Sunday, 7 October 2012
Zoar Village
Meriam and I “stumbled” upon this wonderful little village in the middle of Ohio. What a wonderful find!
Zoar is a restored village which was initially established in 1817 by German Separatists seeking religious freedom. Upon arrival in the the area, the Germans purchased 5,500 acres at $300/acre, with final balance in 15 years. The first couple of years were extremely difficult since the arrived with nothing. No homes, no food and no furnishings. As a consequence they almost starved to death. Understanding they were in dire straights, they decided to convert the entire community to a communal form of existence. This communal living lasted for almost 100 years, until they dissolved the community in 1898. This makes Zoar the longest lasting communal community in America.
Ohio in the early 19th century experienced a great need for an effective system to transport the goods of a growing population. In an era prior to railroads, the canal was the answer. A series of canals were authorized in 1822. By 1832, the Ohio and Erie Canal was completed.
The Zoarites financially benefited from the building of the canal. They played a very specific role in the building of a 7 mile section of the canal adjacent to their land. This opportunity allowed them to pay off their land debts by contracting with the State of Ohio for $21,000 to build this part of the canal. Everyone in the community worked toward the completion of the canal, including the women. The finished canal gave Zoarites access to outside markets such as Cleveland and Portsmouth.
The village of Zoar expanded and prospered through the last quarter of the nineteenth century, remaining a virtually self-sustaining communal civilization. Nearly every item used within the confines of the Society was either made or manufactured within the village, thus resulting in a favorable balance of trade, creating increasingly monetary growth. The products of the cabinet shop are just one of the many examples of Zoar craftsmanship which served as a mainstay in the growing community.
Please click on “Zoar Village” on the Pages tab in the menu bar above to view the associated photographs.