Our first day on the road brought us to Hancock Shaker Village, found just west of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Ye Olde Photographer was drawn to stop here after having learned there was an exhibit of photographs taken during the 1930s as a WPA documentary project. The photos included this village plus two others not far away. The village itself is quite an interesting visit, including much interesting architecture.

We were able to take in a presentation on music which included a cappella renditions of some Shaker hymns and songs, as well as a demo of dancing with some audience participation. Apparently singing and dancing, almost to exhaustion, were a common ritual. In Shaker housing, meetings and dining, men and women were separated, a lot to do with the dwindling of the groups! Some of the products made here included furniture. In the 1930s, one of the remaining sisters, a quite elderly woman, went to work in the woodshop to maintain production since there were no men left. The wood/machine shop and the laundry were in the same building. Since normally one was men's work and the other, women's, this was unusual. The situation was apparently brought about by both being powered from a common source, originally an overshot waterwheel, and later a water turbine. Unlike some strict religious sects, the Shakers were generally quick to adopt new technology.