |
| Yellow Springs | 1825 | 1826 | 1 | Ohio | O | |
| Coal Creek | 1825 | 1832 | 7 | Indiana | R | |
| Goshen | 1825 | 1826 | 1 | Indiana | O | |
| Franklin | 1826 | 1826 | 0 | New York | O | |
| Forestville | 1826 | 1827 | 1 | New York | O | |
| Kendal | 1826 | 1829 | 3 | Ohio | O | |
| Valley Forge | 1826 | 1826 | 0 | Pennsylvania | O | |
| Blue Springs | 1826 | 1826 | 0 | Pennsylvania | O | |
| Sodus Bay | 1826 | 1836 | 10 | New York | SH | |
| Nashoba | 1826 | 1829 | 3 | Tennessee | O | |
| Teutonia | 1827 | 1831 | 4 | Ohio | R | |
| Kirtland | 1830 | 1838 | 8 | Ohio | R | |
| United Order of Earth | 1831 | 1834 | 3 | Missouri | R | |
| New Philadelphia | 1832 | 1833 | 1 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Oberlin Colony | 1833 | 1841 | 8 | Ohio | R | |
| Equity | 1833 | 1835 | 2 | Ohio | M | |
| Grand Ecore | 1834 | 1836 | 2 | Louisiana | R | |
| Germantown | 1836 | 1871 | 35 | Louisiana | R | |
| Soneya (Groveland) | 1836 | 1895 | 59 | New York | SH | |
| Berea | 1836 | 1837 | 1 | Ohio | R | |
| Brook Farm | 1841 | 1847 | 6 | Massachusetts | F | NB: First 'F' |
| Marlborough Association | 1841 | 1845 | 4 | Ohio | M | |
| Social Reform Unity | 1842 | 1843 | 1 | Pennsylvania | F | |
| Hopedale | 1842 | 1867 | 25 | Massachusetts | R-F | NB: R+F? |
| Northampton Association | 1842 | 1846 | 4 | Massachusetts | M | |
| Teutonia | 1842 | 1844 | 2 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Society of One Mentian | 1843 | 1844 | 1 | Pennsylvania | O | |
| Goose Pond | 1843 | 1844 | 1 | Pennsylvania | O | |
| Hunt's Colony | 1843 | 1846 | 3 | Wisconsin | O | |
| Jefferson County | 1843 | 1844 | 1 | New York | F | |
| Sylvania Association | 1843 | 1845 | 2 | Pennsylvania | F | |
| Morehouse Union | 1843 | 1844 | 1 | New York | F | |
| Bueau County Phalanx | 1843 | 1844 | 1 | Illinois | F | |
| North American Phalanx | 1843 | 1856 | 13 | New Jersey | F | |
| Peace Union | 1843 | 1845 | 2 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Ebenezer (Amana) | 1843 | 1855 | 12 | New York | R | |
| Putney | 1843 | 1848 | 5 | Vermont | R | |
| Fruitlands | 1843 | 1848 | 5 | Massachusetts | M | |
| Skaneateles | 1843 | 1846 | 3 | New York | S | NB: First 'S'. |
| Abram Brook's Experiment | 1843 | 1845 | 2 | Ohio | R | |
| Prairie Home | 1844 | 1844 | 0 | Ohio | F (S) | |
| Highland Home | 1844 | 1844 | 0 | Ohio | F | |
| La Grange Phalanx | 1844 | 1846 | 2 | Indiana | F | |
| Sodus Bay Phalanx | 1844 | 1846 | 2 | New York | F | |
| Bloomfield Union Association | 1844 | 1846 | 2 | New York | F | |
| Leraysville Phalanx | 1844 | 1844 | 0 | Pennsylvania | F | |
| Ohio Phalanx | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | Ohio | F | |
| Alphadelphia Phalanx | 1844 | 1848 | 4 | Michigan | F | |
| Clarkson Association | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | New York | F | |
| Mixville Association | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | New York | F | |
| Ontario Union | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | New York | F | |
| Clermont Phalanx | 1844 | 1846 | 2 | Ohio | F | |
| Trumball Phalanx | 1844 | 1848 | 4 | Ohio | F | |
| Wisconsin Phalanx | 1844 | 1850 | 6 | Wisconsin | F | |
| Iowa Pioneer Phalanx | 1844 | 1845 | 1 | Iowa | F | |
| Union Home | 1844 | 1846 | 2 | Indiana | S | |
| Bethel | 1844 | 1880 | 36 | Missouri | R | |
| Voree (Mormons) | 1844 | 1849 | 5 | Wisconsin | R | |
| Philadelphia Industrial Association | 1845 | 1847 | 2 | Indiana | F | |
| Integral Phalanx | 1845 | 1846 | 1 | Illinois | F | |
| Canton Phalanx | 1845 | 1845 | 0 | Illinois | F | |
| Columbian Phalanx | 1845 | 1845 | 0 | Ohio | F | |
| Fruit Hills | 1845 | 1852 | 7 | Ohio | F | |
| Grand Prairie | 1845 | 1847 | 2 | Indiana | F | |
| Kristeen Community | 1845 | 1846 | 1 | Indiana | F | |
| Utilitarian Association | 1845 | 1848 | 3 | Wisconsin | O | |
| Spring Farm Phalanx | 1846 | 1848 | 2 | Wisconsin | F | |
| Pigeon River | 1846 | 1847 | 1 | Wisconsin | F | |
| Bishop Hill | 1846 | 1862 | 16 | Illinois | F | |
