When the Shakers arrived on the shores of America in 1774, the celebration of Christmas was very different from today’s traditions. It was primarily a religious day, as it was
This article was written by SHS volunteer Jim Maczek. Many visitors to the Shaker Heritage Society’s exhibit room in the Meeting House have asked some rather profound questions. One in
This post was written by SHS staff member Candis Murray, Ph.D. By 1774 Ann Lee and her small band of Shaking Quakers had found their situation in England increasingly unstable. Considered
One of the most well-known tenets of Shakerism is celibacy. Throughout their almost three centuries-long history, the Shakers have eschewed marriage and romantic relationships, organizing themselves into communal “families” of
Shakers are one of the most pigeonholed groups in American religious history. While many aspects of these stereotypes have a basis in fact, many scholars have offered only a very
Many people are surprised to learn that the Shakers promoted and practiced racial and gender equality throughout their history. The Watervliet community had the largest black population of any of
In the 19th century, Sunday visitors to Shaker communities often came to observe Shaker worship. James Fenimore Cooper, only one …
This Saturday, March 31st at 12pm, the Shaker Heritage Society is hosting a basket making workshop led by local basket …
The Shakers are known for their beliefs about equality – man or woman, black or white, no one brother or …
A brief entry from June 29, 1848 in the South Family Journal reads: “A runaway slave comes from Indiana to …
