As we walked through Shakertown, we enjoyed talking to all the interpreters in the various buildings located along the shady tree-lined road that led through the village. What a wonderful place Shakertown would be to visit once the leaves have turned. As you can see, we were much too early in the season to see any color.
Our first stop was the East Family Brethren's Shop where we observed wood-working demonstrations. The craftsman in the picture was very friendly and knowledgeable, and we asked him about the Shaker boxes and baskets we had seen for sale in the Craft Shop.
He informed us that he was the main crafter of the famous colorful boxes and baskets we admired and gave us some insight on why the prices were so high on the items. The very tiniest box, he told us, has at least five dollars worth of wood in it; lots of expert craftsmanship fashioned it; plus the main reason was the hefty profit Shaker Village needed to make on items sold to keep the historic area open.
Located in the same building was the broom maker who demonstrated how he crafted the Shaker brooms the brethren sold in Kentucky and the river markets for 27 cents each back in 1845. He told us the brooms were used to sweep their yards, and folks in those days prided themselves in having no weeds or grass in their yards at all--only dirt--and they swept them clean every day. My mom remembered that their dirt yard when she was growing up was swept clean, just as our tour guide had mentioned.
The East Family Wash House (Circa 1825) was very interesting to us girls since there were several beautiful antique quilts on display. The interpreter in this building showed us how the sisters would wash the laundry in the big kettles of boiling water.
I'm not sure of the exact pattern names of the quilts above or to the left, but they were both beautiful, and you could tell the fabrics were vintage. The pattern of the two quilts below were called Rocky Road to Dublin or Old Maid's Puzzle. Sarah said this same pattern in the sampler quilt she made earlier this year was also known as Drunkard's Path. The quilts were made by Sister Mary Settles.
Some of the other buildings we toured were the Cooper's Shop, Bath House, Water House, and the Post Office. Below left we are entering the Ministry's Work Shop, a building provided as a place for the Shaker Village leaders, two elders and two eldresses, to work with their hands, just as all members of the community.
We left the Village mid-afternoon headed down the road a bit to the dock where we were scheduled for the four o'clock riverboat cruise.
Next: Riverboat Cruise
~Deb
All sounds so interesting.With the drought here in North Carolina the lawns may just be dirt by next spring!
Posted by: Tammy | Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 12:24 PM
I agree those quilts are beautiful!
Posted by: Barbara | Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 04:56 PM
Thanks for sharing so much about your holiday! I've really enjoyed experiencing it through your blog! The Shaker village and the Creation Museumn are two places that I've wanted to visit!
Posted by: Sherrin | Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 05:11 AM
This is my favorite post yet! Reminds me of our local amish community ~ we have a chair caner, a broommaker, a smithie, a tack and leather shop, a few quilters, and a grainary. Time has really stood still for them. Thanks again for all the pictures, especially of the quilts.
Posted by: kathie | Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 08:50 AM