| The Brotherhood | 1846 | 1847 | 1 | Ohio | M | |
| Utopia | 1847 | 1848 | 1 | Texas | F AN | NB: First 'AN' |
| Bettina | 1847 | 1848 | 1 | Texas | S | |
| Zodiac | 1847 | 1853 | 6 | Texas | R | |
| Communia | 1847 | 1856 | 9 | Iowa | S | |
| Oneida | 1848 | 1881 | 33 | New York | R | |
| Kingdom of St James | 1848 | 1856 | 8 | Michigan | R | |
| Icaria | 1848 | 1848 | 0 | Texas | S | |
| Icaria-Nauvoo | 1849 | 1859 | 10 | Illinois | S | |
| Nineveh | 1849 | 1878 | 29 | Missouri | R | |
| Ephraim | 1849 | 1853 | 4 | Wisconsin | R | |
| Jasper | 1851 | 1853 | 2 | Iowa | R | |
| Wallingford | 1851 | 1881 | 30 | Connecticut | R | |
| Modern Times | 1851 | 1863 | 12 | New York | AN | |
| Mountain Cove | 1851 | 1853 | 2 | Virginia | R | |
| Harmonia (Domain) | 1851 | 1863 | 12 | New York | F | |
| Raritan Bay Union | 1853 | 1858 | 5 | New Jersey | F | |
| Rising Star Association | 1853 | 1857 | 4 | Ohio | M | |
| Preparation | 1853 | 1858 | 5 | Iowa | R | |
| Grand Prairie Harmonial Institute | 1853 | 1854 | 1 | Indiana | F | |
| Ephraim | 1853 | 1864 | 11 | Wisconsin | R | |
| St. Nazianz | 1854 | 1874 | 20 | Wisconsin | R | |
| Berlin Heights | 1854 | 1858 | 4 | Ohio | M | |
| Reunion | 1855 | 1859 | 4 | Texas | F | |
| Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| West Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| South Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| High Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| East Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| Middle Amana | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| Homestead | 1855 | 1932 | 77 | Iowa | R | |
| Memnonia | 1856 | 1957 | 101 | Ohio | M | |
| Union Grove | 1856 | 1858 | 2 | Minnesota | R | |
| Aurora | 1856 | 1881 | 25 | Oregon | R | |
| Germania Company | 1856 | 1879 | 23 | Wisconsin | R | |
| Icaria (Cheltenham) | 1856 | 1864 | 8 | Missouri | S | |
| Harmonial Vegetarian Society | 1860 | 1864 | 4 | Arkansas | M | |
| Point Hope | 1860 | 1861 | 1 | Ohio | M | |
| Icaria (Corning) | 1860 | 1870 | 10 | Iowa | S | |
| Adonai Shomo | 1861 | 1897 | 36 | Massachusetts | R | |
| Ora Labora | 1862 | 1868 | 6 | Michigan | R | |
| Celesta | 1863 | 1864 | 1 | Pennsylvania | R | |
| Amenia (T.L Harris) | 1863 | 1867 | 4 | New York | R | |
| Christian Republic (Berlin) | 1865 | 1866 | 1 | Ohio | M | |
| Brocton (Salem on Erie) | 1867 | 1881 | 14 | Ohio | R | |
| Walla Walla (Mormons) | 1867 | 1881 | 14 | Washington | R | |
| Reunion (A. Longley) | 1868 | 1870 | 2 | Missouri | S | |
| Union Colony | 1869 | 1872 | 3 | Colorado | M | |
| German Colonization Company | 1870 | 1871 | 1 | Colorado | M | |
| Silkville | 1870 | 1884 | 14 | Kansas | F | |
| Progressive Community (V. Frey) | 1871 | 1878 | 7 | Colorado | S | |
| Chicago Colorado Colony | 1871 | 1873 | 2 | Colorado | S | |
| Western Colony | 1871 | 1873 | 2 | Colorado | R | |
| Friendship Community (A. Longley) | 1872 | 1877 | 5 | Missouri | S | |
| Bennett Coop. Colony | 1873 | 1877 | 4 | Missouri | S | |
| Social Freedom Community | 1874 | 1880 | 6 | Virginia | M | |
| Bon Homme (Hutterites) | 1874 | 2021 | 147 | Dakota | R | And counting! It is still in existence today. Oved put the date at 1984, which is the last record he had available to him presumably. |
| Silver Lake | 1874 | 1875 | 1 | S. Dakota | M | NB: No categorisation by Oved - so makes sense to put it down to a misc. |
| Women's Commonwealth | 1874 | 1906 | 32 | Texas, Wash. D.C | R | |
| Dawn Valcour | 1874 | 1875 | 1 | New York | M | |
| Orderville (Mormons) | 1874 | 1884 | 10 | Utah | R | |
| Wolf Creek (Hutterites) | 1875 | 1930 | 55 | S. Dakota | R | |
| Investigating Community | 1875 | 1876 | 1 | Kansas | S | |
| Cedarvale | 1875 | 1877 | 2 | Kansas | S | |
| Fountain Grove (T.L Harris) | 1876 | 1900 | 24 | California | R | |
| Modjeska Colony | 1877 | 1878 | 1 | California | M | |
| Esperanza | 1877 | 1878 | 1 | Kansas | R | |
| Elmspring (Hutterites) | 1878 | 1929 | 51 | S. Dakota | R |
