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House Call: Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Were the Shakers the original modernists? The Shaker design philosophy—"Don't make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don't hesitate to make it beautiful"—brings to mind the "Less is more" credo of Mies van der Rohe. An elegant, minimalist—yet somehow grand—aesthetic is on display at the living history Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill; the 3,000-acre compound, founded in 1805, features 34 restored buildings, acres of farmland planted with heirloom varietals, and an extensive museum collection. Photos via Flickr.

May 4, 2009

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great post. thanks.

posted by recovergirl on 05/04/2009 at 04:16 am

i think i'm going to convert!

posted by lisa on 05/04/2009 at 02:08 pm

I've been there; it's more impressive in person. There's an orchard of heirloom apple trees.

posted by Molly S. on 05/04/2009 at 06:58 pm

superb images here.
love, love, love the shaker elegance and simplicity.
thank you for sharing it.

posted by kirsten on 05/04/2009 at 08:03 pm

Beautifully simple ... just beautifully real ... at a loss for words on how lovely this is.

posted by midcenturyjo on 05/05/2009 at 01:19 am

Thanks for the beautiful photos. My friend and I visited the village in 2007 while driving 3000 miles through the USA. What a trip!
Lize in Cape Town, South Africa

posted by Lize on 09/28/2009 at 01:56 pm

molly is a know it all.

posted by jtown on 01/22/2010 at 10:43 pm

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