Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture
Categories: Local Interest , Travel , Arts & Crafts
Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture by Kerry Pierce is a wonderful new book on the subject. Kenny Pierce is a professional furniture maker and an authority on Shaker woodworking and furniture. This attractive volume is filled with photographs of Shaker dwellings, workshops, tools, artifacts, and, of course, the furniture remarkable for its clean design and simple beauty. The Shakers worked wood as an expression of their devotion to God, and this is certainly evident in the objects they created.
Pierce selected 16 pieces from the Pleasant Hill collection for detailed analysis. A measured drawing of each is provided, with an accompanying discussion of material section, hardware, and construction techniques. So this book has practical value for the home woodworker.
The Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill occupies 3000 acres of Kentucky farmland and comprises 34 restored Shaker buildings. The village dates from 1805, when the Shakers came to central Kentucky seeking a site for a community west of the Alleghenies. By the 1820s, the village was a thriving and productive place with nearly 500 residents.
You can see the furniture shown in Pierce's book at Shaker Village. The historical site is located in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, about 70 miles east of Louisville. It's an easy-to-mange and worthwhile destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway from Cincinnati, and the drive through the rolling hills of the Bluegrass State offers some lovely scenery.
A few years ago, I stayed at the Inn at Shaker Village and spent a long, relaxing weekend exploring the site and learning about Shaker history. I recall being pleasantly surprised by the food and service available at the restaurant (called, rather stodgily, the Trustees' Office Dining Room). Check out the Shaker Village website for a list of special programs and events and plan a visit this summer. It's a rewarding trip into history, and you'll see some beautiful American furniture.
