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.

For reservations, see The Inn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

Photograph via Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.