This lovely wooden building was built in the early 19th century by the Believers in the Second Coming of Christ, commonly known as the Shakers. Until 1908, they had a village in the southern part of Shirley, Massachusetts where they lived, worked, and worshiped together. The Shirley group was known for the quality of their seeds, herbs, mops, and brooms. They were respected for their kindness to all people and animals. When the community closed in 1908, their property was sold to the state of Massachusetts to be used as an Industrial School for Boys which evolved into a state prison.

This fall, the Shirley Historical Society, with the cooperation of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, will lead three guided tours of the historic Shaker Village site on Sundays September 17th, October 8th, and October 22nd. Starting at 12:30 pm, visitors meet inside this building for an introductory talk about the Shaker lifestyle and the founding of the Shirley community. They then board a prison van for a tour of the property and go inside two more Shaker buildings.

Reservations must be made and the $20 fee paid in advance at shirleyhistory.org. Contact mail@shirleyhistory.org for more details.