Shaker Historical Society

Shaker Historical Society We share Shaker Heights history to inspire curiosity and foster engagement in our community.

The museum will be CLOSED on Saturday, August 29 for a private group tour, but we are open normal hours, 12-5pm, on Sund...
08/27/2026

The museum will be CLOSED on Saturday, August 29 for a private group tour, but we are open normal hours, 12-5pm, on Sunday, August 30.

Want to learn more about booking a group tour of your own? Contact [email protected] today!

Happy National Dog Day! 🐶 We have over 40 glass plate negatives in our collection, but this one is probably our favorite...
08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! 🐶 We have over 40 glass plate negatives in our collection, but this one is probably our favorite. Three dogs sit on the porch of the Center Family Office in the early 1890s, after the North Union Shakers moved to other Shaker communities. We love the pug looking directly at the camera from its chair.

This glass plate was one of several donated to the Shaker Historical Society in 1949 by Alma Stoll Seitz. Her parents, Joseph Stoll and Alma McGill Stoll, grew up in the North Union community.

Image: Three Dogs on Center Family Office Porch, c.1890. Gift of Alma Stoll Seitz, 1949. P-325.3

Aidan, our summer intern, has been deep in the SHS vertical files, and she's already come across some gems! On just her ...
08/25/2026

Aidan, our summer intern, has been deep in the SHS vertical files, and she's already come across some gems! On just her second day, she found a 1795 deed from Cornelius Russell to Jacob Russell, a Revolutionary War veteran whose family later left Connecticut for Warrensville Township. She also identified a hand-bound volume of 1790s pamphlets belonging to Jacob Russell himself, including sermons and a critique of the Society of the Cincinnati, which some viewed as an attempt to establish nobility in the United States. The pamphlets provide insight into his religious and political leanings over two centuries ago.

Reorganizing a collection of this size and complexity is no small task, but when Aidan is done, these records will be more accessible to researchers and the public for years to come!

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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).

The Shaker Historical Society will be tabling tomorrow, August 22 at Doan Brook Watershed Partnership's annual Take to t...
08/21/2026

The Shaker Historical Society will be tabling tomorrow, August 22 at Doan Brook Watershed Partnership's annual Take to the Lake event. Stop by our table for a sticker, a coloring sheet, and some history!

Did you hear the news? We're partnering with the Shaker Heights Public Library and Shaker Schools Foundation to host an ...
08/20/2026

Did you hear the news? We're partnering with the Shaker Heights Public Library and Shaker Schools Foundation to host an evening with Susan Orlean, celebrating the 1-year anniversary of her memoir, "Joyride," and it's paperback launch. Register today: https://loom.ly/iIAM1QA

We recently processed a collection of materials from Lawrence "Larry" Albert, who owned Shaker Square from 1978-2000. Th...
08/18/2026

We recently processed a collection of materials from Lawrence "Larry" Albert, who owned Shaker Square from 1978-2000. The collection is open to researchers with a finding aid available on our website and in CatalogIt: https://hub.catalogit.app/shaker-historical-society?query=larry+albert+shaker+square+collection

One of the delightful finds in the collection is this pictorial map of "The World Around Shaker Square" by Duncan Greenlee and Sharon Blanchard. Centered on Shaker Square, the map shows surrounding neighborhoods, University Circle, and Downtown Cleveland and includes the Van Sweringen brothers in a hot air balloon.

Image: "The World Around Shaker Square," Duncan Greenlee and Sharon Blanchard, c.1981, Larry Albert Shaker Square Collection, Gift of Kasey Albert, 2026.3.1

Calling all train enthusiasts for round 2! 🚂 🔎 We know these photos are local, but we need your help confirming our rese...
08/13/2026

Calling all train enthusiasts for round 2! 🚂 🔎 We know these photos are local, but we need your help confirming our research and/or adding the line, station, location, or year!

Photo 1: RTA PCC #75, unknown line and year
Photo 2: Cleveland Transit System Airporter, Terminal Tower, c.1969
Photo 3: Cleveland Transit System Airporter, unknown station, c.1969
Photo 4: Shaker Heights Rapid Transit streetcar, Green Line near Coventry Station

Drop corrections or additional info in the comments!

✨ Newly cataloged! ✨ We recently digitized a collection of stereo slides of the February 4, 1953 gala preview of Pick-N-...
08/06/2026

✨ Newly cataloged! ✨ We recently digitized a collection of stereo slides of the February 4, 1953 gala preview of Pick-N-Pay at the new Van Aken Center. The preview, which was televised by WNBK, offered numerous raffle prizes, including Westinghouse portable radios, electric bean pots, Rotiss-O-Mat broilers, pantry baskets, a Crosley television set, a Cocker Spaniel puppy, an MG sports car, and a 2-week tour of Europe.

The photographs were taken by Joseph Mendes, the vice president of Pick-N-Pay who coined the name for the supermarket chain. Browse the images in our CatalogIt HUB: https://hub.catalogit.app/shaker-historical-society?query=pick-n-pay

Images: Pick-N-Pay Gala Preview, February 4, 1953, Gift of Sherri Appleton, 2025, 2025.22.1-2025.22.18

Address

16740 S Park Boulevard
Shaker Heights, OH
44120

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(216) 921-1201

Website

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