On the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the Shaker Historical
Society (SHS) is refining its mission. Documenting Shaker Heights’ ongoing
story and engaging with the Shaker Heights community are at the heart of that
mission.
Decades before the City of Shaker Heights was founded, this area was
home to a community of Shakers, a utopian Christian sect. The Shakers
lived in, cultivated, and developed the area (including building the dams
that formed Lower Shaker Lake and Horseshoe Lake) from 1822 until they
disbanded in 1889.
SHS was founded in 1947 with a focus on teaching schoolchildren about
the history of the Shaker settlement. At that time, there were still older
residents who had known and been neighbors of the Shakers, so the time
was ripe – but passing quickly – to preserve and pass on that firsthand
knowledge.
Since the founding of SHS, 75 more years of history have been created.
Its task now, as expressed in its mission statement, is to “link the past with
the present to inspire the future.” That means documenting the Shaker
settlement heritage, but also allowing space for more stories, ones that tell
of the evolution of this place and the people, challenges, and successes that
make Shaker Heights what it is.
That narrative includes harder parts of our history – for example, the
imperfect path, still under construction, toward racial equity in the City. Not
all of that story can or should be told by Shaker Historical Society staff, says
Brianna Treleven, executive director of SHS. If, for example, the story of the
integration of the Ludlow neighborhood were being told, the people from
that community who lived through it, or had relatives who lived through
it, are better positioned to tell that story. SHS’s role, says Treleven, is to
facilitate that by inviting those voices to be part of SHS.
Collaborative partnerships with other organizations are a key part
of that broadening of storytelling, and SHS has partnered with about 25
organizations over the past year. One of the most significant collaborations
has been with Shaker African American Mothers Support (SAMS). That
partnership resulted in “I Come as One,” an exhibit on the pandemic
experience of single Black mothers. Another SAMS exhibit is planned for
2023. SAMS provides a creative vision and subject matter knowledge, and
SHS provides exhibit space, materials, and curating expertise. Together, they
create something that neither could do alone.
While permanent exhibits on the Shakers and the Van Sweringen
brothers’ development work in Shaker Heights and Cleveland occupy most
of the museum space at SHS, rotating exhibit space on the first floor allows
the organization to vary and expand the museum’s narrative. That’s where
the SAMS exhibits are located. SHS has also partnered with the Warrensville
Heights-based African American Quilt and Doll Guild to host a quilt show this
summer in the first-floor exhibit space.
In addition to bringing more stories into the museum, SHS is also
working to expand its presence in the community – a Century House Birthday
Party for houses in Shaker Heights turning 100 was held last fall at the Van
Aken District. SHS has also recently been involved in the restoration of the
historic Warrensville Cemetery near Shaker Towne Center.
Dated,
stale,
dusty?
Nope
– history is
happening
right now.
66 SUMMER 2022 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE