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.

Archives Open House 

October 19, 2023 | 6-7pm | Free | Register here or call 216-921-1201

During our 75th anniversary celebration in 2022, Shaker Historical Society staff found organizational records scattered throughout the museum, making it difficult to piece together our history. It was clear an institutional archive was needed to make these documents accessible and usable for staff, trustees, and the public.

We are thrilled to announce the completion of our new institutional archives and cordially invite you to an Archives Open House on Thursday, October 19 from 6-7pm! This event in our Elizabeth Nord Library & Archives is particularly tailored for those with an interest in archives and small organizations contemplating the management of their own organizational records. Rachel Sykes, our Archives Intern, and Brianna Treleven, our Executive Director, will be available to answer questions regarding the archival process, including insights into applying for an Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board grant, conducting comprehensive inventories, organizing and describing records, crafting a finding aid, and more. Additionally, we will share some interesting documents unearthed during the course of this project.

We look forward to sharing this exciting milestone with you! Registration is mandatory due to the size of our archive. This event is offered free of charge, although we graciously welcome any donations to support future initiatives like this one at the museum. You can register or donate at givebutter.com/archives. Please note that the Elizabeth Nord Library and Archives are located on the second floor of the museum, and there is no lift or elevator to reach the second floor.

This project was made possible through an award from the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board (OHRAB) through funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and through the generous financial support of SHS member John Barber.

Century House Birthday Party  

October 26, 2023 | 6-8pm | The Market Hall at The Van Aken District | Free 

The Shaker Historical Society is partnering with the Shaker Heights Public Library, City of Shaker Heights, Cleveland Restoration Society, and Home Repair Resource Center for our annual Century House Birthday Party! 

All Shaker residents are invited to learn about home-related resources and information while enjoying cake and ice cream to celebrate the new batch of century homes in Shaker Heights.

Grab dinner in the Van Aken District Market Hall and swing by our tables for information and dessert!

Don‘t forget to order a historic house plaque to celebrate your home's 100th birthday! Click here to order one today

Researching Family Photos: A Case Study  

November 9, 2023 | 7-8pm | Virtual Event, via Zooom| Free, Registration Required at bit.ly/shs-family-photos 

In August 2023, a collection donor requested help in identifying the date and location of two photographs of his grandfather at a gas station. Brianna, our Executive Director, utilized online resources to find the date, location, and other stories related to the area. Join Brianna for a virtual presentation using these photographs as a case study to demonstrate research processes and tools so you can have the confidence to research your own family photographs. Many of the resources used are specific to the Cleveland area, but general tips will be provided. 

This is a free virtual event but registration is required at: bit.ly/shs-family-photos. A recording will be available on our YouTube channel after the program. Please direct questions or concerns to Brianna at director@shakerhistory.org. 

About the Speaker: Brianna Treleven honed her research skills with a Master of Library and Information Science and extensive experience in museum collections and archives. She joined the Shaker Historical Society as Executive Director in January 2020 and finds great joy in solving the mysteries of photographs, collections objects, and local history through research.

Paper Cutting Workshop with Nancy Schwartz-Katz  

November 19, 2023 | 1-4pm | The Dealership | $30* for SHS Members, $35 for Non-Members | Purchase tickets at bit.ly/paper-workshop

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. Schwartz-Katz is also known for her intricate paper cut works, on display alongside the drawings of "Musings."

In conjunction with Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause," Shaker Historical Society is partnering with Nancy Schwartz-Katz to lead a paper cutting workshop on Sunday, November 19, 2023 from 1-4 pm at The Dealership. Tickets are $30/person for SHS members* and $35/person for non-members and include a 3 hour workshop led by Nancy Schwartz-Katz and all supplies to create a paper cutting work of art. Attendance is limited to 15 participants so purchase tickets today at bit.ly/paper-workshop!

Musings: Drawings from the "Great Pause" is on view from October 7, 2023 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.

*Members, email shakerhistory@shakerhistory.org for the discount code.