Discover & Learn

The Meetinghouse, 1792

The Meetinghouse was the Shakers' house of worship. Canterbury's was built in 1792 by Moses Johnson, master builder. He built eleven similar Shaker meetinghouses and ours is one of the six remaining examples of his work.

A telling characteristic of Shaker meetinghouses are the two front entrances, one on the left for the men and the one on the right for the women, reflecting the separate but equal status of men and women in this celibate community.

Meetinghouses were used on the Sabbath for each society's family worship. Services would last for several hours in the morning or afternoon, and sometimes both. In Shaker worship, singing and dancing were practiced to express praise, joy, and devotion. The building also housed the community's ministry until 1878.

Today the Meetinghouse is open for guided tours and musical programs.