In 1862, a 92 foot-long keel boat traveled from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to create a utopian society in New Harmony, Indiana. The boat carried passengers from all walks of life. The hospitable spirit and promise of the passengers inspired Ragsdale. As a Southwest-transplant, Ragsdale wanted to depict the Hoosier hospitality that he felt as he made Indiana home.

The mural was one of 46 murals commissioned by the Arts Council of Indianapolis as part of its nationally renowned 46 for XLVI murals initiative.