Old Economy Village, a 19th century settlement in Beaver County that has educated generations about a lost era of utopian communes, faces permanent closure.

Old Economy is one of six such sites around the state endangered by a 43 percent cut in the budget for the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, a spokesman announced yesterday.

"Basically it's a result of the budget that was enacted 100 days late and our budget, our 2009-2010 budget, was reduced by $15.7 million," said Kirk Wilson, a spokesman for the commission.

Founded in 1824, Old Economy was started by the Harmony Society, or Harmonists, who left Wurttemberg, Germany, in 1803. The group was founded by Johann George Rapp, who defied the Lutheran Church in his native state, declaring himself a religious prophet. The group was pacifist and also expected a return by Christ during the lifetime of its members.

The planned closure stunned members of the Friends of Old Economy Village.

"I'm very upset," said Donna Flannery, a member of the group's board and wife of the organization's president. "I've written to every one of the legislators in the area."

State officials are planning a meeting tonight with the Friends group to discuss the planned closures. Ms. Flannery said approximately 15 state employees currently staff the site.

The group initially settled in Butler County before locating a tract of land in Ambridge, Beaver County.

One of the major studies of the group was written by historian Robert Paul Sutton.

Mr. Wilson, the historic commission spokesman, said the future of Old Economy and five other sites will hinge on whether volunteer organizations will be able to pick up the slack for their operation. The remaining budget for those sites will go toward maintenance only.

Also facing closure are the Somerset Historical Center in Somerset County, the Daniel Boone Homestead in Berks County, both Graeme Park and Hope Lodge in Montgomery, and Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks.

The commission also plans winter closures on another five historic sites: the Drake Well Museum in Titusville, Crawford County; Cornwall Iron Furnace in Lebanon County; Eckley Miner's Village in Monroe County; the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Potter County; and the Anthracite Museum of Scranton.

The commission will continue to fully staff and operate the state archives, library and the Pennsylvania State Museum, all in Harrisburg. The state museum only recently began an admission charge to cover some of the costs of operation.

Old Economy and the other sites threatened with closure would continue to receive some maintenance.

"Obviously all of these facilities are still going to need to be maintained. We are not walking away from them. We would have to maintain the properties, maintain the buildings, the facilities, the collections and other artifacts," Mr. Wilson said.

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