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73-529: Zoar is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio , United States. The population was 172 at the 2020 census . The community was founded in 1817 by Radical Pietists as a utopian Christian community, which survived until 1898. 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

146-507: A special tax district . An example of the latter is the Village of Friendship Heights . The distinction is legally relevant to the level of police power that a village may exercise. In Michigan , villages differ from cities in that, whereas villages remain part of the townships in which they are formed, thereby reducing their home-rule powers, cities are not part of townships. Because of this, village governments are required to share some of

219-563: A U.S. village may be simply a relatively small clustered human settlement without formal legal existence. In colonial New England , a village typically formed around the meetinghouses that were located in the center of each town . Many of these colonial settlements still exist as town centers . With the advent of the Industrial Revolution , industrial villages also sprang up around water-powered mills , mines , and factories . Because most New England villages were contained within

292-546: A communal society was too large. In the 1830s, the Ohio and Erie Canal was being constructed. To accumulate money from the state, Zoarites constructed part of the Canal on their own, and received $ 21,000 from the state. During this period, blacksmithing and tin shops were flourishing in the village, as well as flour and wool mills. In 1853, after Joseph Bimeler's passing, the village was worth around $ 5 million. Preceding Joseph Bimeler's death,

365-560: A dispute broke out between the two (regarding the northern terminus) the O&;T was sold to creditor Cleveland Iron Company. It then awarded Smith the property in 1878 and Eckley's involvement ended.  Just a year later, on October 20, 1879, Smith renamed the company as the Conotton Valley Railroad (CVRR) and completed an extension of the old O&T to Canton in early May 1880. His greatest achievement, from an historical perspective,

438-549: A pipemaker as well as teacher from Ulm . His charismatic leadership carried the village through a number of crises. Bimeler led the society until his death, which occurred in 1853. An early event critical to the success of the colony was the digging of the Ohio and Erie Canal . The Zoarites had purchased 5,500 acres (22 km) of land sight unseen and used loans to pay for it. The loans were to be paid off by 1830. The Society struggled for many years to determine what products and services they could produce in their village to pay off

511-472: A route connecting Pittsburgh , PA (Rook) and Toledo , Ohio. Most freight traffic on the line was coal and iron ore, with general merchandise also making up a significant portion. Service from Huron to Massillion, Ohio was opened on January 9, 1882 and new lines were constructed that eventually reached the Ohio River and Toledo. The WLE also developed new docks on Lake Erie at Huron that opened May 21, 1884 when

584-569: A shaky start.   It was promoted by General E.R. Eckley who had similar ambitions to Joel Wood.  He incorporated the Ohio & Toledo Rail Road (O&T) on May 7, 1872 to move coal from eastern Ohio mines to Lake Erie. Instead of building from the Wheeling area, however, this pike would sought a point slightly north at Wellsville, Ohio. With insufficient capital and an insistence to utilize shoddy construction standards his entire plan may have ended at

657-602: A slow decline in the cohesion of the village. By 1898, the village voted to disband the communal society, and the property was divided among the remaining residents. Zoar is located at 40°36′47″N 81°25′18″W  /  40.61306°N 81.42167°W  / 40.61306; -81.42167 (40.613102, -81.421686), along the Tuscarawas River . That is 2.9 road miles east of I77 via Ohio route 212 and 16.1 road miles south of Canton, Ohio in Stark County . (Canton itself

730-572: A village in New York; Hempstead , the largest village in the state, has 55,000 residents, making it more populous than some of the state's cities. However, villages in the state may not exceed five square miles (13 km ) in area. Present law requires a minimum of 500 residents to incorporate as a village. The municipalities in North Carolina are cities, towns, and villages. There are no significant differences in legal power or status. In Ohio ,

803-418: A village is a municipality of 100 through 800 inhabitants, whereas a city must have at least 800 inhabitants. In counties having townships, all villages, but only some cities, are within township areas. A city of the second class (800-5,000 inhabitants) may elect to revert to village status. In New Hampshire , a village district or precinct may be organized within a town. Such a village district or precinct

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876-423: A village is an incorporated area that differs from a city in that a village is within the jurisdiction of one or more towns , whereas a city is independent of a town. Villages thus have less autonomy than cities. A village is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village may be coterminous with, and have a consolidated government with, a town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides

