White Water Shaker Village

09/07/2026

America 250 - Ohio's September theme is Ohio Plays: Sports & Recreation.

09/03/2026

Here's the link to the Amazing America 250 segment on White Water Shaker Village created by Local 12, WKRC, if you weren't able to view earlier today. Special thanks to Meghan for coming and sharing this special place in history.

https://share.google/vcjseb8zquQRL5C4l

Tucked along Oxford Road outside Harrison, White Water Shaker Village was founded in 1823.

09/03/2026

Watch the Amazing America 250 segment on Local 12 tonight at 5:55 pm!

09/01/2026

We had a great experience at the Shaker Village today!
Watch for us in the Amazing America feature on Local 12 on Thursday, 9/3, at the 6am and 5-6:30 pm newscast.

LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV Meghan Mongillo
America 250-Ohio

08/29/2026

Built in 1827, the White Water Shaker Meeting House is a remarkable survivor of Ohio’s Shaker history. Located at White Water Shaker Village north of Harrison, it is one of only two Shaker meeting houses remaining west of the Appalachian Mountains and the only brick Shaker meeting house in the United States.

White Water was founded in 1823 as one of 24 communal villages established by the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, commonly known as the Shakers. It was the last village founded during the Shakers’ westward movement into Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and is the only remaining one of Ohio’s five Shaker villages to retain many of its original buildings in their original settings.

The Meeting House was the village’s first permanent building and the center of Shaker religious life. Its unusual construction tells an important part of that story. With no support beams on the first floor, the upper floors were suspended from the attic trusses, creating an open worship space where Shakers could freely sing and dance. Even the entrances reflected Shaker traditions: men and women used separate doors and sat on opposite sides of the building, while two additional doors welcomed “world’s people,” as the Shakers called visitors from outside their community.

The Shakers remained at White Water until 1916. Today, much of the former village is owned by Great Parks of Hamilton County, and the Friends of White Water Shaker Village is working to restore and preserve its historic buildings. The village is currently open on a limited basis as restoration continues, with the Meeting House serving as its architectural centerpiece and an extraordinary connection to a nearly vanished chapter of Ohio history. The next major projects include installing sidewalks and parking lots.

As a Legacy 250 building, the White Water Shaker Meeting House demonstrates why preserving rare historic places matters. What building in your community tells a story that future generations should know? Submit it to Heritage Ohio’s 250 Buildings, 250 Stories initiative and help us share the places that make Ohio’s history unique. https://heritageohio.org/250-buildings-250-stories

08/27/2026

Stop in to see the White Water Shaker Village on Sunday, Sept. 13 from 2-5pm. We will have a Shape Note Singing Demonstration too.
Plus this could be your first stop on the Innovation Trail - stop 6 places to earn your patch.

NEW FEATURE ALERT! 📣

Our Trails & Tales are being enjoyed all across Ohio— and now there's a new reason to hit the road.

We're excited to introduce the NEW Trails & Tales Passport, powered by Brightr Travel.

Explore any of our themed trails — from Air & Space to Lake Erie to Ohio River — featuring historic sites, hidden gems, local legends, and family-friendly stops celebrating all things Ohio.

How it works:
📍 Check in at stops using the free Brightr Travel app
🧵 Earn a commemorative collectible patch for every 6 check-ins on a trail!

Ready to start collecting?

Explore all 6 trails here: https://america250-ohio.org/trails-and-tales/

08/25/2026

Looking for something new to do close to home? The History Exchange is highlighting special events for America’s 250th birthday—hands-on activities, lectures, and programs hosted by local museums you may not even know were nearby. Click the link to see what's coming up! Link: https://tinyurl.com/HExchange-2

08/17/2026

Join us as we host the Cincinnati Sacred Harp Shape-Note group and their fellow Shape-Note singers from Kentucky and Indiana as they sing from The Sacred Harp. They will be singing some Shaker hymns as well. The acoustics in the Meeting House with the newly restored ceiling is wonderful. Tour the Village, see and hear the history, and stop in the Meeting House to hear the Shape-Note singers perform.

Many outdoor projects have been taking place this summer. We have a small crop of broomcorn growing; it's over 10 feet tall. The Shaker garden has been transformed; new plants are establishing their roots in their new home. And new sidewalks are currently in the process of being installed. Lots of "new" to see.

08/10/2026

August's America 250-Ohio's theme is Ohio Goes to the Fair: The Ohio State Fair & County Fair.

Raising livestock was important to the Village as the animals were needed to provide nourishment and farm labor. White Water benefited from their close relationship with Union Village, as Union Village was known as a national leader in cattle breeding at that time. They acquired a Durham bull, then considered the finest breed of cattle, to improve their herd.

08/04/2026

At White Water Shaker Village. John Hunt Morgan’s men came through the village.

Join Dr. Rebekah Beaulieu, Ph.D., Louise Taft Semple President/CEO of the Taft Museum of Art, at the Clifton Branch Library for a presentation on the development of the historic preservation movement in the Midwestern region.

Dr. Beaulieu will discuss the origins of American historic preservation in New England and contrast the Midwestern narrative as one that is wholly unique from its New England precedent, citing examples from throughout the Midwest and right here in Cincinnati.