Gone and somewhat forgotten: America's first Shaker community near Albany

Shaker Cemetery, final resting place of founder Ann Lee

By Jane Feehan

America’s first Shaker Settlement, a few miles north of Albany, N.Y., close to the airport, looks like a place both time and people have forgotten. Remnants of the religious community include some interesting but dilapidated buildings, most of which are closed to visitors. The exception is the Meeting House, built in 1848, which serves as a museum. On some days, this settlement appears to be a ghost town; it could be if not for the efforts of The Shaker Heritage Society that works to preserve the history and cultural contributions of this religious group.

The community, formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearance was established in 1776 by Ann Lee, an illiterate textile worker from Manchester, England. Life in the Colonies began with about nine people and 200 acres. They became known simply as Shakers because of the way they worshipped, with meetings marked by shaking, dancing, and speaking in tongues.  Shakers lived by their values of simplicity, pacifism, celibacy, communal ownership of land, racial and sexual equality.

At the zenith of the community’s popularity in 1850, the Church Family near Albany included 350 residents and 2,000 acres. They were known for their innovations in canning, and laundering with an industrial size washing machine. The Shaker work ethic also produced the flat broom, the ladder-backed chair, and other furniture, and practical, simple architecture – all adopted by American culture.

Meeting House

The Shakers numbered about 6,000 throughout the U.S. (mostly in New England) in 1850 but Mother Lee’s community near Albany closed its doors in 1925.  Ann Lee, who died in 1784, is buried along with 450 other Shakers at a cemetery nearby. A small group, the Sabbathday Lake Settlement in Maine, still thrives.

Another anniversary of Hiroshima. Will it be remembered?

Aug. 7. 1945

By Jane Feehan

Today is the 66^th anniversary of a cataclysmic event, the dropping of an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Will it be mentioned in the news? With so much ignorance of our history these days, I’m compelled to make note of it here. It’s not Florida history, but it affected all in this nation - and is still cause for debate. Caution: no weapon (anywhere) has ever been developed that has NOT been used.

A sentence from The Miami News story above, August 7, 1945:

Iron censorship was clamped on details of the atom bombing of Hiroshoma by the U.S. strategic air forces today, but from the stunned enemy finally came admission that the terrific new weapon had done great damage.

The U.S did not reveal any statistics that day but President Truman released a statement, included, in part here:

We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. We shall destroy their docks, their factories, and their communications. Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan’s power to make war. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.

The toll of destruction eventually reported:

60 percent of Hiroshima had been leveled.

80,000 people were killed instantly.

Another 50,000 to 60,000 died in the months following.

Of the total killed, 10,000 were Japanese troops.

Still no Japanese surrender. On August 9, another bomb – a plutonium bomb – was dropped on Nagasaki, killing 70,000.  The Japanese surrendered August 14, 1945.

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Sources:

Miami News, Aug. 7, 1945

McCullough, David. Truman. New York: Simon & Shuster, 1992