Zoar Village Flower Gardens photograph   Save
Sites and Scenes Around Ohio Collection
Description: This photograph of the village of Zoar, Ohio was taken in the 1960s. Many of the German-style structures built by the Zoarites have been restored and are open to the public as Zoar Village State Memorial, operated by the Ohio Historical Society. The photograph measures 2.75" x 2.75" (6.99 x 6.99 cm). The Society of Separatists of Zoar were German religious dissenters who immigrated to Ohio in 1817. Finding it difficult to make ends meet on their own, they formed a communal society in 1819 in which all members shared equally. After a few hard years, the group became solvent by helping build seven miles of the Ohio and Erie Canal, which passed through their lands. The canal enabled them to get their produce to market and allowed them to be financially successful. The Zoarites manufactured much of what they needed themselves. The village of Zoar, named for the Biblical city that Lot fled to from Sodom and Gomorrah, included grist mills, a wool factory, iron furnaces, a tannery, a foundry, garden, and store. After leader Joseph Bimeler (1778-1853) died, however, the group experienced a slow decline, since no one could match his business acumen or spiritual leadership. Tourism helped keep the community afloat for a while, but in 1898, the society disbanded and its assets were divided. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om3050_3656268_001
Subjects: Religion in Ohio; Plants and Animals; Gardens; Flowers; Society of Separatists of Zoar
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)