The Shakers were a religious communal society founded and originally led by Mother Ann Lee, who came to America from England in 1774. By 1826 communities were established throughout New England and the Midwest, as well as in Georgia and Florida. In 1911 Wallace H. Cathcart, Director of the Western Reserve Historical Society, began collecting Shaker memorabilia. The collection consists of ambrotypes; tintypes; photographs next hit, including stereographs, carte de visits, and cabinet cards; postcards (black and white and color), negatives, and prints. Images include individual and group portraits of members of various Shaker communities and views of buildings, farms, work scenes, interiors, and general scenes depicting life at Shaker communities in the United States. Communities depicted include Alfred, Maine; Canterbury, New Hampshire; Enfield, Connecticut; Enfield, New Hampshire; Hancock, Massachusetts; Harvard, Massachusetts; Mt. Lebanon, New York; Sabbath day Lake, Maine, South Union, Kentucky; Union Village, Ohio; Watervliet, New York; Whitewater, Ohio; Groveland, New York; North Union, Ohio; Pleasant Hill, Kentucky; Shirley, Massachusetts; Tyringham, Massachusetts; Union Village, Ohio; White Oak, Georgia; and various mixed and unidentified communities. Most previous hit photographs are identified.