This is a visual record of the Shaker's unique architectural style, and a historical tour of Shaker villages and buildings from Maine to as far west as Ohio. It sets out to provide evidence of who the Shakers were, how they lived and how they designed their communities, buildings and interiors. Whenever possible, they sought to remove extraneous furniture and fittings from their lives and concetrated on positioning and planning their structures with a simple and functional beauty. This simplicity, the use of highly accomplished carpentry and masonry, and a rigorous attention to detail, are the hall-marks of the Shaker-built environment.