Shirley Shaker Village facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Shirley Shaker Village
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Shirley Shaker Meetinghouse in 1910
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| Nearest city | Shirley, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 730 acres (300 ha) |
| Built | 1793 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000271 |
| Added to NRHP | May 24, 1976 |
The Shirley Shaker Village was once a special community where a group of people called Shakers lived. It is located in Lancaster and Shirley, Massachusetts. Today, it's a protected historic area, meaning many of its old buildings are saved and recognized as important. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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History of the Shaker Village
The Shaker village started in 1793. People like John Warren, Elijah and Ivory Wildes, and Nathan Willard gave land to help the community grow. At its busiest, it had 26 buildings. Now, 13 of them are still there.
The community was organized into groups called "families," like the North, South, and Church families. By 1853, about 150 members lived there. The village continued to be active into the 1900s.
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William Dean Howells, Shirley Shaker Village, an illustration from Three Villages, 1884.
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Ministry Shop, Shirley Shaker Village
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Cemetery, Shirley Shaker Village
Shaker Buildings and Life
The first buildings were made of wood and painted yellow and white. Later, after 1840, they started building with bricks because a brick factory was built nearby. The brick administration building looked similar to one at the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire.
An author named William Dean Howells visited in 1875. He described the inside of the buildings. He noted the plain walls and clean floors. Each room was simple, with two beds, two rocking chairs, and two wash stands. There were not many personal decorations.
The Shakers were very hardworking. They earned money by making and selling things like jellies, applesauce, herbs, mops, and brooms. This helped them support themselves.
Changes to the Village
Over time, the number of Shaker members became very small. In 1908, the remaining members moved to the Hancock Shaker Village. The Shirley Shaker Village could no longer support itself.
In 1909, the state bought the property. They changed it to be an "industrial school" for young people who needed guidance. Many changes were made to the buildings. Some were moved, changed, or even taken down.
The school closed in 1971. The site was then turned into the Massachusetts Correctional Institution complex.
Shirley Shaker Village Today
In 1976, the area was officially named a historic district. This means the Shaker-related buildings and land are protected. The district covers more than 700 acres (280 ha) in Shirley and Lancaster.
The Shirley Historical Society sometimes offers tours of the old Shirley Shaker Village. This helps people learn about its history.
Other Shaker villages also exist as museums today. For example, the meetinghouse from Shirley Shaker Village was moved in 1962. It went to Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield. It replaced a similar building that had been destroyed.
Today, only one active Shaker community remains. It is located at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine.
