“You still haven’t met all the people who are going to love you.” ~ Unknown
foundation
Running a place like Shakertown, or any historic site, takes careful consideration in how the site is presented to visitors. One of the things I like about Shakertown is that, for the most part, they haven’t recreated the buildings. Restored, revitalized, reused, yes, but not rebuilt (barns and some rock walls not withstanding). They’ve left the remains of the past in place, like the foundation of the ice house above, and instead, focused their energies and money on buildings that need conservation. I rather enjoy ruins. They tell us a lot about the people, place, and culture without recreating anything. Even an old stone walkway like that leading from the Center Family Dwelling below tells us something about the Shakers. Maybe they were so industrious they needed designated walkways or maybe walkways were in keeping with their beliefs that order brought them closer to God. Whatever the case, I like to make up my own mind about what isn’t there instead of someone else’s interpretation of how it might once have looked. Plus, ruins make me appreciate archaeologists all the more.
walkway
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