Cultural History Commons^™

A Thread Of Evidence: Shaker Textile Industries At South Union, Kentucky, Jonathan Jeffrey, Donna Parker

SCL Faculty and Staff Book Gallery

Jonathan Jeffrey and Donna Parker write of the three prevailing textile industries at South Union: flax/linen, wool, and silk. Surprisingly, the Shakers at South Union, Kentucky produced linen and woolen fabric using methods similar to their non-Shaker neighbors. Silk was the exception, as it process was rare in the region even in its day. You do, however, sense a drive and dedication behind the Shakers’ work not always found in that of the “world.” Because the motivation was a spiritual one, an effort to worship through even the most routine of tasks, the Shakers not only provided for their needs, …