It's The Journey...: Kentucky: Shaker Village, Berea & Cumberland Falls

I recently enjoyed a Road Scholar trip down into central Kentucky.

There are 3 parts to the trip I would like to share with you, starting out at Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, KY.

The Shaker's history began in England in the late 1700's. One of many different groups of radical religious dissenters, the Shakers left England and arrived in America in 1774. They initially settled in New York but over the years spread across New England and then west into Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, becoming America's best known and largest communal society.

In 1805 a group of Shakers came to central Kentucky and established a village they called Pleasant Hill. Persons who joined the Shakers did so by signing a Covenant agreeing to live in community with the goal of spiritual and personal development. The goal for the community on earth was that it reflect "Heaven" as they understood it. Each Covenant member signed over all property rights and contributed what they had to the union of the group. Each persons skills, talents and abilities were given to work for the survival of the community.

The Shaker architecture reflects their understanding of relationships and their practice. Each person was considered a member of a spiritual "family" of brothers and sisters. Each covenant member agreed to refrain from marriage and live a celibate life. All DWELLING houses include double door ways and stairways, one for the brothers and one for the sisters. The central unit was the community rather than the individual family.

The work ethic of the Shakers was formed from the idea that work is a form of worship and quality work reflected on the community as a whole.

"Hearts to God, then, hands to work"

Simplicity, order and functionality are the values reflected in Shaker products.

"The peculiar grace of a Shaker chair is due to the fact that it was made by someone capable of believing that an angel might come and sit on it".

Thomas Merton

The MEETING House

Music was an important part of Shaker life, with the community performing songs, hymns and anthems written by both men and women.


Tis the gift to be simple, Tis the gift to be free...

The Shakers thrived economically as their beliefs and practices developed. By the 1820's their numbers at Pleasant Hill had grown to nearly 500. Their land holdings were a significant 5000 acres and they had built over 260 structures. Their economy was strong due to the good reputation of their products. In 1853 records show they sold over 27,000 brooms. They sold garden seeds in packets and all seeds were tested to guarantee germination. They processed and sold preserves and their cattle, sheep and hogs were in demand.

We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon ride on the Kentucky River.

And just as we docked, the train crossed the impressive railroad bridge.

The Civil War depleted the resources of the Shaker community. They fed numerous soldiers from both the Union and Confederate sides of the war who came begging. At Pleasant Hill the post war financial situation was difficult and they were never really able to recover. More importantly, the social environment and cultural changes in the decades after the war made Shaker life less appealing for converts. During Reconstruction and later, few new converts joined the Shakers. In particular the Industrial Revolution signaled the decline and end of the Shakers agrarian lifestyle.

For years the remaining buildings of the community were used for a variety of purposes and the area was known as Shakertown. In 1961 a group of Kentucky citizens led by Joseph Graves and Earl D. Wallace launched an effort to restore the property. By 1964 the "Friends of Pleasant Hil"l had organized and raised funds for operating expenses. James Lowry Cogar, a Kentucky native known for his work as the curator at Colonial Williamsburg was recruited to oversee the complex preservation project.

Shaker Village today is an especially relaxing and peaceful place to visit as well as being a repository for the history, values and achievements of the Shaker community at Pleasant Hill.

AND NOW ON TO BEREA

We traveled to Berea, KY which is the home of Berea College. The College has a unique history and is distinctive among institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1855 as the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, Berea College does not charge tuition and admits students, primarily from Appalachia, who have limited economic resources. Students who meet both academic standards as well as financial need standards work 15-20 hours a week at campus work positions in exchange for the free tuition and board. It is quite an opportunity for those who might otherwise be denied a college education.

The college population is 1500-1600 students with a campus to match the size of the student body. It was a delightful place to set out for a walk.

Our time in Berea was spent learning about Appalachian history, culture, music and literature from a group of very engaging and informative presenters. The notable thing about Berea is the friendly and polite students and local citizens. They really know how to make you feel welcome. It must be that "Southern hospitality".

We stayed at the historic Boone Tavern Hotel. It was built when the wife of an early college president felt there was a need for lodging for visitors to the campus. Over the years those visitors have included Eleanor Roosevelt and the Dalai Lama.

One of the most enjoyable activities we went to in Berea was the Thursday night "Jammin on the Porch" event. It takes place in Old Town Berea near the restored train depot. We enjoyed some Appalachian music and some good photo opps!