949-443: A village is an incorporated municipality with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, excluding residents of educational or correctional facilities. The minimum population for incorporation as a village is 1,600 inhabitants, but this was not always the case, resulting in many very small villages. If an existing village's population surpasses 5,000 at a federal census, or if a village comes to have more than 5,000 resident registered voters, it

1022-536: A village is defined as a tract of land with more than 300 people where livestock are not allowed to roam free. Villages are erected by local circuit courts. In Vermont , villages are named communities located within the boundaries of a legally established town , unlike cities, which are outside of any town area. Villages may be incorporated or unincorporated. In West Virginia , towns and villages are Class IV municipalities, i.e., having 2,000 or fewer inhabitants. In Wisconsin , cities and villages are both outside

1095-491: Is 24 miles south of Akron and 58 miles south of Cleveland and Lake Erie .) Zoar village is 3.2 road miles north of Zoarville, Ohio , an unincorporated community. According to the United States Census Bureau , the village has a total area of 0.67 square miles (1.74 km), of which 0.58 square miles (1.50 km) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km) is water. Zoar is located at Mile Post 84.5 on

1168-483: Is a board of six elected trustees and an elected village president, all of whom are usually elected at-large . A village in Louisiana is a municipality having a population of 1,000 or fewer. In Maine , village corporations or village improvement corporations are special districts established in towns for limited purposes. In Maryland , a locality designated "Village of ..." may be either an incorporated town or

1241-553: Is a colloquial term used to refer to small communities, which are mostly located in the rural areas of the state , often unconnected to the contiguous North American road system. Many of these communities are populated predominantly by Alaska Natives and are federally recognized as villages under the Indian Reorganization Act and/or the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act . As voting membership in

1314-590: Is a special district with limited powers. A village in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Villages in New Jersey are of equal standing to other municipalities, such as cities, towns, boroughs, and townships. The municipalities in New Mexico are cities, towns, and villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes. In New York ,

1387-501: Is an island of Old-World charm in east-central Ohio. These Radical Pietists, also known as 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, they based their theology in part on

1460-433: Is automatically designated as a city. Cities or villages may be located within township areas; however, if a city or village becomes coterminous with a township, the township ceases to exist as a separate government (see paper township ). In Oklahoma , unincorporated communities are called villages and are not counted as governments. In Oregon , the municipal governments are cities, towns, and villages, although there

1533-475: Is currently waiting on funding for inside renovation. Nixon, Edgar Burkhardt, The Society of Separatists of Zoar, Ph.D. dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1933. Village (United States)#Ohio In the United States , the meaning of village varies by geographic area and legal jurisdiction. In formal usage, a " village " is a type of administrative division at the local government level. Since

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1606-442: Is no significance in their legal powers or status. Also, one county — Clackamas County — permits the organization of unincorporated areas into villages and hamlets. The boards of such entities are advisory to the county. In Texas , villages may be Type B or Type C municipalities, but not Type A municipalities. The types differ in terms of population and in terms of the forms of government that they may adopt. In Virginia ,

1679-620: Is similar to the usage of the term "unincorporated town" in states having town governments. States that formally recognize villages vary widely in the definition of the term. Most commonly, a village is either a special district or a municipality. As a municipality, a village may Under Article 10, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution , as well as law enacted pursuant to the constitution, Alaska legally recognizes only cities and boroughs as municipal entities in Alaska. In Alaska, "village"

1752-574: The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government from legislating on local government, the states are free to have political subdivisions called "villages" or not to and to define the word in many ways. Typically, a village is a type of municipality , although it can also be a special district or an unincorporated area . It may or may not be recognized for governmental purposes. In informal usage,

1825-594: The Zoar Historic District , and it was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2016. Some of the historic buildings are now operated as museum properties. Zoar was founded by Radical Pietist Christian dissenters from Germany 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 : All property

1898-410: The census of 2000, there were 193 people, 79 households, and 62 families residing in the village. The population density was 350.8 inhabitants per square mile (135.4/km). There were 81 housing units at an average density of 147.2 per square mile (56.8/km). The racial makeup of the village was 97.93% White , 1.04% Asian , and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of

1971-425: The 1870's as a cheaper alternative to their standard-gauge counterparts. The belief was that such a national network would yield greater returns on investment.  This new undertaking began at the northern end when W&LE officials acquired the defunct Milan Canal's tow path.   With a right-of-way ready for rails the first 12.5 miles between Huron and Norwalk opened during June 1877.   While more grading

