In 1816, Kentucky Shakers built a dwelling where newcomers learned about the community; the last surviving North Lot building is now getting a $1.5M restoration to reopen by 2029

Shaker believers in Mercer County began dismantling a frame house on December 16, 1816, to build a new dwelling about a mile northeast of their village centre. The move was deliberate. The Shaker community was growing, and they needed a proper place for new converts to live and learn about Shaker life. The new building welcomed seekers, those who were curious about the doctrines of Mother Ann Lee, the founder of the community. For over a century, the North Lot Family Dwelling served as a place where people decided whether to join the community.

Two centuries later, that building stands nearly empty, its structural integrity compromised by decades of neglect. However, Kentucky’s preservation community has decided that it deserves a resurrection. A $1.5 million restoration has begun, and by 2029, the North Lot Family Dwelling will reopen, this time as a gathering space for different reasons, of course.

An 1816 dwelling gets a second life

The 210-year-old Shaker building that once served as a home for newcomers is being restored in a $1.5 million project, with plans to welcome visitors again by 2029. Shaker Village has received a $750,000 federal grant through the Save America’s Treasures programme from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, to support the restoration of the historic North Lot Family Dwelling, one of the most significant structures within the Village’s 3,000-acre National Historic Landmark.

“This is a transformative moment for Shaker Village,” Billy Rankin, Shaker Village President & CEO, said in a press release. “The North Lot Family Dwelling tells a powerful story about how the Shakers formed their community and connected with their fellow Kentuckians throughout the 19th century. Restoring this building allows that story to be shared in a way that has never been possible before. Plus, it will act as the ‘front porch’ of the Village since its placement along historic Highway 68 is the first Shaker structure many see when approaching the Village.”

The building is currently at risk due to structural and water damage. The restoration will be done via a three-phase approach, which includes structural repairs, masonry and exterior restoration, and full upgrades to mechanical systems.The total restoration will cost an estimated $1.5 million. The federal grant has been matched by funding from the Team Kentucky GRANT Program, private donor contributions, and in-kind support from Shaker Village’s preservation team. The restoration will be complete within three years, with plans to reopen the North Lot Family Dwelling in 2029.

What the North Lot once represented

The Shaker settlement at Pleasant Hill grew rapidly in the early 1800s. New converts arrived in waves, drawn by reports of successful communal farming, orderly worship, and a faith that promised salvation through confession and celibacy. The community needed intake stations. Housing was scarce, but inviting newcomers into established family units was not an option. So they built several dwellings, and the North Lot became one of two gathering orders at Pleasant Hill, a place where visitors could apprentice in communal life before choosing permanent membership. People who chose to commit were moved to the village, into one of the larger family dwellings that still dot the 3,000-acre landscape today.

The North Lot once had about a dozen buildings. Many lived, worked, and followed their spiritual paths there. While some converted, others left. This North Lot building, now awaiting a second life, is the only one standing. It is a three-storey timber-frame building that had five bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a large sitting area that doubled as meeting space.Families lived, worked, and assessed their spiritual readiness there. Some converted. Many left. The building that survives was three storeys, with sturdy timber-frame construction, designed to accommodate a rotating population of uncertain believers. This is where the newcomers experienced Shaker routines like communal meals, work assignments, and worship practices. The building functioned as both residence and classroom.

By the time Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill acquired the North Lot property in 1966, the Shaker community at Pleasant Hill had long since ceased to operate as a religious community. In the late 1970s, restoration began and was completed in 1981. From the following year, the building hosted retreats, guests, and small groups in a quiet setting. This arrangement lasted until 2008. That’s when U.S. Highway 68 effectively erased the North Lot from the visitor experience. The building was later closed, and maintenance was neglected. By 2016, the building was in serious disrepair and at risk of further deterioration.