Village@work

If You Build It…

May 20, 2021Billy Rankin

Billy Rankin, VP of Public Programming and Marketing

This is the fifth part of our behind-the-scenes look at the development of Local Economies, Global Impacts, a new exhibition that will open this fall at Shaker Village.

In previous posts we introduced three main goals that the team at Shaker Village keep in mind when developing any new exhibit:

Today we’re going to get our hands dirty, as we enter the fabrication phase of this exhibit!

*Floor plans like this provide a quick touchpoint to cross reference the graphics, artifacts and built environment of an exhibit space.*

A Little Help from Our Friends

Over the last several months the Shaker Village team has been researching and reviewing content, examining artifacts and working on the design of Local Economies, Global Impacts. This project was not undertaken alone. We’ve partnered with outside scholars and a nationally-recognized exhibit design firm. We’ve funded the project through private donations and a matching grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

It’s hokey, I know, but it really does take a village.

We’re now entering the all-important fabrication phase, where each component of the exhibition will be constructed and fit together. Strategic partnerships will be as important as ever.

Much like a major home interior renovation, constructing a museum exhibit takes special skillsets that not everyone will have. At Shaker Village however, we are fortunate to have skilled carpenters, like Terry Cowart, who can produce the cases, platforms and frames called for in our exhibit designs.

*Team members from Shaker Village on a visit to the exhibit fabrication shop of Solid Light, in Louisville.*

There are also many components in this exhibit’s design that our carpentry team would not be able to tackle. Printed graphics, metal work, interactive displays and large models are a few examples of items that we will outsource to professional exhibit fabricators. In Kentucky, we happen to be home to one of the best exhibit fabrication firms in the country, Solid Light. Items that will be too much for our team to bite off will be produced offsite and installed in tandem with the portions of the exhibition built in-house.

All About the Details

Have you ever heard the saying, measure twice, cut once? When you work on an exhibit design produced by one firm that will be built by two different teams working in two different locations, you measure at least half a dozen times before you can sleep at night!

*Curator Becky Soules measures artifacts to ensure case designs will provide adequate space for display.*

Not only do the different components need to fit together, but the location of heating vents and electrical outlets, and the swing direction of every door must be accounted for in the final product.

For the past two weeks, and for the next two weeks, our teams have been meeting to review details, compare notes, and spend some time together in each of the spaces where exhibits are to be installed. Open communication and clear guidance are keys to making sure the pieces fit together when they are finally placed in the 1845 East Family Brethren’s Shop and 1855 East Family Sisters’ Shop.

*Case “schedules” are provided as a reference for fabricators, ensuring each team member has the correct number and dimensions of “typical” design elements.*

Making Sawdust

*Lumber orders for “typical” elements are arriving and being pre-cut for use in the exhibit.*

Some details of “atypical” elements in the exhibit are still being massaged out, but construction can begin in earnest on many of the “typical” elements. These include artifact stands and platforms.

Materials that can be ordered are on the way or already onsite. We all love the process and understand the importance of each step along the way. However, in the words of Terry Cowart: “It feels good to finally start making some sawdust on this project.”

Next Month: We’ll continue our journey through the fabrication of Local Economies, Global Impacts.

Local Economies, Global Impacts is funded in part through a Museums for America matching grant, administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

Preserving Shaker Village One Repair at a Time

May 16, 2021Shaker Village

Shelby Jones, Director of Communications

May is recognized nationally as Preservation Month, and has been celebrated in some form since 1973 with the National Trust for Historic Preservation leading the charge. This special month allows us to promote historic places along with heritage tourism. It also lets us shine the spotlight on the people who perform the hands-on work of repairing and caring for historic sites like Shaker Village.

Terry Cowart is Shaker Village’s Carpenter, and an expert in historic restoration. His dedication and love for honoring the Shaker legacy is apparent in every project he works on. In recognition of Preservation Month, we asked Cowart a few questions about his work and the importance of preservation.

Tell us about your background, have you always been a woodworker? Did you always want to do this as a career

I’ve been involved with woodworking all of my life, and professionally since 1981. I am more of what’s referred to as an architectural woodworker in lieu of a carpenter. I’ve met many carpenters that I couldn’t hold a candle to. My partner here in the woodshop, Robert Brown, is one such carpenter who recently returned to Shaker Village.

My background is more centered around custom cabinetry, architectural millwork and moldings. My father was a cabinet maker and his father before him. It was always a given that this is the field I would pursue since when I wasn’t at school as a child you could find me at my father’s woodshop. I do truly love it.