2044-909: The Alaska Municipal League is on an equal footing, regardless of population, most villages are incorporated as second-class cities. In common usage, however, these communities are thought of more often as villages than as cities. Village districts are subordinate agencies of municipal governments rather than municipalities in their own right. Municipalities in Delaware are called cities, towns, or villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes. Municipalities in Florida are called cities, towns, or villages. They are not differentiated for census purposes. All municipalities in Idaho are called cities, although

2117-526: The Christian religion. In 1817, the settlers bought roughly 5,500 acres of land from Godfrey Haga. The Quakers loaned them money to support part of the purchase. Joseph Bimeler vowed to pay $ 15,000, the remaining balance of the purchase, off within 15 years. The following years of the society was not met with economic prosperity. In the early years of the village, community leaders required celibacy among their residents. The additional cost of bearing many children in

2190-553: The Midwestern component of this network and from its eastern terminus at Toledo offered a potential connection with the W&;LE. The latter's charter stipulated it could build from that point towards the Ohio River in a southeasterly direction. Using the W&LE, Gould would connect it with the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio (Erie) at Creston for through service into Youngstown.   He then only needed 70 miles of new construction to reach

2263-605: The New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad, or Nickel Plate Road (NKP) as it was known, leased the W&LE. The W&LE was operated as the "Wheeling and Lake Erie District" of the NKP. In 1964, the Nickel Plate combined with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), bringing the W&LE into N&W and, after the N&;W-Southern Railway merger, Norfolk Southern . Throughout this period,

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2336-554: The Painesville idea and instead sought a direct entry into Cleveland.  Construction began on July 5, 1880 and passenger service into downtown Cleveland was inaugurated on February 21, 1882. As George Hilton points out in his book, " American Narrow Gauge Railroads ," while this was ongoing the railroad built a short, 8.7-mile extension south of Carrollton to reach coal mines in the Sherrodsville area that opened on January 1, 1882 (it

2409-652: The Pennsylvania-controlled Allegheny Valley Railroad. This system ran across the Keystone State and connected with the Central Railroad of New Jersey, another Gould interest.   During late 1880, he formally acquired the defunct W&LE and by early 1881 things got underway.  Actual construction commenced east and west of Creston and by November 1881 the line was finished from Massillon to Norwalk/Huron. It eventually completed

2482-481: The Pittsburgh and West Virginia. It also ran from Cleveland to Zanesville, with the lines crossing at Harmon, just east of Brewster, Ohio, which became the location of WLE's corporate headquarters and locomotive shops. Brewster began serving as headquarters of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway in 1914. With two busy main stems crossing on the map of Ohio; the road's nickname for many years was "The Iron Cross." Ironically,

2555-515: The WLE in 1899 after its purchase at a foreclosure sale, becoming WLE's Cleveland Division. At its height, the W&LE ran from the Pittsburgh region (through a connection with the Wabash-Pittsburgh Terminal, later the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway) to Lake Erie at Huron and Toledo. However, the mainlines of the WLE never reached outside Ohio's borders - Pennsylvania access was only via

2628-607: The Youngstown idea and, instead, would aim for Painesville. Incorporated as the Painesville, Canton & Bridgeport Narrow Gauge Rail Road on January 12, 1875 it began construction from Chagrin Falls. Without the necessary funding, Eckley managed only to reach Solon (5.15 miles) by November 1877 before money ran out. His venture then passed into Dr. Norman Smith's hands who incorporated the Youngstown & Connotton Valley (Y&CV) on August 29, 1877. Eckley initially remained president but after

2701-463: The area of any town . Cities and villages differ in terms of the population and population density required for incorporation. Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1916%E2%80%931988) At the end of 1944, W&LE operated 507 miles of road and 1003 miles of track; that year it reported 2371 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and 0.002 million passenger-miles. The Wheeling & Lake Erie's story begins with two different systems; one carrying

2774-408: The average family size was 2.73. In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 18.7% from 25 to 44, 42.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the village

2847-408: The boundaries of legally established towns, many such villages were never separately incorporated as municipalities. A relatively small unincorporated community , similar to a hamlet in New York state, or even a relatively small community within an incorporated city or town, may be termed a village. This informal usage may be found even in states that have villages as incorporated municipalities and

2920-431: The country. Over the years, the W&LE built and rolled boilers and erected fifty of their own steam engines, a feat never tried by many larger and more famous railroads. The Wheeling & Lake Erie was jokingly called the "Wailing and Leg Weary" but, after several early financial embarrassments, finally found prosperity in its later life. Passenger service ended in 1940 just before the start of World War II . In 1949,

