Shaker Meetinghouse (second), U.S. Route 20, Hancock, Berkshire County, MA. Surveyed as HABS MASS,2-HANC,16-, with 1 photograph and a 754-word written history.
“Ul, 5 miles west of Pittsfield, Hancock, Berkshire County, Massachusetts Shaker Community", Inc. , Hancock, Massachusetts Exhibition area This building is an excellent example of early- Shaker church architecture. m”
Written record, HABS MASS,2-HANC,16- survey. Machine-read text.
surveyed by the federal HABS program as HABS MASS,2-HANC,16- · the record runs 754 words · one of 80 surveyed structures published for this county.
1 photograph from the federal survey record, Library of Congress.
Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,2-HANC,16-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.
North side of U.S. Rt. 20 near intersection with State Rt. Ul, 5 miles west of Pittsfield, Hancock, Berkshire County, Massachusetts Shaker Community", Inc. , Hancock, Massachusetts Exhibition area This building is an excellent example of early- Shaker church architecture. m PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: None. 3- Original and subsequent owners: United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, Shirley, Massachusetts society; State of Massachusetts, Industrial School for Boys at Shirley; obtained from the State in by Shaker Community, Inc., moved to Hancock in k. Builder, suppliers, etc.: Moses Johnson, a Shaker from En- field, New Hampshire, was the builder. Native materials were used. 5.
Original plans, construction, etc.: No record. 6. Alterations and additons: There has been extensive alter- ation to the. interior of the building; most of the wall surfaces have been changed. However, much of the original trim remains. The division of room area is recent. B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: The building was once occupied by Shaker apostates who held it for four days against the rightful owners. This was also the scene of many unusual religious rituals. C. Sources of Information: 1. Old views: There is a photo-electrotype in Robinson, Charles Edson. A Concise History of the United Society of Believers Called Shakers. East Canterbury, New SHAKER MEETINGHOUSE (SECOND) HABS No. MASS-T2^ (Page 2) Hampshire, p. 55- 2.
Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,2-HANC,16-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.
Andrews, Edward Peming. A Shaker Meetin gh ouse and Its Builder . June, Bolton, Ethel Stanwood. Shirley Uplands and Intervales . Boston, 9 p. Chandler, Rev. Seth. History; of the Town of Shirley , Massachusetts . Shirley, p. Howells, William Dean. Three Villages . Boston, pp. The Diary of William Bentley, Pastor of the East Church, Salem, Massachusetts , Vol. 11 (January, 1793-December, Essex Institute, 1 * pp. "The Shirley Shakers," The Manifesto , East Canterbury, Hew Hampshire (December, s p. (from the Fitchburg Daily Sentinel). 3. Sources not yet investigated: Official Hancock Church records - when located. Prepared by Edward Peming Andrews Curator Shaker Community, Inc. March 22, PART II.. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. Pescription of Exterior: 1.
Foundations: There is a stone foundation with a four foot deep crawl space. 2. Wall construction, finish and color: The corner boards are beaded and clapboards are beveled and lapped at the ends. 3. Structural system, framing: The building has a typical late Century gambrel-roof type framing. The rafters are pegged at the ridge. A purlin is supported by four columns on each side of the second floor. All second floor girders are diagonally braced to supporting columns. All members are 8x8 hewn timbers with the exception of the heavier girders at the floor levels. Original girders are supported by large member approximately thirty inches SHAKEB MEETINGHOUSE (SECOND) HABS No. MASS-72U (Page 3) in depth, which in turn is supported on two piers and a stone foundation at either end. U.
Doorways and doors: There are raised panel exterior doors with stone steps and wooden railings at each entrance. 5. Roof: There is a gambrel roof with three dormer windows. B. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a. First floor: There is a large meetingroom with two entrance halls and two stairways. b. Second floor: There is evidence of partitions dividing the area at the center line of the interior columns. c. Third floor: This floor was nonexistent "before restoration; now there is evidence of early floor framing. 2. Wall and ceiling finish: All of the structural members are encased in finished wood or "behind plaster surfaces. Original benches remain at perimeter walls, but some benches have been removed. Prepared by Terry Hallock Architect Shaker Community, Inc. PART III.
PROJECT INFORMATION The information in this report is incomplete, but has been included in the Historic American Buildings Survey's collection because of the special knowledge of the authors. Edward Deming Andrews, a notable author on Shaker history, religion, and arts, compiled the historical data. The restoration architect of the Hancock Shaker community, Terry Hallock, supplied the architectural data. June,
| Hancock, Massachusetts | The place record: every map, photograph and survey of this town. |
| Berkshire County, Massachusetts | 397 topographic sheets across the county. |
| Library of Congress record | The original filed report, and the sheets the survey produced. Those published here appear above. |
The federal surveyors worked through Hancock building by building. These are the other structures they measured and filed a report on, longest report first.
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