‘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.

Rodney Hessinger has taught and researched history in Northeast Ohio for the last 20 years. He started at Hiram College where he was Professor of History and Associate Dean of the College.  It was there where he first started to explore religious competition and revivalism in the early American republic.  He regularly took students to the John Johnson home in Hiram, the place where Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. suffered a mob attack from religious rivals.  Hessinger moved to John Carroll University in 2014 where he has also served as Professor of History and Associate Dean.  While at JCU, Hessinger continued his exploration of the religious history of the Western Reserve, including encounters between the Shakers and Mormons.  This work produced the just-published book Smitten: Sex, Gender, and the Contest for Souls in the Early American Republic, part of which will be featured in this talk.

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.

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!

Mother's Day Tea Party

May 13, 2023 | 11 am | Shaker Historical Society | Free, Registration Required at bit.ly/TeaParty2023

The Shaker Historical Society requests the pleasure of your company for tea and cakes on Saturday, May 13 at 11am! Make sure not to miss out on a teatime filled with coloring, flowers, and a celebration of (any) loving caregiver and their children. This event will include tea and other beverages, coloring pages, flowers, music, and laughter. Dress in your fancy or fun tea party attire!

This event is also a gift card drive to support Shaker African American Moms Support (SAMS) and local mothers. We are collecting Heinens and Target gift cards for SAMS. Please consider bringing a gift card with you to the tea party or purchasing a digital Target gift card. You can order a digital gift card at https://www.target.com/c/target-giftcards-gift-cards/-/N-5xsxt by selecting "Email" and an amount, then including sams.moms1@gmail.com as the recipient during check out.

The tea party will be held at Shaker Historical Society, 16740 South Park Boulevard. Limited parking is available in the lot behind the museum with overflow parking along South Park Boulevard.

Caring for Your Treasures

June 8, 2023 | 6:30-8pm | Shaker Historical Society | Free, Registration Required at bit.ly/shs_treasures

Shaker Historical Society is excited to welcome ICA Art Conservation educators for a presentation and conversation on how people can best care for their historic treasures and heirlooms. After a 40-minute presentation, the group will discuss their personal treasures.

Attendees are encouraged to bring an item of personal interest to share the story of the object and learn about specific care and presentation of the item. If you bring an item, please limit it to one item per attendee and ensure the item is something you are able to transport and bring into the museum without staff assistance. You also may bring photos of a valuable or oversized item that you are unable to transport.

This event is free and open to all, but registration is required due to capacity limitations.

The event will be held at Shaker Historical Society, 16740 South Park Boulevard. Limited parking is available in the lot behind the museum with overflow parking along South Park Boulevard. Please contact education@shakerhistory.org or call 216-921-1201 with questions or to request any accommodations. 

Welcome to Shaker Heights Bike Tour

June 17, 2023 | 10am-12pm | Ride begins at the Shaker Historical Society | Registration is required at bit.ly/BikeShakerJune2023

Cost: 

• Member, Adult - $10

• Member, Youth (17 and under) - Free with Family Level Membership or higher

• Non-Member, Adult - $15

• Non-Member, Youth (17 and under) - $5

Whether you’re a Shaker native, new resident, or a tourist, spend this summer with the Shaker Historical Society to learn about Shaker Heights while enjoying everything the city has to offer! Bike Shaker 2023 will feature guided bike tours in June and August 2023. 

The "Welcome to Shaker Heights" History Ride, our June tour, is a great introduction to Shaker Heights history. This tour, led by experienced bicyclists and an SHS Tour Guide, will take place Saturday, June 17, 2023 from 10am-12pm and will visit historically significant sites around the city. 

A helmet and waiver are required for each rider. Each tour is capped at 15 participants with a minimum of 3 participants. A rain date will be set if necessary.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BIKE SHAKER