Economy, Rapp's Colony on the Ohio

Description

While staying at Pittsburgh through October 7, Maximilian and his companions made periodic excursions into the countryside in the interests of natural history. On September 29 Maximilian and Bodmer visited the neighboring settlement of Economy, "founded by that peculiar separatist colony from Wurttemberg," according to Maximilian's account. At Economy the Prince was delighted to discover a large building with a public assembly hall and displays of natural history specimens. He also attended a religious service presided over by George Rapp, the founder of the colony. Bodmer's watercolor of Economy preserves the appearance of the sectarian settlement as it was in the fall of 1832.