Site of the Groveland Shaker Community - Groveland, NY - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com

On this site visitors will find a large New York Historical plaque stating the following:

"Site of the Groveland Shaker Community

On this site the eighteenth and last Shaker community in America was founded in 1836 by members of the Sodus Bay Shaker community. The Shakers, formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, were a religious communal group that came from England in 1774. The first settlement was in Watervliet near Albany, N.Y. Known for their industry and diligence, the Shakers sold lumber, agricultural products and handicrafts. Their founder, Mother Ann Lee, incorporated simple dance movements and singing in the worship ritual. The practice of celibacy made them dependent on converts and the adoption of orphans for membership. A decline in membership and financial problems led to the closing of the Groveland community in 1892, and the remaining members moved to the Shaker community at Watervliet, N.Y. The Shakers sold the Groveland property to the State of New York in 1894 for the purpose of establishing the Craig Colony for Epileptics which became a noted institution for the care of the handicapped."

Of the original Shaker site at Sodus Bay, three buildings still stand on the private Alasa Farms, including a dwelling house and the Deacon House. At Groveland (the area is now known by its original Indian name of Sonyea) five buildings remain, three within the confines of the prison grounds, two outside the prison off New York State Route 36, and one which has been moved to the Genesee Country Village at Mumford, New York. Behind the fences and barbed wire of the prison, the 1858 four story East Family House remains, albeit its cupola and its fourth floor interior were ruined by a 1988 fire.

For more information about the Shaker's in Western New York please visit the following site: (visit link)

Blue Plaque managing agency: Education Department and Department of Correctional Services Individual Recognized: Shaker Community in Western New York Web Address: [Web Link] Physical Address: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   02/10/2008 PTCrazy visited it

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