Watervliet Shaker Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Watervliet Shaker Historic District
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Watervliet Shaker village, Albany, New York, circa 1870, Courtesy of Shaker Heritage Society
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Watervliet Shaker Rd., Colonie, New York |
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| Built | 1775 |
| Architectural style | Shaker Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001160 (original) 73002247 (increase) |
| Added to NRHP | February 20, 1973 (original) September 20, 1973 (increase) |
The Watervliet Shaker Historic District in Colonie, New York, is a very special place. It was the home of the first Shaker community, started way back in 1776. This makes it a really important part of American history!
The Shakers were a religious group. Their founder, Mother Ann Lee, is buried right here. The historic Shaker meetinghouse, built in 1848, has been fixed up. Today, people use it for fun public events like concerts.
This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This list helps protect important places. Interestingly, part of the community's old herb garden is now where the Albany International Airport sits.
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Life in the Shaker Community
The Shakers believed that spiritual connections were more important than family ties. They organized their community into four big "families." Each family had its own buildings and could support itself.
These families were called the "Church," "North," "West," and "South" families. Everyone in the community worshipped together in the same meetinghouse. At its busiest time, the Watervliet Shaker community had 350 members. They lived on about 2,500 acres (10 square kilometers) of land.
To make sure everyone joined willingly, the Shakers made a rule. Married people could only become Shakers if both partners agreed to join the community. This helped ensure everyone was truly committed to the Shaker way of life.
Shaker Buildings and Homes
The first Shaker homes were simple log cabins. The oldest buildings still standing today were built around 1820. These buildings show how the Shakers lived and worked.
Each family house was quite large. It had a basement, three living floors, and an attic. Big kitchens for baking and canning were in the basement. The houses were designed to keep brothers and sisters separate. Each sex had its own wing and staircase.
Bedrooms and sitting rooms were also separate. However, everyone shared the dining and meeting rooms. They just sat on opposite sides. Usually, two to six Shakers of the same sex shared a bedroom. Today, 22 of these historic buildings still stand. They are considered some of the best-preserved Shaker buildings.
The Meetinghouse: A Place of Worship
The current meetinghouse was built in 1848. It replaced an older one from 1791. This building is made of plain wood. It follows a special Shaker rule: "Meetinghouses should be painted white without, and of a bluish shade within."
It was the only white building in the whole community. Other buildings had different colors. The meetinghouse had three doors on its north side. These doors were for the brothers, the sisters, and the ministers. The ministers used the middle door.
The meetinghouse was in the center of the village. It also served as the home for the ministers. Inside, the room was very open and simple. This large space was perfect for the dancing that was a big part of Shaker worship.
How the Shakers Made a Living
The Watervliet Shakers, like all Shaker communities, were mostly self-sufficient. This means they grew their own food and made their own clothes and tools. They bought only a few things from outside, mainly iron. They used this iron to make hardware and tools in their own workshops.
Each Shaker village also made goods to sell to people outside the community. The Watervliet Shakers had a tannery, where they made leather. They also made many brooms to sell. They even had a small business making writing pens from brass, steel, and silver.
However, the Watervliet Shakers are most famous for something else. They were among the first to sell garden seeds as a business in the United States. They were also the first Shaker community to do this. Some people even say that a member named Theodore Bates invented the flat broom here. Older brooms were usually round bundles of broom corn or twigs.
The Seed Business: A New Idea
The Watervliet Shaker seed business was very successful. It was making good money as early as 1811. Before this time, most people saved their own vegetable seeds. Or they traded seeds with their neighbors.
The Watervliet Shakers are believed to be the first seed sellers to put seeds into small, paper envelopes. This made it much easier for people to buy and use seeds. It was a clever idea that changed how people gardened!
See also