When you’re preparing to work on a project involving a historic building how do you prepare? Is there research involved? What departments or teams at Shaker Village do you collaborate with?

Generally, we access as many historical and architectural plans and details that we have on file such as the Historic American Building Survey plans. We review any particular area or building to assess the profiles, species and method of joinery, and any damage or decay that may have affected the site. Usually, we try to use existing or reclaimed original material that we store here at the Village. This involves species identification and sometimes requires outsourcing other reclaimed materials.

Our maintenance team, lead by Maintenance Foreman Mike Brown, and paint department that includes Mike Worthington and Bobby Dixon are critical to most projects. Many of our restorations involve plumbing, electrical, HVAC and the all-important old school quality paint finishes Mike and Bobby provide. We also collaborate with the programming team in all phases of design, production, finish and installation. It really is a group effort here at Shaker Village.

*Centre Family Dwelling during a large scale renovation project. Cowart used Shaker methods of construction to assist in the project.*

What are some of the challenges of working on historic spaces?

One important aspect I have learned in historical preservation work is identifying what is original construction, so that we can duplicate it to the best of our ability. The Shakers left a challenging and exacting act to follow. I am constantly humbled at the excellence and quality of even the most unseen areas of joinery. I count it as an honor to come behind to repair or duplicate their work.

What surprises or inspires you about the craftsmanship of the Shakers?

I am constantly inspired and awed at examples of Shaker woodworking. Their pursuit of excellence and purity is evident at every turn. What they were able to achieve is a direct reflection of these pursuits through their faith.

Are there key differences between the tools that the Shakers used to build structures versus the modern tools you have at your disposal? How much faster do you think you can complete a project compared to the time it took the Shakers to do the same thing?

We use many of the same tools today, however; a lot of today’s tools are battery, electric or compressed air driven, but their functions are much the same. I had a recent discussion with my colleague, Robert Brown, about how the Shakers achieved joinery with the tools they had in the same or even less time it requires us to achieve the same results.

*The on-site woodhouse is a busy place with a constant flow of projects.*

What’s your favorite historic project that you’ve worked on?

The preservation and rehabilitation of the Centre Family Dwelling and Meeting House were my indoctrination to the Shaker methods of construction. I was hooked from the beginning and am proud of my efforts there.

A close second, is the window sash, component repair and replacement at the East Family Dwelling. We did indeed use modern tooling to replicate the window sashes in this building. They are true divided light six over six’s and nine over nine’s, with mortised and tenoned through rails and center stiles with wooden peg joinery.

*Window sashes made by Cowart for the East Family Dwelling.*

Is there an upcoming project you’re looking forward to working on next?

In addition to other roles, I do a good bit of design and production on exhibit platforms and display cases for the newly rehabbed areas of different buildings. We are currently planning and staging this type of project for the East Family Brethren’s Shop and the East Family Sister’s Shop. I am able to employ what design or engineering skills I can muster to revise and alter the architectural plans we have on Auto CAD. I have previous experience in the digital design world, so this is a most handy skill to employ here. I enjoy handling large scale projects like this and I’m looking forward to it.

If there’s one thing you’d want someone to know about working on historic projects what would it be?

I have found that if you just give yourself over to the project, pursue excellence and purity at every turn, and do everything to the best of your ability, this place rewards you with the most job satisfaction I have known. It’s priceless really.

To learn more about historic preservation projects at Shaker Village visit our website. Additionally, you can learn how to support these projects to continue the legacy of the Pleasant Hill Shakers.

Preserving the Shaker Legacy

April 29, 2021Shaker Village

Melissa Williams, Development Coordinator

It’s fascinating to look through photographs from the time between when the Shakers closed their covenant at Pleasant Hill in 1910 and the opening of the Village in 1968 as an educational nonprofit organization. These photographs tell a five-decade story of change, care, preservation and deterioration, as private citizens took ownership and utilized many Shaker buildings for their homes and businesses.

Despite the changing uses of the buildings, the legacy of the Shaker community, their faith, and their values have endured at Pleasant Hill. Local residents and those who passed through the Village on U.S. Highway 68 recognized that Pleasant Hill represented something very important, and it needed to be preserved and shared with future generations.

Preservation efforts gained momentum during the 1950s as private citizens came together in a more organized way. In 1961 – 60 years ago –our non-profit organization was formalized and incorporated. Tasked with the enormous undertaking of acquiring the remaining Shaker structures and the land previously held by the Shakers, the organization set to work raising funds and restoring the buildings to their mid-19^th century aesthetics.

