An interesting footnote in history is the society of Believers in Christs Second Coming known as the Shakers. They were a group who derived from a small branch of English Quakers who had adopted some of the tenants followed by the 'French Prophets.' Their name comes from a description of Shaking Quakers, which refered to their practice of trembling, shouting, dancing, shaking, singing, and speaking in a strange language. The first documented use of the term comes from a British newspaper reporter who wrote in 1758 that the worshippers rolled on the floor and spoke in tongues.
In America, this quiet group began a community in 1805 in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, also known as Shakertown, near the Kentucky River. The community which believed in separation of the sexes eventually reached a population of about 500 by adopting orphans and conversions. It was disbanded in 1910 and the last Shaker resident died in 1923.
Much of the land and many of the buildings were restored as a museum known as Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. It is an interesting step back in time to see the old buildings and look at the famous Shaker furniture.
Their mottos ranged from "Do your work as though you had a thousand years to live and as if you were to die tomorrow” and "Put your hands to work, and your heart to God." Shakers were known for a style of furniture, known as Shaker furniture. It was plain in style, durable, and functional.
Shaker chairs were usually mass-produced since a great number of them were needed to seat all the Shakers in a community. Because of the quality of their craftsmanship, original Shaker furniture is expensive. One original Shaker stool sold for just under $100,000.
This is some of the most beautiful land in Kentucky that you will ever visit.
Take time to enjoy a dinner of Shaker hospitality and their famous healthy food. It is a wonderful retreat from modern life to visit Shakertown and one you’ll remember as a peaceful step into history.
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