HISTORY This Week

Chasing Utopia

Jul 3, 2023
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INSIGHT

Transcendentalist Ideals

  • Transcendentalists aimed to connect with nature for spiritual growth, choosing Fruitlands as their rural utopia.
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson visited, observing their peaceful demeanor but questioning their long-term sustainability.
ANECDOTE

The Missing Diaries

  • Richard Francis discovered a mystery surrounding Bronson Alcott's Fruitlands diaries.
  • The diaries covering the Fruitlands period were missing, not intentionally destroyed, but lost on a ferry.
ANECDOTE

Alcott's School

  • Before Fruitlands, Alcott's innovative school failed due to controversial discussions and inclusion of a black student.
  • Despite financial struggles and unpaid debts, Alcott's captivating lectures earned him respect among intellectuals.
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