2993-520: The drawing board if it were not for the moribund 4-foot, 10-inch Carrollton & Oneida Railroad (C&O). Built to even poorer standards than the typical narrow-gauge, the C&;O, with a history tracing back to 1837, linked its namesake towns along a 10-mile line laid with strap-iron rail. At Oneida, it interchanged with the Cleveland & Pittsburgh (a PRR subsidiary).  During its brief time in service it

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3066-486: The end, Wood's proposal only saw a bit of grading completed (including three tunnels) between Navarre and Martins Ferry (across the Ohio River from Wheeling). As the W&LE lay mired in uncertainty he was ousted by fellow associates who wanted to scrap the original plans in a favor of a three-foot, narrow-gauge system. These gained widespread popularity after the Denver & Rio Grande successfully demonstrated their viability in

3139-476: The final push into Zanesville but managed only to secure around $ 300,000, less than half the amount needed (this money was later used to construct a beautiful, two-story passenger terminal in Cleveland which opened on August 29, 1883).   Despite relatively strong business (in 1884 it carried 456,627 passengers, moved 192,400 tons of coal, and handled 41,668 tons of other freight) the company's heavy debt resulted in receivership during June 1883. On May 9, 1885 it

3212-484: The first cargo of iron ore was received. In 1880 another 3-foot narrow gauge line, the Connotton Valley Railway, was formed; building north from Canton, Ohio to Cleveland and then south to Coshocton, Ohio and Zanesville. The Connotton Valley became the Cleveland, Canton & Southern Railroad and was converted to standard gauge in one day on November 18, 1888. The Cleveland, Canton & Southern Railroad joined

3285-460: The levee's safety rating from 1 (lowest) to Dam Safety Action Classification 3, meaning the possibility of failure is moderate to high. An expedited full evaluation is to occur within a year. In so doing, the Corps also dropped the option of breaching the levee from the list of solutions being considered, and studied options for repairing the existing levee, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood that

3358-576: The loans. The state of Ohio required some of the Zoarite land to be used as a right of way and offered the Zoarites an opportunity to assist in digging the canals for money. The state gave them a choice of digging it themselves for pay or having the state pay others to dig the canal. The Zoarites then spent several years in the 1820s digging the canal and thus were able to pay off their loans on time with much money to spare. Bimeler's death on August 31, 1853, led to

3431-508: The main line of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway between Cleveland and Wheeling, West Virginia , which parallels the Tuscarawas River for much of its length. As of the census of 2010, there were 169 people, 77 households, and 58 families residing in the village. The population density was 291.4 inhabitants per square mile (112.5/km). There were 85 housing units at an average density of 146.6 per square mile (56.6/km). The racial makeup of

3504-473: The mainline of the W&LE never actually reached Wheeling, West Virginia. However, a branch between Steubenville, Ohio and Martins Ferry was completed in 1891, which led to an indirect connection to Wheeling via a subsidiary, the Wheeling Bridge and Terminal Company. The W&LE began producing locomotives at its Brewster, Ohio shops in 1910, and boasted one of the finest locomotive producing facilities in

3577-515: The mile). The initial leg would link Wheeling and Sandusky while the ultimate goal was Toledo. Wood's idea was sound but, unfortunately, ill-timed.  To attain funding he tried to procure monetary support from major cities along the route. At first, Wheeling promised $ 300,000 but a disgruntled taxpayer was successful in having the ordinance rescinded in 1871.   Then, the Panic of 1873 ended any hopes of either Sandusky or Toledo providing assistance. In

3650-406: The population. There were 79 households, out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and

3723-458: The railroad generally remained unchanged. In 1988, the W&LE was finally consolidated into the Norfolk and Western on September 20. The New York Stock Exchange removed the trading stock the following Friday, the 23rd. In 1990, many lines were sold by Norfolk Southern to the newly-founded Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway . It has since become a Class II railroad, and the largest railroad based in

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3796-462: The railroad to Eckley for $ 1 on July 15, 1873.  He integrated it into his O&T system and made further upgrades, such as laying solid iron T-rail (3-foot gauge) and extending service to Minerva during 1874.   After giving up on a Toledo route the general decided upon a Youngstown connection where interchange could be established with another narrow-gauge, the Painesville & Youngstown. Following yet another change of heart, Eckley scrapped

