Zoar History

Having been persecuted because of their belief in separation of Church and State, a group of German "Separatists" fled Wurtemberg to have freedom to worship God as they chose. Guided by a vision from their mystic spiritual leader, they set sail for America in April 1817, arriving at Philadelphia in August. Aided by the Quakers, arrangements were made for purchasing 5500 acres in the Tuscarawas River valley with a credit of fifteen years. A small band of men arrived at their new land on October 16, 1817. By spring, they had built enough shelter to house their families who had been left in Philadelphia for the winter.

They named their settlement Zoar after the town to which Lot fled seeking refuge from Sodom. A seven pointed star of Bethlehem was chosen as their emblem and the acorn from which the mighty oak grows was their symbol of strength. Life in the new land was harsh and failure appeared imminent. A plan was devised to create a community of goods and efforts whereby all individual's property and future earnings became common stock. On April 19, 1819, the articles of association were signed by 53 men and 104 women establishing "The Society of Separatists of Zoar". Joseph Baumeler (later changed to Bimeler) became their Agent-General as well as their spiritual and temporal leader. Men and women possessed equal political rights. The Society was contracted to dig seven miles of the Ohio-Erie Canal which passed through their land. Their work was completed in 1828 for $21,000 and allowed the Society to pay off its land debt. The canal essentially opened the area for commerce and at one time, the Society operated as many as four canal boats. Zoar was almost totally self sufficient, with excesses being sold to outsiders.

By the mid-1800's, the Society had accumulated assets of over one million dollars. The Society began to decline after Bimeler's death in 1853, and by the late 1800's they were no longer commercially competitive. This and other outside influences caused the Society to disband in 1898 with a division of assets. Each Society member received land, house and possessions.

ZOAR TODAY Zoar is most often thought of for its history, but it is really a community of approximately 75 families living in houses built from 1817 to the present. The 12 block historic district is unique in that it remains a living part of the community. The Ohio Historical Society maintains many of the buildings as museums, but the remainder is primarily comprised of restored residences. Many of these residences contain home occupations much like in the Zoarites's era. There are a variety of shops offering unique gift items, restaurants for the hungry and bed & breakfasts (B & B's) for those seeking overnight accommodations. Feel free to take a walk around town no matter what the hour, and don't be alarmed if you meet some of the locals doing the same. There are no stop lights, not even a blinking one. A common meeting place is the post office, because there is no home delivery. Village government is comprised of a mayor and six council members. The United Church of Christ occupies the 1856 Meeting House and we have a real up-to- date fire department that you can bet your life on.

GETTING TO ZOAR Zoar is located 3 miles east of I-77 exit #93 on Ohio Route 212 just 12 miles south of Canton and 12 miles north of New Philadelphia. If coming from the north, you enter Tuscarawas County as you cross the "Tuscarawas Branch of the Muskingum River". This river was part of a major north/south Indian route extending from what is now Marietta to Cleveland requiring a short portage in the Akron area. If you look to the east you will see where Sandy Creek empties into the river. This was one of the few spots in Ohio to be known by name before the Revolutionary War. It is here that the "Great Trial" passes from Chesapeake Bay to Detroit and is called the "Crossing Place". Col. Bouquet crossed here in 1764 with an army of 1500 men comprised of Highland regulars, Royal Americans, Pennsylvania troops and Virginia backwoodsmen.

It was on a hill overlooking Zoar land that councils were held with Seneca, Delaware and Shawnee chiefs for the release of all white captives. The captives were surrendered at the Indian capitol Go-scach-gung, which is now Coshocton. Gen. Wayne's victorious battle of Fallen Timbers resulted in the 1795 Greenville Treaty. This treaty established a boundary line between the lands of the United States and those of the Indian tribes. Basically, the treaty line extended south from Lake Erie following the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers to the Crossing Place. The line then went westerly to the Great Miami River. A 10" diameter oak tree standing on the west bank at The Crossing Place was marked with three notches on the north and west sides and inscribed by Israel Ludlow on Sunday, 9th, July, 1797 to read "Surveyed according to Treaty by Gen. Wayne, a line to Loramie's S. 79 degrees and fifty minutes W".

This tree now dead, is still standing at its described location. About a mile after crossing the river, you can see remnants of the Ohio Canal as it turns west and proceeds toward one of its aqueducts. To the east, is an elevated pile of dirt crossing the field. This was the Sandy-Beaver Canal as it approached its Tuscarawas River Aqueduct to join the Ohio Canal. The site of Fort Laurens is on the west side of I-77 a short distance south from exit #93. Built in 1778 by Gen. McIntosh, this was the western most fort built during the American Revolution. As you exit I-77 and travel east toward Zoar, the IGA is located to the left. At this point you are about 2 miles from Zoar and have just entered the Separatist's Land. As you enter the village of Zoar, 7th street intersects at the "Y" and leads to the cemetery. Proceeding on 212, you will see the Meeting House on the left. After going down a slight grade, the Garden surrounded by a picket fence is on your right, followed by the Georgian style Number One House. The General Store and Hotel sit on the next block and you will now see the levee which was built in the 1930's to protect Zoar from floods. Parking is available off First Street, the west end of Third Street and at the School House. If you continue through Zoar on 212, you remain on Separatist's land for another 2 miles. This section of Route 212 was built on the old railroad bed. The original road can be seen at various points paralleling the present road.