Winter Melodies

December 13 | 2-4pm | Shaker Historical Society | FREE

We invite the community to enjoy winter melodies from the talented Nightingale Women’s A Cappella group! Stop by the Shaker Historical Society on Saturday, December 13 between 2-4pm for carols, hot chocolate, and holiday shopping with local partner vendors Amazing Arrangements, BadApple Originals, Drawing by Moonlight, Little Bakery, Tastefully Simple, and Thread n Beads.

This is a free event but donations are welcome. The parking lot behind the museum will be closed with parking available along South Park Boulevard. If you require handicap parking or accommodations, please contact education@shakerhistory.org before Friday, December 12 so we can ensure a smooth visit!

Brought One Dark Night Exhibit Opening

More information coming soon!

In a letter to an old friend, Jemima Mousseau described herself as one of three Menominee children taken at night to the North Union Shaker Village in Warrensville Township. Her remarkable life, uncovered through new historical research, reveals themes of movement, resilience, and the fluid nature of identity in 19th- and early 20th-century Ohio.

Brought One Dark Night will open November 2025 and share Jemima’s story in depth for the first time. The exhibition is supported in part by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

Garden City Dreams: Shaker Heights and the Van Sweringens

January 15, 2026 | 7-8:30pm | Shaker Library | REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Join Makialani Kanewa-Mariano, Education & Outreach Manager at the Shaker Historical Society, on January 15 to explore how the innovative Garden City Movement inspired the Van Sweringen brothers to develop Shaker Heights, Ohio’s first planned garden style suburb. Discover how their vision blended nature, architecture, and modern infrastructure into a model of early 20th-century community design that continues to be studied, admired, and celebrated today.

Presented in partnership with the Shaker Heights Public Library, this talk will be held on January 15, 2026 from 7:00-8:30pm in the Shaker Library’s Boulevard and Fernway rooms as part of the America250-Ohio celebration of Ohio’s Firsts and Originals. This is a free event, but registration is required: givebutter.com/gardencitydreams

The History of Shaker Square: Innovative Planning and Community-Centered Design

February 12, 2026 | 7-8:30pm | Shaker Library | REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Join historian Virginia Dawson to discover how Shaker Square emerged as an innovative business district that combined visionary urban planning, modern retail concepts, and community-centered design. Learn how this landmark development reflected Ohio’s spirit of enterprise and continues to serve as a model of thoughtful commercial innovation nearly a century later.

Presented in partnership with the Shaker Heights Public Library, this talk will be held on February 12, 2026 from 7:00-8:30pm in the Shaker Library’s Boulevard and Fernway rooms as part of the America250-Ohio celebration of Ohio Works: Innovation, Business, and Work. This is a free event, but registration is required: givebutter.com/ShakerSquareHistory

Resilient Lee Youth Summit

February 21, 2026 | 10am-2:30pm | Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center | REGISTRATION REQUIRED

The Resilient Lee Youth Summit brings together students in grades 7-12 to explore history, leadership, and community building. Through interactive workshops, a gallery walk, leadership training, and creative activities, youth will discover why place matters, learn what it means to be a leader, and dream big about their neighborhoods. This is a free event but registration is required. Learn more and register here.

Historic Homes Tour: How Transportation Shaped the Heights

April 19, 2026 | Two Sessions: 10am & 12pm | $130/member, $160/non-member

As part of the America250-Ohio celebration of Ohio Transportation, the 2026 Historic Homes Tour, in partnership with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, will explore how rapid transit shaped the growth and character of Shaker and Cleveland Heights. Following a presentation and light brunch, guests will enjoy a trolley tour of Shaker and Cleveland Heights homes located along or near the city’s historic rapid transit routes. $130 for members, $160 for non-members. Storm/weather date: April 26. Registration required.

Tickets on sale soon!