Discover & Learn

The Dwelling House, 1793/1837

In 1793 the Shakers began construction on this massive dwelling. Originally measuring 32x42 feet, many additions and roof changes have been made to the structure. A large domed cupola containing a Paul Revere bell was added in 1832 to call the family to meals and meetings. (Because of its size, which offended the ministry at New Lebanon, the cupola was lowered by 5 feet 5 inches in 1842.) In 1837 a large meeting room or chapel, measuring 52x43 feet, was built on the north side of the dwelling. Water closets were first installed in 1887. The Shakers moved the village's library here in 1917, and the Shaker school operated here from 1921 until 1934. The building eventually expanded to contain 56 rooms and is the largest building at Shaker Village.

The Dwelling House served as a place of rest and nourishment for the Shakers. During its heyday, 80 to 100 Shaker brothers and sisters would gather here for meals and to sleep. Two to three seatings were held for each meal, signaled by the ringing of the dinner bell. The first floor held the butcher shop, bakery, kitchen, and dining room; the second and third floors contained bedrooms; and the attic served as a storage area.

The bake oven, still in the bake room of the Dwelling House, was a technological innovation designed by Sister Emeline Hart in 1878. The huge device has four front doors, each opening to a four-foot round plate that rotates. This allowed numerous items to be easily loaded and evenly baked. As many as 24 jumbo beanpots or 60 loaves of bread could be cooked at one time in this oven, making life "even in the kitchen" simpler and more efficient.

Today the Dwelling House and Chapel are open for guided tours. The Bake Room is open for self-guided tours and the Kitchen is open for Foodways demonstrations.

Source: David R. Starbuck, Neither Plain Nor Simple: New Perspectives on the Canterbury Shakers