Exploring the Koreshan Unity Settlement

Established in the late 1800’s, the Koreshan Unity Settlement was home to a group of people who had a unique perspective on the world.

A Model of the Universe

The leader of the community, Cyrus Teed, and the rest of the Koreshans had some unique beliefs; the most interesting of which was that the earth is a hollow sphere and we live on the inside.  This belief started with the understanding that the universe cannot be infinite because and infinite universe is incomprehensible to man, and God wouldn’t have made something that cannot be understood.

What I found really interesting is that they performed experiments that, they believed, offered scientific proof that their belief was true.  What they did was measure, using a known straight instrument (the “rectiliniator”), the two points at which it would intersect the earth.  The last member of the community, Vesta Necomb, said that she believed everything about the hollow earth until the Apollo moon landing.  That was the event that convinced her that the moon was not an illusion as they had believed.

The Unity Settlement was not isolated from the local communities.  They had a store where they sold their goods, and their gardener even traded plants with the gardener of the Edison & Ford Winter Estate.  The Koreshans had their own generator that provided power to the community.

Generator Building

The workshop is very close to the generator building, and showcases all of the power tools the Koreshans had at their disposal.  It’s an impressive sight with all of the belts and pulleys that ran the tools still in place.

Other buildings on the site are set up for viewing through windows or glass-partitioned entryways, and all of them have furnishings that are either from the original community members, or pieces from the time that are representative of what the Koreshans probably had.

This site has an interesting history, and I only touched on the surface of the stories of the people who lived here.  Access to the site is through the gate of the Koreshan State Historic Site for a nominal fee at the ranger station.  If you are in the area, take a couple of hours to look around.  You won’t be disappointed.

More photos are available in the Gallery

Art Hall Information		Planetary Court
Founder’s Residence	Vesta Newcomb’s Cottage	Earth’s Layers