Exploring New Harmony: A Historical Overview of a Rural Community in Shelby County


By: Laurie E. Jasinski

Published: April 27, 2005

New Harmony is a tiny rural community located about two miles south of Farm Road 2694, thirteen miles east-southeast of Center in eastern Shelby County. This settlement in the Sabine National Forest may have begun in the late 1800s or early 1900s. In 1928 New Harmony had a rural school and Murle Elizabeth Hamilton served as teacher. Highway maps during the 1930s referred to the community as New Harmony Church, and the area included the school, church, and farms. In the 1960s New Harmony consisted of the church and a couple of businesses. No population estimates were available from that time through the 2000 census.

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Places:

The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.

Laurie E. Jasinski, “New Harmony, TX (Shelby County),” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed March 09, 2026, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/new-harmony-tx-shelby-county.

Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

TID: HRN50

April 27, 2005

Find out more about this place from our Texas Almanac.

Place
New Harmony
Currently Exists
Yes
Place Type
Town
USGS ID
2034933
Town Fields
  • Has post office: No
  • Is Incorporated: No
Belongs to
  • Shelby County
Coordinates
  • Latitude: 31.74489540°
  • Longitude: -93.97241340°
Population Counts
People Year
40 2009

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