Canterbury Shaker Village, NH Photos

Canterbury Shaker Village, situated northeast of Concord, was established in 1792 to practice the Shaking Quaker faith which had been established in England by Ann Lee in 1774. At its height in the 1850s, over 300 people lived at Canterbury in 100 buildings. Being astute business people, the Shakers prospered by selling seed packets, textiles, brooms & the simply-designed practical, labor-saving furnishings for which the Shakers are now remembered. The Shakers are considered the most successful Utopian communities ever. They practiced celibacy, so depended on recruitment. Thus the last Canterbury member died in 1992 & the village became a museum.