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. 

Communities Represented in Collection