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

AppleFest

October 7, 2023 | 12-4pm | Shaker Historical Society

Join the Shaker Historical Society on Saturday, October 7 from 12-4pm for AppleFest, a family-friendly fall festival. Best of all, its free! AppleFest is a historical event for SHS, held annually from 1989-1998 on museum grounds that were once home to the Shaker's apple orchards. 

Visit our AppleFest page for full event details. 

All ages are welcome to attend! Donations are welcome to support this community event.

Exhibit Opening: Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause"

October 7, 2023 | 12-4pm | Shaker Historical Society

To keep her art fresh during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nancy Schwartz-Katz began a drawing a day in her sketchbooks. Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" features the artist’s everyday reflections through observational sketches with the public as artistic muse and inspiration. From six-foot distancing in a coffee shop to an open cookbook on a counter, these scenes transform the mundane into a symphony of reflections, vividly depicting the pandemic's “great pause.”

With over 30 years of experience as a Judaic artist, Nancy Schwartz-Katz's artistic journey was sparked by her grandfather, an artist himself, who inspired her passion for drawing and storytelling from a young age. A graduate of Parsons School of Design with a major in Illustration, Schwartz-Katz’s talent and hard work have been recognized with numerous honors, including a 2023 Ohio Heritage Arts Fellowship Award from Ohio Arts Council for her dedication and mastery in creating Judaic Art in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Working and residing in Shaker Heights, Schwartz-Katz’ dedication to her craft remains unwavering, even during the pandemic, as she engages in the Drawing A Day project, reflecting her ongoing growth, passion for storytelling, and exceptional artistic skill.

Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" opens during the Shaker Historical Society’s free AppleFest community festival on Saturday, October 7 from 12-4pm. This exhibition will be on view through February 4, 2024. Musings is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Warrensville West Cemetery Gravestone Interpretation Workshop with Katherine Ranum, Ph.D.  

October 14, 2023 | 11:00am-12:30pm | Warrensville West Cemetery, 3451 Lee Road, Shaker Heights, OH | Free | Register here or call 216-921-1201

Join the Shaker Historical Society, Shaker Heights Public Library, and City of Shaker Heights on Saturday, October 14th at 11:00 am for an interactive workshop on how to interpret the symbols on headstones of early Warrensville Township residents. This tour will be led by Katherine Ranum, Ph.D. You will also learn more about the progress of the Warrensville West Cemetery Historic Preservation Master Plan (https://www.shakeronline.com/cemetery). This event is free, advanced registration required. 


Katherine Ranum holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Cincinnati. She specializes in Protestantism, Judaism, and folk religion in the British Atlantic, and researches issues of embodiment including gender, disability, and recently death, mourning, and burial. Dr. Ranum lives in Cincinnati where she teaches at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University.


The tour will be held at Warrensville West Cemetery, 3451 Lee Road, Shaker Heights. All participants must register separately. Parking is available in the Heinen's parking lot or across the street at the library. Sturdy footwear is encouraged due to the uneven terrain. This is a rain or shine event that will only be canceled in the event of extreme weather. 


Questions? Contact education@shakerhistory.org.

Learn more on our Upcoming Events page!

Current & Upcoming Exhibits

Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" — October 7, 2023-February 4, 2024

To keep her art fresh during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nancy Schwartz-Katz began a drawing a day in her sketchbooks. Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" features the artist’s everyday reflections through observational sketches with the public as artistic muse and inspiration. From six-foot distancing in a coffee shop to an open cookbook on a counter, these scenes transform the mundane into a symphony of reflections, vividly depicting the pandemic's “great pause.”

With over 30 years of experience as a Judaic artist, Nancy Schwartz-Katz's artistic journey was sparked by her grandfather, an artist himself, who inspired her passion for drawing and storytelling from a young age. A graduate of Parsons School of Design with a major in Illustration, Schwartz-Katz’s talent and hard work have been recognized with numerous honors, including a 2023 Ohio Heritage Arts Fellowship Award from Ohio Arts Council for her dedication and mastery in creating Judaic Art in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Working and residing in Shaker Heights, Schwartz-Katz’ dedication to her craft remains unwavering, even during the pandemic, as she engages in the Drawing A Day project, reflecting her ongoing growth, passion for storytelling, and exceptional artistic skill.

Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" will be on view from October 7, 2023 to February 4, 2024. Musings is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.