The Shakers were nineteenth-century America's largest and best-known communal society. Their movement began in New York shortly after the American Revolution and by the 1840s, nearly 3,500 Shakers lived in communities from Maine to Kentucky.

The Shakers chose a peaceful way of life. They were celibate, believed in equality of race and sex and freedom from prejudice. A quest for simplicity and perfection is reflected in their fine designs and craftsmanship, and today the term Shaker-made is synonymous with excellence around the world.

In 1805, a group of Shakers came to central Kentucky and established a village they named Pleasant Hill. Although the population peaked at almost 500 in the 1820s, the community thrived well past the mid-nineteenth century, acquiring over 4,000 acres of farmland. However, after the 1860s, changing social attitudes and the Industrial Revolution signaled the community's decline.

Kentucky Shakers no longer exist and only one community is active in New England, yet their lasting influence is a legacy to all who visit Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

To learn more about the historical importance of the Shakers and Pleasant Hill, please click on the below links.