VAF-New England Field Trip to the Harvard Shaker Village, Harvard, Massachusetts
October 2, 2010
Recently, the New England Chapter of Vernacular Architecture Forum VAF-NE toured the Harvard Shaker Village on Shaker Road on a brilliant Fall day. This was a special opportunity to see these singular properties that are now private residences. The owners welcomed our small group of vernacular architecture buffs into their extraordinary homes. Our tour guides for the day were Robert Adam (VAF Board member) and Michael Volmar, curator Fruitlands Museum, Harvard.
Michael (left) and Robert (center)
Robert explains the finer points
Text taken from Shantia Anderheggen’s tour notes. Historical note below from the Shaker Historic Trail (National Park Service)
The Harvard Settlement was the second Shaker community in the US and the first in Massachusetts. Dissenters left Harvard’s Protestant Church in 1769 and built their own place of worship . In 1781 Mother Ann visited the leaderless group and brought them into the United Society of Believers. Mother Ann’s occasional presence in Harvard extended utopian Shaker influence over the district. Like other Shaker settlements, Harvard’s followed a standard family layout, with Church, North, South and East complexes — only the latter two survive today.
The first building we looked at was the CHURCH FAMILY HERB DRYING HOUSE . Constructed in ca.1848, the Church Family Herb Drying House provided an opportunity to see a unique purpose-built building and the only remaining Shaker stone building, now owned by the Town of Harvard. It has recently undergone extensive exterior repairs to the cornice and slate roof funded by the Community Preservation Act.
SECOND DWELLING HOUSE: The construction of the Second Dwelling House is mentioned in the Shaker Journals of 1795; this building has served as a dormitory, infirmary and single-family residence. Evidence of the ca.1860 alteration from gambrel roof to gable roof was available for viewing.
Second Dwelling House
Second Dwelling House
Second Dwelling House - rear
Second Dwelling House - center hall
Second Dwelling House - Living Room
CHURCH FAMILY MEETING HOUSE: Serving as the Shaker Meetinghouse from its ca. 1791 construction until 1918, the Church Family Meeting House retains much of its early architectural fabric, along with evidence of two campaigns of alteration (ca.1850/1936). Located at the center of the Church Family complex, the Meeting House was the focus of social and religious life. The original main block had an entry door at each end, and the ells attached either end of the main block also had entrances. In all the four entrances functioned based on gender and church hierarchy (elders).
Church Family Meeting House – Entrance main block, North end
Church Family Meeting House - Entrance main block, South end
- Church Family Meeting House
TRUSTEES OFFICE: One of the largest Shaker buildings, the Trustees Office was constructed ca. 1840, according to Shaker Journals. Although somewhat altered ca. 1936, the Trustees Office retains most of it’s early architectural features and finishes on a total of six floor levels, including a unique round brick chimney, subbasement and fine-tooled granite foundations.
Trustees Office
Trustees Office - Front Entrance
Trustees Office - rear
- Trustees Office – Living room
SOUTH FAMILY DWELLING: The South Family Dwelling is similar to the Trustees Office but was constructed several years later (ca.1845) and by comparison is a more “worldly” building. Much of the building was built using contracted labor and features elements such as factory-made builder’s hardware. The buildings rear ell is an earlier “wash house” that was relocated to the current site at the time of construction of the larger dwelling house. Used as a chicken house in the mid-twentieth century, the South Family Dwelling house suffered neglect. Recent owners have restored the building while also making some contemporary interior adaptations.
South Family Dwelling - west (front) & south elevations
South Family Dwelling - south elevation
South Family Dwelling
South Family Dwelling - exterior is currently being restored
Second Family Dwelling - front entrance
Relaxing over lunch in front of the stone barn, South Dwelling House
