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: Fraktur drawing created by a member of the Society of Separatists of Zoar, a communal religious society who settled the village of Zoar in Tuscarawas County after leaving Germany. This piece, which shows an Apochryphal biblical scene of Tobias pulling a fish from the Tigris River as the angel Raphael stands with him, is attributed to the "Zoar Artist." Some scholars think this might refer to Thomas Maier (sometimes spelled Mayer) of Zoar, who was born in 1778 and died between 1850 and 1860. Fraktur is a style of folk art characterized by highly decorative illuminated illustrations, generally done in ink and watercolor. Common forms included writing samples, birth and baptism certificates, marriage documents and book plates. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: H51243
Subjects: Society of Separatists of Zoar; Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio)--Social life and customs; Biblical teachings; Religion in Ohio; Folk art--Ohio;
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Fraktur drawing created by a member of the Society of Separatists of Zoar, a communal religious society who settled the village of Zoar in Tuscarawas County after leaving Germany. This piece shows several insets of biblical scenes, including Job 38: 4-7, Revelation (Offenbarung) 21: 5-7, Hebrews (Hebräer) 11: 1 and John (Johannes) 3: 21. Fraktur is a style of folk art characterized by highly decorative illuminated illustrations, generally done in ink and watercolor. Common forms included writing samples, birth and baptism certificates, marriage documents and book plates. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: H52086_01
Subjects: Society of Separatists of Zoar; Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio)--Social life and customs; Biblical teachings; Religion in Ohio; Folk art--Ohio;
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: Fraktur drawing created by a member of the Society of Separatists of Zoar, a communal religious society who settled the village of Zoar in Tuscarawas County after leaving Germany. This piece shows a ribbon-like scroll with the words "Der Weg zum Sabbath der Ruhe" ("The Way to the Sabbath of Rest") arched across the top, and below are three intersecting circles. The top yellow circle includes the word "Sophia" along with angels, a sheaf of wheat, and a cross decorated with a heart and eye motif. The next circle, blue, includes a red cross, an eye, a sun, a moon, stars, a clock, and a black cross and spiral circle. The bottom circle is black with the word "Sathan" printed upside-down in white. The background behind the top circles has sun rays and at the bottom, darkness. This piece is attributed to the "Zoar Artist," which some scholars believe may refer to Thomas Maier (sometimes spelled Mayer) of Zoar, who was born in 1778 and died between 1850 and 1860. Fraktur is a style of folk art characterized by highly decorative illuminated illustrations, generally done in ink and watercolor. Common forms included writing samples, birth and baptism certificates, marriage documents and book plates. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: H51244
Subjects: Society of Separatists of Zoar; Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio)--Social life and customs; Biblical teachings; Religion in Ohio; Folk art--Ohio;
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: A map showing the village of Zoar, Ohio, and the surrounding environs. A more detailed map shows the layout of the streets by name and individual lots identified by number. The lot numbers are listed along with the owners of each lot of land. The Society of Separatists of Zoar, a group of German religious dissenters, 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 resources and property equally. After leader Joseph Bimeler (1778-1853) died, the group experienced a slow decline. 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: MAPVFM85_8
Subjects: Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio); Zoar (Tuscarawas County, Ohio) -- Social life and customs; Religious societies; Communal societies
Places: Zoar (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (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);