Sabbathday Lake Maine Shaker Village

On Friday, July 12th, we visited the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine is home to the only active Shaker Community in the world today. Established in 1783, and situated on 1,800 acres of farm and forest land with seventeen historic structures from the 1780's through the 1950's, the Village continues to be a place where the Shakers live, work, and worship. “Put your hands to work, and give your hearts to God” continues to be the guiding principle as expressed by their leader Mother Ann Lee more than 230 years ago.

Known today for popular styles of 18th, 19th and 20th century furniture and crafts, the Shaker legacy includes many achievements in social reform, agriculture, technology and innovation. The flat broom, the circular saw blade, the spring clothespin, chair tilter buttons, perma press and the paper seed envelope are all among a long list of Shaker inventions.

They welcome visitors to experience parts of history in their museum (which is open from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend), research library, traditional craft workshops, concerts, educational programs, their Sunday worship services and much more.

The guided tours are an hour long and a couple of self guide tours are available. They also have a Shaker store and and museum  store. 

Currently there are three active Shakers living in this community. 

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The building in the middle with the Open sign is the Museum Visitors' Center and museum store which is housed in the 1850's Boys' shop. The upstairs is a self guide tour of the Boy's shop where they lived until they are older.

The 1794 Meetinghouse was designed by Brother Moses Johnson and is the architectural jewel of the Village. Upstairs there are exhibits of the Shaker Church and describes the developments in the Maine Shakers' lifestyles, architecture, furniture and costume pre-Civil War.

Shaker Library was established in 1882 by Elder Otis Sawyer. It is housed in the original 1880 Shaker Schoolhouse with the collections enclosed in a two-level temperature and humidity controlled vault. It is an archive for the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community, as well as a nationally known center of primary and secondary materials by and about the Shakers, from their origins to the present day. Subjects covered include history, religious philosophy, herbal medicine, architecture, furniture, crafts, music and education.

This is the 1816 Granary which has an exhibit titled "Creating Chosen Land: Our Home Since 1783." This is one of the self guided tours and features numerous objects, pictures, etc of Shaker life in New Gloucester. My favorite is the picture of the snow roller which they use to roll down the snow to make roads.

Garage - where they use to house their two vehicles. Animal barn - numerous sheep and cattle could be seen in this area.