The remarkable architecture in the Harmony National Historic Landmark District reflects the town's German roots. In the early 1800s, German Lutheran separatists, led by Johann Georg Rapp, purchased depreciation lands from a German nobleman and founded Harmony. They organized as the communal Harmony Society in 1805, pledging to live as a family until Christ's return. The industrious Harmonists prospered, traveled to Washington to confer with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and gained international fame for their lifestyle and economic success. By 1811, they owned 9,000 acres and had...