VIDEOS + PODCAST

PODCAST: COMPELLING HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN OTHER

—ABOUT THIS PODCAST—

This podcast by South Union Shaker Village a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Shakers. Once marked as others, members of the United Society of Believers commonly known as Shakers reject many foundations of American culture, yet they have endured for more than two centuries.

Taking a deep dive into the history of the South Union Shakers we reveal remarkable human stories not found in history textbooks. Exploring the trials and triumphs of these nineteenth century Americans, we share the stories of Shakers of distinction, those who lived lives of quiet service, and those who left the village for life anew.

—VIDEOS—

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Furniture Friday: Wardrobe - This week’s Furniture Friday is a large wardrobe made by the Shakers at South Union.

Furniture Friday: Wardrobe

This week’s Furniture Friday is a large ward...

Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Molly Goodrich - Molly Goodrich was the first Eldress of South Union and served alongside Elder Benjamin Seth Youngs. She was a pioneer in helping establish the Western villages, and was much beloved by the members of the society at South Union. You can learn more about Molly and many more remarkable women in our exhibit, “Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Shaker Women at South Union.”

Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Molly Goodrich

Molly Goodrich was the first Eldress of South Unio...

Furniture Friday: Blanket Chest - This week’s feature is a unique object in the collection, a footed blanket chest.

Furniture Friday: Blanket Chest

This week’s feature is a unique object in th...

Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Lucy Shannon - Our new exhibit, “Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Shaker Women at South Union” highlights different women in the village and the opportunities they had that many in “the world” were not afforded. Today we are looking at Lucy Shannon who, as journal writer Harvey Eades notes, “stood as chief nurse and physician for some 30 or 40 years.” You can learn more about Lucy, see original medicinal “receipts” and read about the other remarkable women of South Union by visiting our new exhibit. Many thanks to the Ridley and Hull Group of Wells Fargo Advisors for sponsoring this exhibit.

Equality is Stamped Upon Them: Lucy Shannon

Our new exhibit, “Equality is Stamped Upon T...

Furniture Friday: Drop Leaf Table - This week we are back in the kitchen with a drop leaf table made here at South Union.

Furniture Friday: Drop Leaf Table

This week we are back in the kitchen with a drop l...

Furniture Friday: Food Safe - With the holidays fast approaching it’s time to start making your pies! Today we are looking at a piece the Shakers used for storing their pies and baked goods. Food safes, now called pie safes, were an important part of the American household before ice boxes came into regular use. This piece is one of two safes in the South Union museum collection.

Furniture Friday: Food Safe

With the holidays fast approaching it’s time...

Furniture Friday: Slab or Hunt Board - This week we have another Southern piece for you: the slab, or hunt board. Watch to learn about the Shakers and alcohol.

Furniture Friday: Slab or Hunt Board

This week we have another Southern piece for you: ...

Furniture Friday: The Victorian Shaker Era - The Victorian period of the Shakers is often overlooked because it does not fit the “simple” characteristic. This period room exhibits how the Shakers adapted and changed over time, specifically in the latter half of the 19th century.

Furniture Friday: The Victorian Shaker Era

The Victorian period of the Shakers is often overl...

Furniture Friday: Child’s Chair - Many people ask about children at the Shaker village and the furniture made for them. This child’s chair is an excellent example of how the Shakers made smaller versions of chairs for the children in the community.

Furniture Friday: Child’s Chair

Many people ask about children at the Shaker villa...

Furniture Friday: Back Where it Belongs - This is one of several pieces photographed in the front hall of the Centre House in the 1920s that has returned to its original home.

Furniture Friday: Back Where it Belongs

This is one of several pieces photographed in the ...

Today we have another comparative look at architecture and furniture. This staircase and a dining table, both featured in the Index of American Design, show close relation to one another. Both drawings of the stairs and table will be posted in the comments.

Today we have another comparative look at architec...

Furniture Friday: Painting the Restored Desk - This week for #FurnitureFriday we have an update on the progress of the desk restoration. We'd like to thank the many people who have made this possible along the way: Ernie and Elaine Ezell for donating the desk and funding the restoration; Roger Ryan for completing the restoration of the desk; Susan Buck of Colonial Williamsburg for the paint analysis that revealed this brilliant yellow to be the original color; Erica Sanchez-Goodwillie for creating the paint in the same fashion the Shakers would have; and Jack Perry for painting the desk.

