Two Hundred Years of Kentucky History: The Revival of 1800 and South Union Shaker Village
Kentucky boasts a rich and unique faith history, and past communities of faith reveal the state’s legacy even into the present day. One such group is the Kentucky Shakers, a regional religious community that could once be found across the United States, and another is the revivalists of the Second Great Awakening. These faithfuls set the tone for hundreds of years in Kentucky and continue to inspire a legacy of unity and harmony among visitors exploring faith today.
South Union Shaker Village
Shaker communities believed in simplification. Their progressive theological practices emphasized communal living, pacifism, gender equality, withdrawal from worldly things, and sustainable living. In Kentucky, it was no different!
The South Union Shaker Village was a 6,000-acre farm in southern Kentucky where the South Union Shaker community lived from 1807 to its closure in 1922. The massive complex — which became known as the village of South Union — contained over two hundred buildings, including dormitories, shops, barns, and stables. It even has a mill complex that was unrivaled in the area at the time. Shakers were known throughout America to craft spectacular material goods, like furniture. You can see such furniture, textiles, tools, and other household items at South Union thanks to efforts in the 1960s to preserve Shaker culture through the Shaker Museum at South Union, found in the 1824 Centre House on the property.
Today, you can visit some of the original Shaker architecture on 500 acres of the original village. While only nine of the 200+ remain, these buildings offer a fantastic glimpse into the past and daily lives of the Shakers at South Union. Learn more about the community in the museum — part of the South Union Shakertown Historic Trail and included in the US National Register of Historic Places.
Red River Meeting House
Did you know that the Second Great Awakening began in Loganville, Kentucky? The Revival of 1800 — also known as the Red River Revival and the first religious camp meeting in America — was held from June 13-17, 1800 and sparked a religious fervor that joined with many other evangelical movements across America in the early nineteenth century.
The Red River Meeting House is a recreation of the original site of this famous revival. Presbyterian minister John McGready organized the event in the modest log cabin, but many other pastors took part alongside him. People traveled for hundreds of miles to join their fellow Christians for the four-day service. Bridging gender, race, and class, the Red River Revival and subsequent Second Great Awakening ushered in a spirit of unity and faith to the American South that echoes through Kentucky to this day.
While the log cabin may not be original, you can sit on its humble benches and contemplate the unity and faith of the people who praised and prayed two hundred years ago. You could even speak a few words of wisdom from the pulpit yourself!
Visit the Kentucky Faith Trail
Whether you’re a Kentucky native or new to town, there’s always something new to experience when it comes to the Kentucky Faith Trail. Kentucky’s roots of unity run deep, from the Shakers to the revivalists, and the strength of Kentucky’s faith communities continues to inspire visitors each and every day.
Next time you visit, don’t forget to check
South Union and the
Red River Meeting House off your
Kentucky Faith Trail Passport!
