Description: An exterior view of the Tuscarawas Courthouse and the statue that is erected in front of the building. The building is located in in the town and county seat of New Philadelphia, taking it's name from the much more well known Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania. While the town often experienced economic success because of it's advantageous location, it would eventually experience a downturn with the falling importance of it's main industries. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06753
Subjects: Tuscarawas County (Ohio); New Philadelphia (Ohio); Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law
Places: New Philadelphia (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio); Tuscarawas Courthouse (Ohio)
 

Description: An exterior view of the Tuscarawas Courthouse and the statue that is erected in front of the building. The building is located in in the town and county seat of New Philadelphia, taking it's name from the much more well known Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania. While the town often experienced economic success because of it's advantageous location, it would eventually experience a downturn with the falling importance of it's main industries. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06754
Subjects: Tuscarawas County (Ohio); New Philadelphia (Ohio); Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law
Places: New Philadelphia (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio); Tuscarawas Courthouse (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing the back of the post card. The typed paragraph on the top left-side reads: "POST CARD| MESSAGE| "The Palace," Zoar, Ohio| Near the garden, lofty stone steps ascending to the entrance is the conspicuous dwelling of the village-the former residence of the leader, Joseph Bimeler. Often designated by visitors as "the palace," it is a two and a half story, cupola surmounted, red brick mansion with a spacious basement. It was erected in 1835, a few years after the marriage of the founder of the Society and served as Bimeler's home until his death in 1853. In those days it was considered a most pretentious establishment and certainly far beyond anything it its locality. The Ohio State Historical Society and the Zoar Historical Society are collaborating in the preservation of old Zoar Village." The handwriting under the paragraph reads: "The Palace" see opposite sides." There is a hand-drawn red checkmark and a "#7" on the right-side under the caption "ADDRESS." View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Series6560AV_B10F013_001_002
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio)--Social life and customs; Historic houses; Historic preservation; Houses
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio);
 

Description: Postcard showing an image of Joseph Bimeler's home in Zoar, Ohio on the front. Background information about the building is located on the back of the postcard. A small community in Tuscarawas County, Zoar was founded by a group of German separatists in 1817. The group's leader, Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler), decided to bring the separatists to the United States to escape persecution in their native country. The separatists chose to name their new town Zoar after the Biblical account of Lot, who escaped to Zoar from Sodom in the book of Genesis. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, a tin shop, cooper, wagon maker, two iron foundries, and several stores. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. Over time, the outside world influenced the community more and more, as strangers traveled to Zoar and stayed in the town's hotel. In 1898, the remaining members decided to dissolve the society, and the Zoarites divided the property among themselves. It was the end to the communistic experience at Zoar. Throughout the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Zoar has continued to exist as a small town in rural eastern Ohio. Today, the Ohio Historical Society operates a portion of the town as a historic site. A number of the Zoarite buildings are restored and are open to the public. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Series6560AV_B10F013_002_001
Subjects: Postcards; Tourism; Historic houses; Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio)--Social life and customs;
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio);
 

