Near Pittsfield in Berkshire County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Hancock Shaker Village: Powered by the Sun for Over 200 Years

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 1, 2018

1. Hancock Shaker Village: Powered by the Sun for Over 200 Years Marker

Inscription.
Hancock Shaker Village installed this solar photovoltaic (pv) array in December 2009. Here is one sample pv panel for you to examine and touch (it is not connected to the array and will not harm you).

Throughout the Village there are many examples of ways in which the Shakers efficiently used what today we would call "green" or "sustainable" building and architectural features, and "renewable" or "alternative" energy.

See how many you can discover on your tour of the Village!
Here are examples to get you thinking:

"Borrowed light" in the Brick Dwelling (1830)
Windows placed on interior south-facing walls bring sunlight further into building, reducing the need for artificial lighting (minimizing the use of candles, oil lamps, and electricity). In addition, interior windows ensure better ventilation. Also note the woodstove placement at the center of the room and the long stove pipe; both provide more efficient heating.
ca. 1930s Collection of Hancock Shaker Village #1986-1320

Passive solar gain in the Brick Poultry House (1878)
The large number of south-facing windows provided heat and light in winter, keeping

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the Shakers' chickens healthy, and increasing egg production. The amount of passive solar energy gained from these windows during the winter heating season is equivalent to 6 barrels (252 gallons) of oil.
ca. 1915-1920 Collection of Hancock Shaker Village #1995-5821, album p. 12

Highlights
[Technical facts, not historical facts: not transribed]

Erected by Hancock Shaker Village.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Communal and Utopian Societies series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 2009.

Location. 42° 25.813′ N, 73° 20.377′ W. Marker is near Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in Berkshire County. It can be reached from West Housatonic Street. Marker is on the photovoltaic field fence, along the entrance path to Hancock Shaker Village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1843 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield MA 01201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Massachusetts’ Berkshires.

It is also

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 1, 2018

2. Hancock Shaker Village: Powered by the Sun for Over 200 Years Marker

in the American Northeast

and in New England.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hancock Shaker Village (within shouting distance of this marker); Shaker Color (within shouting distance of this marker); Town of New Lebanon War Memorial (approx. 3.8 miles away in New York); Lafayette's Tour (approx. 3.8 miles away in New York); Mohican Blessing Fountain (approx. 3.8 miles away in New York); Theodore Roosevelt (approx. 4.1 miles away); House Built 1800 (approx. 4.2 miles away in New York); Sgt. Glenn R. Allison (approx. 4.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pittsfield.

Also see . . . Hancock Shaker Village. (Submitted on June 14, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 574 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 14, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.