The Shaker Village Historic District abuts the Shaker Square Historic District on its western boundry. Originally a traffic circle, Shaker Square was conceived by the Van Sweringens to be the gateway to their residential suburb. Plans for the circle date to 1923, with architect Alfred Harris' design for a series of apartments, stores, and a theater. When Harris' employer, Josiah Kirby, went bankrupt in 1924, the Van Sweringen Co. hired noted architects Philip Small and Charles Rowley to complete work on the apartments and develop a new design for the commercial district. Work on Shaker Square was completed in 1929, making it the second oldest suburban shopping center in America.
