This abandoned Kentucky village was once a thriving Shaker utopia

Wikimedia Commons/Lester Jones

Three Missionaries’ 800-Mile Journey to Kentucky’s Pleasant Hill

On New Year’s Day 1805, three Shaker men set out on foot from New York to Kentucky. They walked 800 miles through winter snow to spread their faith.

By summer, they had won their first converts on Elisha Thomas’s farm. Soon after, 44 believers signed a pact to share all they owned.

The group grew fast, setting up three “family” units plus a place for newcomers. Despite humble starts, their farming skills helped them thrive…

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