“The Bentel House,is significant as an excellent example of the Harmonist house. It was the home of George Bentel, the Rappite cooper. It is located one block from the building now designated as the Cooper shop by Historic New Harmony.
New Harmony is unique in the history of 19th-century American communal experiments, because it was the scene of both religious and secularly inspired utopian communities. Harmonie, Indiana, was founded by followers of George Rapp in 1815, who had moved there from their first community in Harmonie, Pennsylvania. The Harmonists were religious refugees from Wurttemberg, Germany, dedicated to life in a harmonious, cooperative society. In 1825 they returned to Pennsylvania and sold the village to Robert Owen, who renamed it New Harmony and attempted to develop a communistic society. By the end of 1826, however, that experiment had failed.
The Bentel House was constructed during the Rappite period, using standardized, mass-produced parts for which the Harmonist structures are noted. The house demonstrates the skill and ingenuity of the Harmonists through excellent design and solid construction. The Bentel House is the only Harmonist house to retain its original staircase, and it also retains a high proportion of its other original features.
The Historic District was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965. That District, however, includes only a portion of the Rappite buildings that still stand. There are two frame Rappite houses, in addition to the Bentel House, located on the north side of Granary that are on their original sites.” (National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form)
The George Bentel House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
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