ancock Shaker Village is an outdoor history museum of Shaker life on 1200 acres in the scenic Berkshire Hills. The Shakers, originally called the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, were founded in England in 1747. Their enduring (though somewhat pejoratively applied) nickname was inspired by their frenzied religious dancing.

The twenty restored historical buildings to be visited at Hancock Shaker Village are a vital link to the past of America’s most successful communitarian society, showing their practiced harmony with the land and their passionate dedication to producing simple yet elegant furniture and dwellings. Theirs was a sweet blend of practicality and spirituality; the famous Round Stone Barn is an example of a major technological leap in agriculture, yet can be viewed on its own terms as a fine example of their art in architecture. They emigrated from Manchester, England to the US in 1774, led by Ann Lee, and eventually established 19 different Shaker communities with over 5,000 converts and members in New England, seeking freedom to practice their religious beliefs. The Hancock community was founded in 1790. Many of the “New Age” practices of today have their antecedent in the Shakers, including the emphasis on community, sexual equality, spiritual contemplation, pacifism and an personal relationships with God. Though membership dwindled after the Civil War, the Shakers have left a strong legacy of accomplishments and an approach to life which is relevant to people of the 1990s.

www.hancockshakervillage.org

(This interactive feature was penned by SE O'Callaghan for the BerkshireWeb. All rights reserved (c) 1998)