The production and distribution of Shaker medicines was a cooperative operation, dependent upon relationships with commercial entities. The Shakers grew the plants and made the medicine from plant extracts. Packaging such as bottles, boxes, and paper inserts were commercially...

There is a story told about the Shakers that, although probably apocryphal, speaks to the Shakers’ desire to be progressive and advanced in their industrial production. It is said that many a mill and factory owner barred the Shakers from viewing the machinery they u...