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Last Shakers Stand: Only Two Left in Historic US Community
13 Nov
Summary
- Sister June Carpenter, one of three active Shakers, died recently.
- Only two members, Brother Arnold Hadd and Sister April Baxter, remain.
- Media attention on dwindling numbers has caused community distress.
The historic Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester, Maine, now has only two practicing members. Sister June Carpenter, who was 88 and one of the last three active Shakers, died on November 3rd. Her health and mobility had been declining, according to a community announcement.
This leaves Brother Arnold Hadd, aged 70, and Sister April Baxter, who joined last year and is around 60, as the sole remaining members. The community, established on a picturesque 1,800-acre site with 18 buildings, has long been the subject of media reports highlighting its dwindling population.
Members find these reports, often headlined as "The Last Shaker," to be a persistent irritant. Past media coverage has even reportedly led to members leaving the community. This situation underscores the precarious future of this unique pacifist Christian order in the United States.
