As the Israelite House of David was established as a religious communal society, and there is an established tradition of such intentional communities (religious or otherwise) in North America, the House of David has a vested interest in preserving the history of other communal societies.
The Communal Societies Collection is primarily composed of our Shaker archival and object collections, but also offers a sampling of material from other societies, including the Oneida Community in New York and the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Our Shaker Object Research Collection comprises over 700 items, including chairs, oval boxes, tables, and more.
Research
Scholars looking to utilize the Communal Societies Collection's archival material or Shaker Object Research Collection can visit the Research page for more information.
Finding Aids are available upon request
Please Note: The Archives & Collections' Shaker Object Research Collection is in an historic mansion, only accessible by several staircases.
Amana Colonies
Amish
Bishop Hill
Brotherhood of the New Life
Brook Farm
Dowieite / Zion City
Ephrata Cloister
Free Church
Harmonists
Hutterities
Jesus People USA
Koreshan Unity
Moravians
Mormons (early)
New Harmony
New Llano
Oneida Community
Shakers
Shiloh Youth Revival Center
Zoar