Fruitlands Museum
Encyclopedia
Fruitlands Museum is a cluster of small historic buildings in Harvard, Massachusetts
on the former site of the unsuccessful utopian community Fruitlands
. The buildings were constructed in 1910 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1997 as the Fruitlands Museums Historic District.
Visitors can tour the Fruitlands Farmhouse, which has been restored to appear as it did during the 1840s, and includes exhibits about Transcendentalism
and the Alcott family
. The Museum also includes four small gallery buildings that feature Native American, Shaker and American (Hudson River School) art. Fruitlands offers a diverse schedule of contemporary exhibits, lectures, outdoor concerts and easy walking trails. There is also a Museum Store and restaurant.
and Amos Bronson Alcott
's ideas of societal reform, was established on 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) purchased by Charles Lane
in May 1843. People interested in joining the community began moving in the next month and the site was optimistically named "Fruitlands" despite having only a small cluster of apple trees. The community was based on self-sufficiency, using no hired labor and growing all the food they needed themselves. The community ultimately failed because of the difficulty in growing crops. Community members began moving away as early as October 1843; Lane and Alcott abandoned it in January 1844.
The property was purchased in 1910 by Clara Endicott Sears
, who opened the farmhouse to the public in 1914 as a museum. In addition to the Fruitlands building, the site now includes a transplanted Shaker
house from the nearby Harvard Shaker Village, Native American
artifacts and Hudson River School
paintings. The museum is primarily the result of the efforts of Sears, a preservationist
.
Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as Harvard Shaker Village and the utopian Transcendentalist center Fruitlands...
on the former site of the unsuccessful utopian community Fruitlands
Fruitlands (transcendental center)
Fruitlands was a Utopian agrarian commune established in Harvard, Massachusetts by Amos Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane in the 1840s, based on Transcendentalist principles...
. The buildings were constructed in 1910 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1997 as the Fruitlands Museums Historic District.
Visitors can tour the Fruitlands Farmhouse, which has been restored to appear as it did during the 1840s, and includes exhibits about Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the New England region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society, and in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian...
and the Alcott family
Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and avoided traditional punishment. He hoped to perfect the human spirit and, to that end, advocated a...
. The Museum also includes four small gallery buildings that feature Native American, Shaker and American (Hudson River School) art. Fruitlands offers a diverse schedule of contemporary exhibits, lectures, outdoor concerts and easy walking trails. There is also a Museum Store and restaurant.
History
Fruitlands, inspired by TranscendentalismTranscendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the New England region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society, and in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian...
and Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and avoided traditional punishment. He hoped to perfect the human spirit and, to that end, advocated a...
's ideas of societal reform, was established on 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) purchased by Charles Lane
Charles Lane (transcendentalist)
Charles Lane was an English-American transcendentalist, abolitionist, and early voluntaryist. Along with Amos Bronson Alcott, he was one of the main founders of Fruitlands.-Fruitlands:...
in May 1843. People interested in joining the community began moving in the next month and the site was optimistically named "Fruitlands" despite having only a small cluster of apple trees. The community was based on self-sufficiency, using no hired labor and growing all the food they needed themselves. The community ultimately failed because of the difficulty in growing crops. Community members began moving away as early as October 1843; Lane and Alcott abandoned it in January 1844.
The property was purchased in 1910 by Clara Endicott Sears
Clara Endicott Sears
Clara Endicott Sears was a New England author, preservationist, and philanthropist.-Biography:Sears was born to a wealthy, Yankee family in Boston, Massachusetts in 1863. Her parents were Knyvet Winthrop and Mary Crowninshield Sears. Sears was educated at private schools in Boston and by tutors...
, who opened the farmhouse to the public in 1914 as a museum. In addition to the Fruitlands building, the site now includes a transplanted Shaker
Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...
house from the nearby Harvard Shaker Village, Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
artifacts and Hudson River School
Hudson River school
The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
paintings. The museum is primarily the result of the efforts of Sears, a preservationist
Preservationist
Preservationist is generally understood to mean historic preservationist: one who advocates to preserve architecturally or historically significant buildings, structures, objects or sites from demolition or degradation...
.
External links
- Fruitlands Museum - official site