No matter the season, a visit to Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill promises a tranquil and scenic get-away.
Just a little background: Between 1805 and 1910, the village was home to the third largest Shaker community in the United States. Today it’s a place to immerse yourself in programs on art and history, experience agricultural practices in a hands-on way and relax and enjoy local food and music in original buildings that have been restored.
To visit is a walk back in time, to imagine the lifestyle that occupied the village more than a century ago plus sample the music, craftsmanship and workmanship that are synonymous with Shaker style.
The architecture of the buildings in the village is distinct, and there’s much to learn about the Shakers’ simpler way of life.
The village is self-contained with a restaurant, 13 restored Shaker buildings (there were many more once upon a time) that offer lodging, two gift shops with handmade crafts and special events all through the season, including a vintage baseball game each year on Father’s Day weekend.
Things to do
Explore the village. There are a variety of activities and programs that change seasonally. You can take walking tours with an interpreter exploring a variety of topics (such as rock fence construction), see exhibits about some of the most colorful Shakers, listen to a solo performance of a signature Shaker hymn and learn new skills at heritage craft workshops. Learn about vegetable and herb gardens and pet the animals at The Farm. While strolling the pathways, guests can use dozens of educational kiosks and interpretive signs to add context to the natural landscapes. Maybe of the buildings also contain museum exhibits. Oh, and the resident population of runner ducks can be especially entertaining.
Trails. Venture into The Preserve and hike to a water feature. The Preserve has 12 trails, totaling 36 miles, spread across 3,000 acres, starting from three trailheads. The trails are intended for hikers, horseback riders and carriage drivers and are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Cyclists are welcome, but the trails are not specifically maintained for mountain biking. Parking is available at each trailhead. Donations of any amount are used for trail maintenance. A trail map is available at shakervillageky.org.
Paddling. Bring your kayak or canoe and you can launch into the Kentucky River at Shaker Landing. Paddle up river on the Kentucky or take a detour onto the Dix River, a stocked trophy trout stream. The launch fee is $10.
Horseback riding: Though Shaker Village does not offer horses for trail rides, visitors can bring their own horses to explore the backcountry trails with forests, fields and creek crossings. Horse trailer parking is available at The Stable. A daily equestrian trail fee is $15 per person.
Where to stay
Though you can certainly stay in a nearby community, such as Harrodsburg or Danville, Shaker Village operates its own inn. It features 72 guest rooms, suites and private cottages in 13 historic Shaker Village buildings. The rooms contain furnishings in Shaker style. There’s plenty of space for sitting outside to stargaze or simply enjoy the outdoors, and there are fire pits available if making a s’more or two seems like the thing to do. Some of the buildings also are pet friendly.
What to eat
You can’t go wrong with the Trustees Table restaurant in Shaker Village when looking for sustenance. The kitchen crew uses seasonal farm-fresh vegetables from their own garden on the menu. A frequently sought-after entree is their fried chicken, but other southern fare is available including catfish. Signature menu items are tomato-celery soup, country ham biscuits and Shaker lemon pie. Shaker breakfast is a hearty early-day option and a buffet is offered on the weekends.
Other activities in the area
• Harrodsburg (8 miles away): Old Fort Harrod State Park
• Danville (13 miles away): Constitution Square Historic Site, Wilderness Trail Distillery, The Great American Dollhouse Museum, Pioneer Playhouse, Gypsy Run Brewery.
• Perryville (18 miles away): Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site (Civil War). Shaker Village, located at 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, Ky., is a good base location for accessing several sites on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or for visiting horse farms in the Bluegrass.