Description: Taken in 1888, this photograph shows two women standing in the greenhouse the Zoar garden in Zoar, Ohio, in Tuscarawas County. By 1892, the greenhouse was located in the northeast section of the garden. At the center of the photograph is a fish aquarium and round globe containing a century plant brought over from Germany. Led by Joseph Bimeler in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. They would become known as the Society of Separatists of Zoar in 1819. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00861
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Gardens; Greenhouses; Society of Separatists of Zoar
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows two women in black dresses with umbrellas standing in the northeast section of the Zoar garden in Zoar, Ohio, in Tuscarawas County. The geometric layout of the garden symbolized the New Jerusalem described in the Book of Revelations of the Bible, and the large Norway spruce at its center symbolized eternal life. The greenhouse is to the left, and and a bakery stands beyond the greenhouse. This garden is east of the gardener's home. Led by Joseph Bimeler in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. They would become known as the Society of Separatists of Zoar in 1819. After a few hard years, the group became solvent by helping to 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 Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om395_1088673_005
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Society of Separatists of Zoar; Gardens; Communal Societies
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Canal plat map showing a section of the route of the Ohio and Erie Canal through Tuscarawas County, between stations 1561 and 1691. The Tuscarawas River and the Zoar mill are shown, and bridges, railroads, stations, locks, and other landmarks along the route are also noted. The map was created under the direction of the members of the Canal Commission of the state of Ohio and approved by the Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Works (variously referred to as the Board of Public Works and the Division of Public Works). The Ohio and Erie Canal was constructed between 1825 and 1832, eventually connecting Cleveland and Lake Erie with Portsmouth and the Ohio River. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: BV4910_003
Subjects: Ohio and Erie Canal (Ohio); Transportation; Canals -- Ohio; Rivers--Ohio; Bridges--Ohio; Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio);
Places: Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Dated ca. 1910-1915, this photograph shows the Beiter home in Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. David Beiter and his wife received this house when the Society of Separatists of Zoar dissolved their communal economy in 1898. Led by Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler) in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. Additional modifications to the society's organization were made in 1824 and a constitution established in 1833. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, tin, copper, wagon making, two iron foundries, and several stores. The society also made money by contracting to build a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal crossed over Zoar's property, and the society owned several canal boats. The canal traffic also brought other people into the community, who bought Zoar residents' goods. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00888
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Houses; Society of Separatists of Zoar; Communal societies
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Dated 1892, this is a reproduction of a photograph of Alexander Gunn tending his orchard and vegetable garden in Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Gunn, a business man from Cleveland, chose to live in Zoar upon his retirement, and encouraged the Separatists to keep the commune running in the late 1890s when the community eventually dissolved in 1898. In 1901, Gunn became ill and traveled to Germany where he soon died thereafter. His ashes were sent back to Zoar where they were interred on the hillside where he grave is marked by "Gunn's Monument," a large boulder donated by friends of his. Led by Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler) in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. Additional modifications to the society's organization were made in 1824 and a constitution established in 1833. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, a tin shop, copper, wagon maker, two iron foundries, and several stores. The society also made money by contracting to build a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal crossed over Zoar's property, and the society owned several canal boats. The canal traffic also brought other people into the community, who bought Zoar residents' goods. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00863
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Society of Separatists of Zoar; Gardens; Communal societies
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Dated ca. 1910-1950, this photograph shows the home of Joseph Bimeler, the unofficial leader of the Society of Separatists of Zoar, a communal society in Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. A note on the reverse of the photograph reads "Bimiler House." The Bimeler home is made of red brick and gray sandstone, standing on the main street of the village. Led by Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler) in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. Additional modifications to the society's organization were made in 1824 and a constitution established in 1833. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, a tin shop, copper, wagon maker, two iron foundries, and several stores. The society also made money by contracting to build a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal crossed over Zoar's property, and the society owned several canal boats. The canal traffic also brought other people into the community, who bought Zoar residents' goods. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV9_B02F03_002_001
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Houses; Society of Separatists of Zoar; Communal societies
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a reproduction of a photograph showing water coming through the gates of a lock on the Ohio and Erie Canal near Zoar, Ohio, ca. 1875-1900. Canal locks were used to move boats from one water level to the next during river travel. Starting in 1825, Zoarites were paid to dig part of the Ohio and Erie Canal which ran along the Separatists' property, earning $21,000 for the community in addition to income from selling food to neighboring laborers. Led by Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler) in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. Additional modifications to the society's organization were made in 1824 and a constitution established in 1833. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, a tin shop, copper, wagon maker, two iron foundries, and several stores. The society also made money by contracting to build a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal crossed over Zoar's property, and the society owned several canal boats. The canal traffic also brought other people into the community, who bought Zoar residents' goods. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00846
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Society of Separatists of Zoar; Ohio and Erie Canal (Ohio); Ohio Economy--Transportation and Development
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Portrait of five Civil War veterans from Zoar, Ohio, ca. 1880-1889. The men are identified as "Harry Bowman (Cleveland), Leo Kern (boss over teamsters), John Kuecherer (baker), D. Unsold (left Society), Anton Burkhart (brewmaster)." They are wearing medals indicating their membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization for Union veterans. Led by Joseph Bimeler (sometimes spelled Bäumeler) in 1817, a group of Lutheran separatists left the area of Germany known as Wurttemberg and eventually established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The community of Zoar was not originally organized as a commune, but its residents had a difficult time surviving in 1818 and early 1819. As a result, on April 19, 1819, the group formed the Society of Separatists of Zoar. Each person donated his or her property to the community as a whole, and in exchange for their work, the society would provide for them. Additional modifications to the society's organization were made in 1824 and a constitution established in 1833. In the decades following the establishment of the Zoar commune, the Separatists experienced economic prosperity. The community was almost entirely self-sufficient and sold any surpluses to the outside world. In addition to agriculture, Zoar residents also worked in a number of industries, including flour mills, textiles, a tin shop, copper, wagon maker, two iron foundries, and several stores. The society also made money by contracting to build a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal crossed over Zoar's property, and the society owned several canal boats. The canal traffic also brought other people into the community, who bought Zoar residents' goods. By the second half of the nineteenth century, the community was quite prosperous. After Bimeler's death in 1853, the unity of the village declined, and by 1898 the Zoarites disbanded the society. The remaining residents divided the property, and the community continued to prosper in Zoar. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01762
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Society of Separatists of Zoar; Civil War 1861-1865; Veterans; Military Ohio
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)