Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village. The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community was founded in 1783, in what was then called Thompson's Pond Plantation, by a group of Shaker missionaries. In less than a year's time nearly two hundred people gathered together in this place that previously had only been the home of some five farming families. The new influx of people initially made do with the existing homes and out-buildings. On April 19, 1794, those residing here made an oral covenant with each other to consecrate their all to God and formally organized as a Community. To mark this event, they began to build a house for public worship. The raising of the Meeting House was their first united venture. The next year saw the construction of the first communal Dwelling House, and the next decade saw the addition of worships, mills, barns, and other related buildings necessary for laying permanent foundations. Photo by Carol Highsmith.