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Shaker Girl
Vicky’s Story
"It was 1950, and I was only 5 years old. I remember seeing a large Victrola in the
hallway, and being very scared. And then a woman handed me a big stuffed
teddy bear. Her name was Sister Della. She was a member of a remarkable
FAMILY that took me into their home and their hearts in my time of need. Much
of who I am today is due to the love and guidance that was so freely given to me
by America’s SHAKERS."
Vicky was one of the last children raised by the Shakers. She lived at their
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community in rural Central Maine. She was one of
thousands of abandoned or orphaned children who over the course of 150 years
found themselves in the care of members of a strict Christian religious
community. The Shakers educated these children and taught them the necessities
of life such as how to cook, clean, farm, and in Vicky’s case, how to sew. The
children also learned about Shaker spirituality which began by developing a
relationship with the Bible. Some children stayed with the Shakers when they
became adults, joining their faith, but most, like Vicky, left to rediscover the world
and start their own families. In doing so, they planted the seeds of the spirit of
Shakerism in us all.
Vicky has been quilting, sewing and cross stitching for more than 50 years. She is
the mother of 2 children and has 2 grandchildren. She lives with her husband Bill
in Strong, ME, about 2 hours north of her childhood at Sabbathday Lake Shaker
Village. Vicky stays in touch with the four Shakers who currently live there. She
especially enjoys volunteering at the Shaker’s annual Christmas Fair which helps
to support the living Shakers.
Click on the photos below to view larger images.
Visit the "Scrapbook" link to view more of Vicky's photos.
Vicky’s Story
"It was 1950, and I was only 5 years old. I remember seeing a large Victrola in the
hallway, and being very scared. And then a woman handed me a big stuffed
teddy bear. Her name was Sister Della. She was a member of a remarkable
FAMILY that took me into their home and their hearts in my time of need. Much
of who I am today is due to the love and guidance that was so freely given to me
by America’s SHAKERS."
Vicky was one of the last children raised by the Shakers. She lived at their
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community in rural Central Maine. She was one of
thousands of abandoned or orphaned children who over the course of 150 years
found themselves in the care of members of a strict Christian religious
community. The Shakers educated these children and taught them the necessities
of life such as how to cook, clean, farm, and in Vicky’s case, how to sew. The
children also learned about Shaker spirituality which began by developing a
relationship with the Bible. Some children stayed with the Shakers when they
became adults, joining their faith, but most, like Vicky, left to rediscover the world
and start their own families. In doing so, they planted the seeds of the spirit of
Shakerism in us all.
Vicky has been quilting, sewing and cross stitching for more than 50 years. She is
the mother of 2 children and has 2 grandchildren. She lives with her husband Bill
in Strong, ME, about 2 hours north of her childhood at Sabbathday Lake Shaker
Village. Vicky stays in touch with the four Shakers who currently live there. She
especially enjoys volunteering at the Shaker’s annual Christmas Fair which helps
to support the living Shakers.
Click on the photos below to view larger images.
Visit the "Scrapbook" link to view more of Vicky's photos.