Furniture Friday: Painting the Restored Desk

This week for #FurnitureFriday we have an update o...

Furniture Friday: Corner Cabinet - Today’s subject is a corner cupboard that shows the relation between furniture making and architecture at South Union.

Furniture Friday: Corner Cabinet

Today’s subject is a corner cupboard that sh...

Furniture Friday: A Comparative Look - While you may not think of a staircase as “furniture,” this week we are taking a comparative look at the back stairs of the Centre House and a South Union table. When you look at specific features of both, it is clear that the two are related, and possibly even made by the same carpenter.

Furniture Friday: A Comparative Look

While you may not think of a staircase as “f...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SUGAR CHEST - This week we are looking at a traditional southern form, the sugar chest. In the 19th century, sugar was packaged and sold in cones called a sugarloaf. When you needed sugar, you simply broke a piece off. This particular sugar chest was made here in the village and was acquired by the museum in 1996.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SUGAR CHEST

This week we are looking at a traditional southern...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: DOUBLE BEDS! - Many people don’t think of double beds in a Shaker village, but here we have an early example of one.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: DOUBLE BEDS!

Many people don’t think of double beds in a ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: DESK RESTORATION WITH HISTORICALLY ACCURATE PIGMENTS - This desk, which has origins here at South Union, has been restored and is ready to be painted using historically accurate pigments and techniques. Stay tuned for the final product!

FURNITURE FRIDAY: DESK RESTORATION WITH HISTORICALLY ACCURATE PIGMENTS

This desk, which has origins here at South Union, ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: A RARE, SOUTH UNION ARMED ROCKER - We hope you will enjoy this week’s examination of a rare, South Union armed rocker.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: A RARE, SOUTH UNION ARMED ROCKER

We hope you will enjoy this week’s examinati...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: WALNUT TABLE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE COLLECTION SINCE THE 1960s - A piece of furniture having simple lines does not always always equate to that piece being Shaker.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: WALNUT TABLE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE COLLECTION SINCE THE 1960s

A piece of furniture having simple lines does not ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: STONE TABLE WHICH FUNCTIONED AS AN OUTDOOR WORK SPACE - This week we have a bit of an unusual but interesting piece. A stone table now placed over underground drains discovered through archaeology.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: STONE TABLE WHICH FUNCTIONED AS AN OUTDOOR WORK SPACE

This week we have a bit of an unusual but interest...

ARTIFACT FINDS + MYSTERIES FROM THE 1854 WASH HOUSE - Today we are looking at some great finds from the 1854 Wash House!

ARTIFACT FINDS + MYSTERIES FROM THE 1854 WASH HOUSE

Today we are looking at some great finds from the ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SOUTH UNION SHAKER MADE BED - This week’s feature is an original South Union bed.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SOUTH UNION SHAKER MADE BED

This week’s feature is an original South Uni...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT - Today we are looking at a piece that traveled both near and far with the Shakers on their peddling trips.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT

Today we are looking at a piece that traveled both...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: A PRISONER MADE ROCKER IN OUR COLLECTION - Today’s feature is a penitentiary rocker that was used here at South Union Shaker Village.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: A PRISONER MADE ROCKER IN OUR COLLECTION

Today’s feature is a penitentiary rocker tha...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CLEANER + BETTER THAN EVER - Enjoys today’s feature of a built-in cupboard in the 1824 Centre House!

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CLEANER + BETTER THAN EVER

Enjoys today’s feature of a built-in cupboar...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: EARLY BUREAU - Today’s piece is a bureau with a unique secret compartment

FURNITURE FRIDAY: EARLY BUREAU

Today’s piece is a bureau with a unique secr...

HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH: WASH HOUSE UPDATE - To finish out #HistoricPreservationMonth, today we are giving a small tour of the Wash House boiler room.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH: WASH HOUSE UPDATE

To finish out #HistoricPreservationMonth, today we...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: TRESTLE TABLE - Today for #FurnitureFriday we are looking at three trestle tables in the collection.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: TRESTLE TABLE

Today for #FurnitureFriday we are looking at three...

FROM THE COLLECTION: NEWLY DISCOVERED SILVER SPOON - From the Collection: a silver spoon recently discovered in the 1854 Wash House.