Earl D. Wallace, chairman at Shakertown at Pleasant Hill, Inc., breaks ground at the former Shaker community to celebrate the beginning of a 12-month construction and restoration project costing more than $1 million. June 21, 1966. The Courier-Journal.

The initial restoration and preservation of the Village is an inspiring story, illustrating the allure Pleasant Hill has held since it was settled by the Shakers 216 years ago. But the $1 million restoration project carried out in the 1960s is just the beginning of the preservation of the site. In the decades that followed, our nonprofit has worked to preserve the restoration, with this work continuing today

Over the last decade, Shaker Village craftsman have conducted at least $1 million of work each year to ensure the long-term preservation of the 34 historic buildings on the site, as well as the cultural landscape. Our long-term historic preservation plan is based on this level of spending on an annual basis.

A price tag of at least $1 million a year seems like a lot of money, so how is that money spent?

The most immediately recognizable preservation projects are those that include a comprehensive work plan including the roof, doors, windows, interior woodwork, exterior siding, and masonry of the building. Since 2016, Shaker Village has completed such projects for the 1815 Carpenters’ Shop, 1820 Meeting House, 1824-34 Centre Family Dwelling, 1833 Water House and 1860 Brethren’s Bath House.

*East Family Dwelling during renovation.*

Currently Shaker Village craftsmen are undertaking a multi-year preservation project for the 1817 East Family Dwelling that began in 2019. If you have stayed this building’s overnight rooms in the last decade, you’ve seen firsthand the condition of the windows, which is one area of concern for this 16,000 sq. ft. building. Our carpenters and painters spent most of 2020 methodically working through repairs to window frames and sills on about one-third of the 79 existing windows; this work will continue until all of the windows have been restored. In 2020, our crew also completed repairs to several of the building’s doors and the wood shake roof was replaced. In the latter half of 2021, you’ll see scaffolding reappear around this building as stone masons begin the task of repointing and cleaning the exterior masonry.

While the historic preservation plan lays out 18 additional and upcoming comprehensive projects, preservation work happens on a smaller scale across the Village throughout the year.

*Painters working on building exterior.*

Each year the SVPH painters repair loose plaster on interior walls. The plaster will become loose over time due to regular use, environmental factors such as humidity, and water leaks created by deteriorating roofs, windows and doors as well as by leaks in the HVAC systems that serve the historic buildings.

The carpenters repair doors and thresholds. Doorways become damaged over time by regular use, water and humidity, sunlight and wind.

The stone mason repairs breaks in the historic stone fences. Changing temperatures slowly cause the rocks to shift and then topple. Sometimes human interactions also damage these landscape features. In 2020, we repaired 35 breaks in the fences ranging from 3 feet to 10 feet in length. Each linear foot costs between $40 and $60 to repair.

*Buildings and Grounds Manager Mike Brown receives an award for excellence in maintenance.*

The maintenance team keep the mechanical systems working. Shaker Village has a mix of systems that provide modern heating, air conditioning, and hot water to the historic buildings: The East Family buildings, Centre Family Dwelling, the Meeting House, the 1813 Old Ministry’s Shop and the 1824 Tanyard are heated and cooled by geothermal systems, while the West Family buildings, the 1839 Trustees’ Office and 1821 Ministry’s Workshop are serviced by boiler-chiller plants. These plants were originally installed in the 1960s and while some of the components of both plants have been upgraded in recent years, these systems are challenging to maintain.

Our nonprofit made a commitment to preserve the historic buildings and the cultural landscape when it formed in 1961. Over the last six decades, Shaker Village has carried through with that commitment. This work has been made possible by donors who have supported this powerful place with charitable gifts, and by our guests who have stayed overnight, dined at the Trustees’ Table, shopped and explored. The preservation of Pleasant Hill is work that will never be completely done, however, we are committed to doing our part as the stewards of Kentucky’s largest National Historic Landmark.

Learn more about preservation at Shaker Village and how you can get involved.

Ever wonder what lies behind a closed door? Learn how our guided tours take you to rarely-seen areas of the Village.

Holding Up The Mirror

April 17, 2021Billy Rankin

Billy Rankin, VP of Public Programming and Marketing

This is the fourth part of our behind-the-scenes look at the development of Local Economies, Global Impacts, a new exhibition that will open this summer at Shaker Village.

In previous posts we introduced three main goals that the team at Shaker Village keep in mind when developing any new exhibit:

Today we’re going to dive into the third goal: Be Relevant.

