Shakers dancing illustration

Illustration of Shakers dancing in Warren County, Ohio, from "Historical Collections of Ohio" by Henry Howe, 1847. The Shakers are a Christian religious group that originated in Great Britain ca. 1750, originally known as Shaking Quakers because they commonly trembled in religious fervor during their services. Shakers arrived in America during the 1770s, and reached Ohio in 1805. They established several communities in the state, but the most successful ones were at Lebanon and North Union (modern-day Shaker Heights). By 1846, more than four hundred Shakers called Lebanon home. The Shakers established typical communities in Ohio, making productive livings from their orchards, livestock, and other farming activities, as well as from their furniture-making endeavors. By 1900, Ohio's Shakers had virtually disappeared, mainly due to the lack of new converts. As their numbers declined, many Ohio Shakers moved to Shaker communities in other states