FROM THE COLLECTION: NEWLY DISCOVERED SILVER SPOON

From the Collection: a silver spoon recently disco...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: RESTORED DOCUMENT CHEST - This week’s feature is a document chest that has been restored thanks to Roger Ryan!

FURNITURE FRIDAY: RESTORED DOCUMENT CHEST

This week’s feature is a document chest that...

FROM THE COLLECTION: ELDRESS NANCY MOORE'S COTTON KERCHIEF - Today we are looking at a cotton kerchief that belonged to Eldress Nancy Moore.

FROM THE COLLECTION: ELDRESS NANCY MOORE'S COTTON KERCHIEF

Today we are looking at a cotton kerchief that bel...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: LINEN PRESS FORM UNIQUE TO SUSV - This week we are taking a look at one of six linen presses in the collection.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: LINEN PRESS FORM UNIQUE TO SUSV

This week we are taking a look at one of six linen...

HISTORIC PRESERVATION UPDATE: MAY 2020 - To celebrate Historic Preservation Month, today we are featuring the last of nine restored windows in the 1846 Ministry Shop. This project was made possible by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION UPDATE: MAY 2020

To celebrate Historic Preservation Month, today we...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CHERRY SEWING DESK - Today we are looking at a cherry sewing desk with some very unique features!

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CHERRY SEWING DESK

Today we are looking at a cherry sewing desk with ...

INSIDE THE COLLECTION: Snuff Box - Today we are looking at an object in our collection that belonged to Malinda Buchanan, the first Kentuckian to become an Eldress in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This snuff box was donated to the museum last year by Cheryl Kline. You can see this object, and others relating to the women of South Union, in a new exhibit opening later this year.

INSIDE THE COLLECTION: Snuff Box

Today we are looking at an object in our collectio...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: ICONIC FOOD SAFE - This week we are looking at one of the pieces that never left South Union.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: ICONIC FOOD SAFE

This week we are looking at one of the pieces that...

RESTORATION AT SOUTH UNION: 1854 Wash House Update - Thank you all again for your support and interest in the 1854 Wash House. We will provide updates as we continue with our progress in restoration.

RESTORATION AT SOUTH UNION: 1854 Wash House Update

Thank you all again for your support and interest ...

RESTORATION AT SOUTH UNION: 1854 Wash House Renovation Update - Thank you all for your continued support of our Wash House renovation! Here is a brief update on the current state of restoration of the building.

RESTORATION AT SOUTH UNION: 1854 Wash House Renovation Update

Thank you all for your continued support of our Wa...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CASE PIECE - Today we are looking at case pieces and built-ins in the Centre House. #southunion #shakervillage #susv #kyshakers #kyhistory #shakerhistory #materialculture #museumcollection #shakerfurniture #shakercabinets #shakermade #thisplacematters

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CASE PIECE

Today we are looking at case pieces and built-ins ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SHAKER CHAIRS - This week for #FurnitureFriday we are in the 1846 Ministry Shop comparing two styles of Shaker chairs. #southunion #shakervillage #susv #shakerfurniture #shakermade #kyshakers #kyshakervillage #museumcollection #materialculture #shakerchair

FURNITURE FRIDAY: SHAKER CHAIRS

This week for #FurnitureFriday we are in the 1846 ...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CHERRY TABLES - This week’s #FurnitureFriday video will compare two cherry South Union tables. We hope you all enjoy this!

FURNITURE FRIDAY: CHERRY TABLES

This week’s #FurnitureFriday video will comp...

FURNITURE FRIDAY: Shaker vs “Worldly” - Here is this week’s #FurnitureFriday! Enjoy this comparison of a Shaker candlestand and a “worldly” candlestand made around the same time.

FURNITURE FRIDAY: Shaker vs “Worldly”

Here is this week’s #FurnitureFriday! Enjoy ...

A Bird's Eye View of SUSV - This glorious footage was created by Jon Fleenor as a gift to the South Union Shaker Village. If a bird had flown over the village in the 19th century it would have seen about 150 more buildings. Today there are only ten structures remaining, but don't they look like jewels on a carpet of green?

A Bird's Eye View of SUSV

This glorious footage was created by Jon Fleenor a...

Load more
Shaker Villagevideos + podcasts