You hear the cliche “trip back in time,” all the time. But we actually found one of those places that is literally frozen in time. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, in the hills of central Kentucky,  was settled in the early 19th century and not much has changed.

The Shakers farmed the 3,000 acres of land between 1805 and the early 20th century, constructing more than 250 buildings. Just 34 of the buildings remain, but it’s the largest private collection of 19th century buildings in the country and now preserved and operated by a non profit group.

They provide overnight accommodations and dining, so visitors can really experience the feel of the historic place. The group spends nearly a million dollars a year, maintaining the old buildings and grounds — money well spent to preserve this history.

The Shakers split from the mainstream Quakers in 1742, and a group fled England and established a Shaker church in upstate New York. Like the Quakers, the Shakers were pacifists, practiced communal living, were celibate, and just adopted children. Eventually there were communities all over the Northeast, Ohio and Kentucky. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill was one of the largest developments.

Crops, crafts and furniture made by the Shakers were shipped by steamboat all over the region. At Shaker Landing, on the Kentucky River, the boats would be loaded and sent down stream as far as New Orleans.