About
White Water Shaker Village is located just north of Harrison, Ohio.
We invite you to browse our website www.WhiteWaterVillage.org to learn more about this village – the former White Water Shaker Community (1824-1916) – and the legacy the Shakers left behind in southwestern Ohio.
For 93 years, White Water Shaker Village was a thriving center for the Shakers. They were known for their simple way of life, technical innovations, music, and hand-crafted furniture. They also believed in the importance of gender equality. At its height before the Civil War, there were 180 Shakers living at the White Water Village.
Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc. (FWWSV) is working to raise awareness of the Shaker village, to increase membership, and to raise funds for restoration work. Memberships and donations are important, as they provide the resources to preserve the great treasures in this village. You can help FWWSV continue its work to preserve, restore, and open the Shaker buildings to the public by becoming a FWWSV member. Visit the FWWSV website for more information about membership and about scheduling private tours, participating in corporate sponsorships, and signing up for volunteer opportunities.
Though unknown to many area residents, the remains of a once-thriving communal religious community can still be found in Southwest Ohio. White Water Shaker Village, located at 11813 Oxford Road just outside of Harrison, Ohio, was founded in 1823 by early settlers in Hamilton County and Butler County. These settlers were part of a religious group formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, but commonly known as the Shakers, which prospered in Ohio in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were called “Shakers” because of the ecstatic dancing during their worship services.
We invite you to browse our website www.WhiteWaterVillage.org to learn more about this village – the former White Water Shaker Community (1824-1916) – and the legacy the Shakers left behind in southwestern Ohio.
For 93 years, White Water Shaker Village was a thriving center for the Shakers. They were known for their simple way of life, technical innovations, music, and hand-crafted furniture. They also believed in the importance of gender equality. At its height before the Civil War, there were 180 Shakers living at the White Water Village.
Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc. (FWWSV) is working to raise awareness of the Shaker village, to increase membership, and to raise funds for restoration work. Memberships and donations are important, as they provide the resources to preserve the great treasures in this village. You can help FWWSV continue its work to preserve, restore, and open the Shaker buildings to the public by becoming a FWWSV member. Visit the FWWSV website for more information about membership and about scheduling private tours, participating in corporate sponsorships, and signing up for volunteer opportunities.
Though unknown to many area residents, the remains of a once-thriving communal religious community can still be found in Southwest Ohio. White Water Shaker Village, located at 11813 Oxford Road just outside of Harrison, Ohio, was founded in 1823 by early settlers in Hamilton County and Butler County. These settlers were part of a religious group formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, but commonly known as the Shakers, which prospered in Ohio in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were called “Shakers” because of the ecstatic dancing during their worship services.
The buildings that still remain on Oxford Road are rich in religious, social, and architectural history. White Water Village is home to the only brick Shaker meeting house (church) in the United States and is the only intact Shaker village in Ohio. The brick meeting house, built in 1827, has a unique architectural design in which the second floor and attic are suspended by a truss and hanger system in the attic. This design enabled the Shakers to dance during their religious services on the first floor without the obstruction of columns.
FWWSV Mission: To preserve, restore, and open the Shaker buildings and adjacent grounds known as the North Family of White Water Shaker Village; to collect and exhibit artifacts related to the site for the cultural enrichment of the public; to educate the public about this unique part of our nation's heritage.
Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc., 11813 Oxford Road, Harrison, Ohio 45030
FWWSV Mission: To preserve, restore, and open the Shaker buildings and adjacent grounds known as the North Family of White Water Shaker Village; to collect and exhibit artifacts related to the site for the cultural enrichment of the public; to educate the public about this unique part of our nation's heritage.
Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc., 11813 Oxford Road, Harrison, Ohio 45030