"Day of the Dead" @ Shakertown!

We decided to check out Shaker Villiage this Halloween. I wanted to go somewhere old, with history and pretty scenery on this day, it only seemed fitting.

Shaker Villiage is about a 50 mn. drive from where we live.

It was such an interesting place with interesting history. Odd history.

Centre family building. This thing was huge. The front of the building has a date (1827 I think?) But it took them about 10 extra years longer to build than they thought. I mean just look at this thing!

What did it house? Lots and lots of bedrooms. The shakers didn't believe in the family unit...  they believed in a sisterhood and brotherhood meaning the men had their own quarters and women had their own. Children also lived in their own quarters separate from their parents and were raised by teachers.

The tour guide made the point that it was an attractive lifestyle for a lot of people who wanted to be free from the daily grind. In this villiage women had more freedoms and were actually seen as equal to males (even though they pretty much did different jobs) women could work in the fields if that is what they wanted to do. They were also free from the burden of childcare & procreation (in an era where every women was pregnant an average of every year of their childbearing lives. Women didn't live long. This also freed women and gave them time to study and work on their abilities and talents.

They were actually very very radical for their day. They even saw blacks as equal to them. A lot of people left the village because they couldn't stand being equal with a black man or woman. 

Interestingly, they were trying to model Jesus who they claimed was never married (although there is no proof of that, and actually a lot of proof that he was married).

The way that this community operated reminded me a lot of the Law of Consecration that the early Mormons lived by...minus the having no kids part. Ha! Also, Shakers don't have prophets or apostles. :D

The weaving area was beautiful, lots of photo opportunities here.
I only brought my point and shoot so a lot of these are blurry.

Our funny tour guide. He was really good, answered every question we had.

So this is weird. The gravel pathway going down the center of Shakertown is actually the old highway. Wow!

Pretty pretty fall colors. Please don't leave! They are falling so fast. :'(

Cutie pie.

Random. It was really cold that day. It kind of felt like the above^ It sprinkled here and there.

We stopped to look at the pigs and chickens!

That one jumped out all by himself.

East Family Home. This is actually a hotel now.

Going up to listen to old Shaker music.

I love old stuff!

She sang, loud! She incorperated a lot of symbolism into her dancing. "Washing the inner temple clean" was one symbolic gesture she used. Supposed to signify that they are clean on the inside and prepared for his spirit. She also bowed a lot and she said that signified humility. Humility was a big thing to the shakers apparently.

In the BIG building you saw at the beginning we went up to the 3rd story. Then decided to go up to the almost 4th floor where there is nothing but 2 windows overlooking the village. "Highest point in Mercer county".

Color!! Looks like a painting..

To the top!

We set her down one minute, and she went STRAIGHT back to the stairs to climb back up. Funny girl!

So we let her.

One more time looking out on her own.

Love that face.

They had a free play room where you can use your imagination to pretend to be like the shaker children. So cool! They had outfits to try on, brooms, toys, beds, and school rooms with desks.

One word. Old Fashioned.

 I love old fashioned living. I guess i'm an old soul at heart.
I don't think the shaker lifestyle would have been for me, at least not the family situation, but the farming community is something i'm drawn to. The record keeping. The nature preserve. The creativity and thriftiness. These people were hard workers and did the best they could with what they knew. I think instead of going to scary events on Halloween day I want to start a tradition of going to old historical sites, after all it is the "day of the dead." Why not remember and honor them on this day too?