Down in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, about 25 miles outside of Lexington and 200 years back in time is Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. The Shakers, more formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, were a religious group that originated in England before taking root in the infant United States.
The Shakers (from 'shaking Quakers) were a utopian bunch, putting their notions about celibacy and communal living into practice in small, egalitarian communities. The first such communities were in New England, but with the Second Great Awakening they spread further west, establishing the community at Pleasant Hill in 1805.
There they flourished, growing to have a population of five hundred living in three communal families (East, Central, and West), with their products and produce sold as far away as New Orleans.
Changing times and the toll of the Civil War were unkind to the Shakers, with their celibacy and a limited number of new converts the community dwindled until the last one, Sister Mary Settles, died in 1923.
Following that the buildings of the community and its stone sidewalks changed hands a few times before a movement to preserve them got going in the 1960s.
Today, the 34 remaining structures make up the largest private collection of 19th century building in the nation, preserved and operated by a nonprofit group as a window into the past. Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill is something of a living museum, with many of the buildings set up as part museum and part private accommodation.
We spent three nights in the Old Ministry's Shop (above), which dates back to 1813. Although updated with a few modern touches like indoor bathrooms and electricity, it still retained that 19th century character of Shaker times. Not that the Shakers would have been opposed to such conveniences, they were noted innovators and early adopters of technology.
In fact, the Shakers built one of the first, if not the first water tower and system of running water in the state of Kentucky. The water house, with its wood tank (above) was built in 1833, although the wood tank had to be replaced every ten years or so.
They were also quite fond of simplicity and symmetry, with each room having a row of pegs running the perimeter of the room just above head height for hanging chairs and such when not in use.
Although the rooms were simple and spartan, they had their own special sort of charm. Probably because we didn't have to share one with a few other family members.
We were there for my partner's birthday, to soak in the history of the place and relax and unwind. Between Shaker Village and its surrounding preserve, the place is the largest National Historic Landmark in the state, and still something of a working farm.
Getting a glimpse through the keyhole of the 19th century was just part of the fun.
The only restaurant in town was in the Trustee's Office, the old administrative building of that community that dates to 1839. Walking down the gravel path of main drag at mealtimes, spotting other guests going for grub as well, you began to get a sense of how close and tight-knit the community had been in its heyday. The Shakers themselves ate in their family dwellings, but as you walked you realized they had work, church and their family dinner table all within a couple minutes' stroll.
This was our third visit to Shakertown (as we called it growing up), somehow we always managed to make it there in cold weather. Tends to limit your outdoor activities a bit but it also seems to limit the number of other folks you have to deal with. Makes for a nice, quiet, peaceful retreat, always feels like we've got the place to ourselves.
We've been meaning to get back there in prettier weather but haven't quite managed it yet. Should fix that soon, my partner's already made reservations for March. Until then, try not to pet the angry bird. . .