A recent rendering for the exhibition Local Economies, Global Impacts.

Universal Concepts

“Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile.” – Freeman Tildan

There are some things that all of us have in common. We all need water to survive. We all breath air. We interact with other humans. We all have some belief, or a system of values, that inform our lives.

Finding these common threads, or “universal” concepts, can build a bridge between your own experience and the experience of someone else.

Here’s an example relevant to our upcoming exhibit. I’m willing to bet that right now you are probably wearing clothes. (If you aren’t, let’s just keep that to yourself for now!)

Since you are wearing clothes, you are part of the textile industry.

Wool, linen and silk were the most prevalent textiles used for clothing and other needs at Pleasant Hill. The Shakers raised flocks of sheep for wool, fields of flax for linen and silk worms for their silk. They knew exactly where their resources were coming from, and how much was used each year.

Today, we are part of a global textile market. You probably don’t know where your shirt was made without checking the tag. It was also likely made in a place that you have never visited. And yet, we are still part of the same overall system, though on a larger scale, that the Shakers were part of. This will be true for every visitor to this exhibit.

Detailed specifications are used to design the cases, platforms and interactives for Local Economies, Global Impacts.

The Unexamined Life

Okay, so big deal. I wear clothes. The Shakers wore clothes. Is this supposed to be some sort of revelation?

Not exactly. It’s really just a foot in the door. The next steps are what really matter.

By interpreting universal concepts we are attempting to lead our visitors to two important considerations. The first is simply to take interest in how someone other than yourself has lived. This can require some level of empathy, and if the story is compelling and relatable you are more likely to care. Learning how to care about others, or at least take some interest in their lives, is a noble endeavor.

The second consideration we are guiding our guests toward is the examination of their own life. As I said in our last exhibit blog post – It’s not actually about the Shakers. It’s about you.

Many who proclaim a love of history enjoy the study of things that have already happened simply because they have already happened. There’s some security in that thought.

The more challenging, but infinitely more fulfilling approach to studying history is to actually learn from it. Not just names and dates. By learning the successes, struggles, beliefs and compromises of those who have come before us we build the mirror with which we can examine ourselves.

Local Economies, Global Impacts

Global markets are immensely detailed and complicated to understand. However, the basics of managing resources, production and trade have really not changed so much since the time of the Shakers at Pleasant Hill. In addition to the textile industry, our upcoming exhibit will tell the stories of the broom industry, Shaker mills and shops, trading routes, market places and Pleasant Hill’s business leaders.

When visiting the exhibit after it opens this summer, put yourself in the place of the Shakers. How would you handle situations they faced? What role might you play? When looking at your life today through this lens, do you discover anything about yourself?

Next Month: We’ll go behind-the-scenes for the fabrication of exhibit features for Local Economies, Global Impacts.

Local Economies, Global Impacts is funded in part through a Museums for America matching grant, administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

Communal Workspace – Then & Now

April 9, 2021Shaker Village

The Ministry’s Workshop at 200

Maggie McAdams, Education and Engagement Manager

“October 26, 1820: the Ministry’s Shop was raised and they moved into it the 9^th of April following.” Origins and Progress of the Society at Pleasant Hill

Members of the Pleasant Hill Ministry used the Ministry’s Workshop as an office space for almost 80 years. The Ministry, composed of two men and two women, provided spiritual leadership for the community, kept journals, conducted the official correspondence for the Village, and performed physical labor to set as an example of industry for the other Shakers.

The Ministry’s Workshop is conveniently located in the center of the Village, right next door to the Meeting House, where members of the Ministry had living quarters on the second floor. The Ministry’s Workshop embodied the secular work of the leadership while the Meeting House represented the spiritual role.

200 years later, we are still using the Ministry’s workshop as office space! Now home to Shaker Village’s Program Team, Farm Team and Preserve Team, this building continues to provide necessary space, in a convenient location, to keep this Village running.

*Members of the Program Team attending a training next to the Water House.*

The Program Team is tasked with interpreting the story of the Shakers for the public. Whether through programming or exhibitions, the team works hard to research and share the rich history of this community.

As a member of the Program Team, I feel honored to spend my workdays in a building that holds so much history, and my colleagues feel the same way. Not only is it a functional workspace, it is after all a Shaker structure with pegs and all, it is an inspiring structure as we are constantly reminded of the important legacy that surrounds us. It is empowering that we continue to use this building as a communal workspace where we collaborate on effective ways to share the Shaker experience with visitors. It also doesn’t hurt to have multiple windows in every room!