“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) One of the key tenets of Shakerism is the dualism of God as male and female. In accordance with this belief, gender…

In the 1820s, the Shakers of Mount Lebanon created one of the very first businesses in America that processed herbs for medicinal uses. They rapidly became well-known for their herbal extracts, powders, and syrups. In 1896, The Harrisburg Telegraph…

The Brethren’s Workshop, located in this four story red brick building, was constructed in 1829. It was primarily used to house the many workshops that employed Shaker Brothers, although in its early days it was used by the Sisters as a laundry…

The Brothers and Sisters of the North Family lived together under one roof where they woke, dined, and retired in unison. Erected in the first half of the 19th century, it served the North Family until the last members left in 1947. The Dwelling…

The Shakers are renowned for the aesthetic simplicity that informed their architecture. The clean lines, fine craftsmanship, and unornamented facades of Shaker buildings speak not only to their visual acuity, but also to the core beliefs of the…

Though the Shakers at Mount Lebanon attempted to separate themselves from the world geographically, socially, and religiously, their celibate lifestyle required them to look to the outside world for new members. As early as 1781, Shaker missionaries…

The Shakers at Mount Lebanon were precursors to the modern-day “farm to table” movement. Many of the community’s thousands of acres were devoted to agricultural production, an investment that allowed them to produce their own food and divest…

The Shakers carried their belief systems with them to their graves, eschewing the burial practices that had gained favor in Victorian America. Ornamental coffins and exclusive cemeteries were readily dismissed in favor of burial grounds that were…

Shaker furniture is renowned for its simple lines, graceful proportions, and refined aesthetic, qualities that were shaped by the belief system of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing. Shaker furniture forms were derived…

The Second Meetinghouse was the religious center of the Shaker community at Mount Lebanon. The largest Shaker meetinghouse in America, the building was erected between 1822 and 1824 to accommodate the rapidly growing community of worshippers and…