Zoar, Ohio
| Zoar, Ohio | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
Former canal tavern
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 Location of Zoar, Ohio |
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 Detailed map of Zoar |
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| Coordinates: 40°36′47″N 81°25′18″W / 40.61306°N 81.42167°WCoordinates: 40°36′47″N 81°25′18″W / 40.61306°N 81.42167°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Tuscarawas |
| Township | Lawrence |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.67 sq mi (1.74 km2) |
| • Land | 0.58 sq mi (1.50 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 169 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 173 |
| • Density | 291.4/sq mi (112.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 44697 |
| Area code(s) | 330 |
Zoar is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 169 at the 2010 census. The community was founded in 1817 by German religious dissenters as a utopian community, which survived until 1853.
Much of the village's early layout survives, as do many buildings from its utopian origins. Most of the community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 as the Zoar Historic District, and was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2016. Some of the historic buildings are now operated as museum properties.
Zoar was founded by German religious dissenters called the Society of Separatists of Zoar in 1817. It was named after the Biblical village to which Lot and his family escaped from Sodom. It was a communal society, with many German-style structures that have been restored and are part of the Zoar Village State Memorial. There are presently ten restored buildings. According to the Ohio Historical Society, Zoar is an island of Old-World charm in east-central Ohio.
The Separatists, or Zoarites, emigrated from the kingdom of Württemberg in southwestern Germany due to religious oppression from the Lutheran church. Leading among their group were some natives of Rottenacker on the Danube. Having separated from the established church, their theology was based in part on the writings of Jakob Böhme. They did not practice baptism or confirmation and did not celebrate religious holidays except for the Sabbath. A central flower garden in Zoar is based on the Book of Revelation with a towering tree in the middle representing Christ and other elements surrounding it representing other allegorical elements.
The leader of the society was named Joseph Bimeler (also known as Joseph Bäumler or Bäumeler, born 1778), a pipemaker as well as teacher from Ulm. His charismatic leadership carried the village through a number of crises.
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Wikipedia