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The Shaker Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1947 to provide stewardship for our region's significant history by nurturing respectful discovery, preservation, collection, and public dissemination of the history, traditions, and heritage of the North Union Shaker sect, Warrensville Township, Shaker Heights, and the surrounding areas. 

Upcoming Programs & Events

‘Shaking your filthy tail’: Religious Rivalry and Shaker identity in the Early American Republic

March 23, 2023 | 6-7:30 pm | Shaker Historical Society | Free


Join us on Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Shaker Historical Society for ‘Shaking your filthy tail’: Religious Rivalry and Shaker identity in the Early American Republic with Dr. Rodney Hessinger, Professor of History and Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at John Carroll University. 


While to many people today, the Shakers embody homespun America, at one time they were perceived as a genuine threat to the young nation. This was so much so that Shaker communities faced repeated mob attacks. In part, the hostility was born of rivalry. During the Second Great Awakening, many new churches were competing for converts. The enmity also came from a fear of Shaker gender and family arrangements, as Shakers dissolved nuclear families and parents worried about losing their children. 


This talk will start with the tale of a local clash between the Mormons from Kirtland and the Shakers of North Union. Then, it will narrate a larger transition in Shaker self-presentation, showing how they repackaged the memory of their founder, Mother Ann Lee, so as to keep the peace with their non-Shaker neighbors.


This event is free and open to the public, no advanced registration required. Please contact education@shakerhistory.org or 216-921-1201 with any questions or to request any accessibility accommodations.


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Waves Artist Talk with Daniel Lozada

April 6, 2023 | 6-7 pm | Virtual, via Zoom | Registration required at bit.ly/waves_talk


Join Shaker Historical Society for a virtual artist talk with “Waves” photographer Daniel Lozada on Thursday, April 6, from 6-7pm via Zoom. Described by Daniel:  'Waves' is a feeling. Feelings of being moved by people I've used a camera to observe while I was out in a densely populated outdoor space - Edgewater State Park. Many themes that arose while photographing the shores of Lake Erie were Black and Brown Fatherhood, child-like joys, introspection, and seniors post retirement. During my time in this ongoing project, I think of the public space as one big body of water. As I'm moving through this water, people create waves that come through as a feeling of some kind of emotion I want to photograph. Hopefully, these images stir waves within you, the viewer. 


This program is free, but registration is required at bit.ly/waves_talk

Daniel Lozada is a self-taught Cleveland-born photographer whose background has turned him into a keen observer. With a love for both athletics and the arts, growing up and still today, he relates and understands those on opposite ends of the midwest spectrum. After walking away from a life in the Church in 2011, he's learned the beauty in starting over in life. Dead-end jobs, heartbreak, depression, and a lot of hard work has helped and informed his photographic work. Since 2021, Daniel has been using photojournalism as a way to contribute to larger stories and has been published as a recurring contributor in many of the country's leading news outlets. When he is not working for pay, you can find him still photographing and learning what he can to improve his craft to make sense of this life through his lens.


"Waves" is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

Mingle at the Mansion: Botanical Edition

April 14, 2023 | 7-9 pm | Shaker Historical Society | 21+ | Purchase your ticket at bit.ly/plant-mingle


Attention all plant lovers! The Shaker Historical Society is hosting a houseplant swap during Mingle at the Mansion: Botanical Edition on Friday, April 14 from 7-9pm. Bring a houseplant and/or plant cutting to swap in our 1910 mansion and leave with a new addition to your collection. Not sure how to care for your new plant baby? Don't worry, STUMP experts will be on site to answer all your plant-related questions.


This event is for ages 21+. General admission tickets are $30/person* for non-members and include delicious plant-based vegan food courtesy of Chef Doug Katz, 2 drink tickets for botanical-inspired drinks, and the opportunity to decorate a pot to take home. $45/person* workshop tickets include all of the above plus a special workshop led by STUMP at 8pm. In this workshop, attendees will plant one succulent in a cute terra cotta pot to make your home a little greener.


All general admission and workshop attendees will be entered to win a potted ZZ plant courtesy of STUMP, and additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Event attendance is limited, so purchase tickets today!


*SHS members, please email shakerhistory@shakerhistory.org for a discount code to save $10/person on general admission and workshop tickets!

Learn more on our Upcoming Events page!

Current & Upcoming Exhibits

Letters to My Father — February 17-May 7, 2023

Do you ever wonder what people who have passed on would think about what is happening in the world? Would Martin Luther King Jr. come back and be happy about the progress we have made? Letters to My Father takes a look at how some people in the local community have been impacted by the work of others who were change makers. Hear about how they have been influenced by the body of work done by people of history.

Letters to My Father was organized by Kim Harris of Shaker African American Mothers Support (S.A.M.S.) with support from Shaker Historical Society. The exhibition is on view at the Shaker Historical Society from February 17-May 7, 2023.

Waves — February 17-May 7, 2023

We are thrilled to feature photographer Daniel Lozada in Waves, our first Lissauer Gallery exhibition of 2023. Described by Daniel:  'Waves' is a feeling. Feelings of being moved by people I've used a camera to observe while I was out in a densely populated outdoor space - Edgewater State Park. Many themes that arose while photographing the shores of Lake Erie were Black and Brown Fatherhood, child-like joys, introspection, and seniors post retirement. During my time in this ongoing project, I think of the public space as one big body of water. As I'm moving through this water, people create waves that come through as a feeling of some kind of emotion I want to photograph. Hopefully, these images stir waves within you, the viewer.