Canterbury Shaker Village: 'Tis a gift to be Awesome!
Because of the dancing moves they used in worship, thedevotees of the United Society of Believers became known as the Shakers.
Originating in England during the 18th century, the Shakers moved to the United States and formed communities around New England, from Maine to Kentucky.
Canterbury Shaker Village, NH, is one of the oldest and best-preserved Shaker sites.
Starting in 1792, the Canterbury Shakers built their own community on 3,000 acres of land, investing in new technologies, boosting growth and establishing community businesses in a self-sustainable environment.
Their shared ownership system and their sense of progress based on equal benefits to everyone became reliable and competitive in the outside markets. Shakers became known for their entrepreneurship spirit, integrity and reliability.
The Shakers were also innovatorsin their beliefs but many Protestants saw the Shakers dance as a particularly unpopular practice and also their core values of gender equality, pacifism and their simple lifestyle.
Their way of living strived over 200 years at the Canterbury Shaker Village and now it’s kept as an open heritage site. Since the last Shaker, Sister Ethel Hudson passed away in 1992, it works exclusively as an open museum where visitors can go back in time and experience for themselves, the daily life of a peaceful and self served community.
Trails, guided tours and workshops on how to tape a Shaker’s chair or how to work with wool provide visitors with a hands-on experience of the Shakers work.
Exhibits and special programs reflect the different periods of the community and by visiting the 25 original buildings in the village, the forest, the mill ponds or seeing the crafts demonstration, visitors can observe the Shakers community planning style and their architectural intent.
More than an educational experience, visiting the Village can also be an opportunity for rest and relaxation. Youth programs, family activities, shopping at the Museum Store or dinning at the Café, in the Horse Barn are some of the things to do in this picturesque village.
A National Historic Landmark since 1933, the Village works as a non-profit, preserving the sense of community it was built upon. Its mission relies on preserving the Village as a place for learning, reflection and renewal of the human spirit through the eyes of the Shakers.
Canterbury Shaker Village
288 Shaker Road
Canterbury, NH
603-783-9511
Starting in 1792, the Canterbury Shakers built their own community on 3,000 acres of land, investing in new technologies, boosting growth and establishing community businesses in a self-sustainable environment.
