Shaker Lakes Garden Club in the “Valley of God’s Pleasure”

Shaker Lakes gets its name from the North Union Shaker Community, early settlers of the area, who referred to the landscape as the “The Valley of God’s Pleasure.” After John D. Rockefeller purchased the property in 1889, he donated it to the city of Cleveland. Fast forward twenty-six years to 1915, when four visionary and determined women met to discuss what to do about the neglected park at Lower Shaker Lake, and the Shaker Lakes Garden Club (SLGC) was born. Its history has been intertwined with this park ever since.

Shortly after joining The Garden Club of America (GCA) in 1920, the club created a wildflower garden in the park where an old sawmill once stood. It was in that lovely setting that the club celebrated its centennial year as a member of GCA. Working with a group of stakeholders that included the city forester, the Friends of Lower Lake, and leaders from the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership, SLGC members discussed park project options that would be fitting for a club that has been associated with the park for more than 100 years.

This collaboration led to the club planting a small grove of native trees in December 2020. These trees will support native pollinators and birds while helping to educate the public about native species. The tree species planted include yellow buckeye, red maple, American hornbeam, Kentucky coffee tree, tupelo, and chinquapin oak. Education materials and signage are also planned for the grove.

1915-2016

In 1915, four intrepid ladies gathered around a cozy fire in a home overlooking the Lower Shaker Lake. Having lived near this parkway that surrounds the Shaker Lakes and the northern branch of Doan Brook, these ladies were very familiar with the conditions that existed there and the neglect of the area by the Park Board. Individual complaints to the chairman of the Park Board were ignored, but he finally said, “Why don't you ladies organize? If you were to come to us as the representatives of an active and influential organization, I think I can promise you that your request will receive more attention from the Board.”

So Mrs. James H. Rogers, Mrs. John Ranney, Mrs. Henry Gardner, and Mrs. Harry J. Crawford organized. They were all planning their own gardens and decided a garden club would be a most appropriate way to spark the Park Board's interest. Therefore, Mrs. Rogers invited a number of women who lived near the Lakes to attend a meeting to discuss organizing such a group. Although only ten women showed up, they went right to work suggesting the name of the group should be the Shaker Lakes Garden Club.

Our historian is sifting through boxes of archives to find a selection of photos, stories and clippings to share in honor of our 100th anniversary. Here is a sampling:

Click here to read the history that was written for Shaker Lakes Garden Club's 80th anniversary in 1995.