3869-626: The responsibilities to their residents with the township. Villages that existed in Minnesota as of January 1, 1974, became cities , which may operate under general municipal law ("statutory city") or adopt a charter for itself to become a charter city. A village in Mississippi is a municipality of 100 to 299 inhabitants. They may no longer be created. The municipalities of Missouri are cities, towns, and villages. Unlike cities, villages have no minimum population requirement. In Nebraska ,

3942-448: The same name and another as a narrow-gauge linking Cleveland with Zanesville.   The first W&LE was incorporated on March 10, 1871 as the Wheeling & Lake Erie Rail Road Company. It was the vision of Joel Wood who believed a profitable enterprise lay in the transportation of coal from eastern Ohio mines to Lake Erie ports. The line was to be standard-gauge (4 feet, 8 1/2 inches) featuring grades no worse than 0.947% (or 50 feet to

4015-413: The services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. Those municipal services not provided by the village are provided by the town or towns containing the village. As of the 2000 census, there are 553 villages in New York. There is no limit to the population of

4088-467: The terms "town" and "village" are sometimes used in statutes. A village is a type of incorporated municipality in Illinois ; the other two types are the city and the incorporated town . All incorporated municipalities, regardless of type, are independent of each other, and cannot overlap. Villages can be created by referendum under the general state law or by special state charter. The governing body

4161-468: The village has been given the lowest safety rating by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . The village sits at the base of the levee, which was built by the Corps in 1936 as part of its water management program in the region. With the levee in failing condition, the Corps was evaluating three alternatives: The Zoar Village Government and the Zoar Community Association are working to preserve

4234-401: The village peaked. After 1853, the village began its decline. At its dissolution in 1898, there were 222 members of the community with an estimated worth of $ 3.5 million. As construction of the village began, the buildings were subsequently numbered in the order that they were built. Many of the original buildings are still completely original. Originally built, in 1835, to house the elders of

4307-506: The village was 98.2% White , 0.6% Asian , and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population. There were 77 households, of which 19.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.6% had someone living alone who

4380-572: The village where it stands and have created the Save Historic Zoar Association. Initial Corps estimates, as of mid-2012, put the cost of repairing the levee at about $ 130 million, slightly less than $ 1 million per resident. In June 2012 the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Zoar on its annual list of " America's eleven most endangered historic places ." In November 2013 the Corps, following further review, reclassified

4453-529: The village would have to be destroyed or relocated. In 2023, the Army Corps of Engineers completed a $ 14 million project to repair the levee and save Zoar Village. After fleeing from Germany, due to the financing of their emigration and the settling in Ohio, the settlers needed help. The Quakers in both Great Britain and Philadelphia were able to aid in their goals. The Quakers had much in common with them, like their similar ideas of pacifism and their practice of

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4526-428: The village, Joseph Bimeler and his family made this building their home. The town hall for the Society was built in 1887. Since the Society disbanded in 1898, this building was actually one of the last ones to be constructed. Restoration of town hall took place in 2002 with help from private funds. The lower level is used as a governmental chamber and the two upper floors house artifacts that were commonly used throughout

4599-522: The village. Built in 1833, the hotel is said to have been a home for anyone- rich or poor. President William McKinley had a favorite room here. He is said to have enjoyed the German cuisine and he favored staying here. It is currently only open on special occasions, unlike most other museum buildings. Renovations have been made on the outside of the hotel, but the inside is worn down and unsafe for regular use. The preservation committee, Zoar Community Association,

4672-607: 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 (now cut down) 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),

4745-426: Was $ 46,964, and the median income for a family was $ 55,625. Males had a median income of $ 45,417 versus $ 33,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $ 22,828. About 3.6% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.4% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older. The future of the village is threatened because a Tuscarawas River levee that protects

4818-402: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.50. The median age in the village was 52.6 years. 10.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.8% were from 25 to 44; 42.6% were from 45 to 64; and 26% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 52.1% male and 47.9% female. As of

4891-487: Was a hopeless failure. The operation was so bad, in fact, it was returned to its creditors in 1859 and deemed unsafe for steam locomotives. With no capital it limped along for the next seven years as a local, mule-powered operation.  On February 26, 1866 it was reorganized as the Carrollton & Oneida whereupon some capital improvements allowed steam-powered service to return. Things remained this way until Carrollton sold

4964-459: Was acquiring solid financial backing for the venture through a Massachusetts syndicate which aimed to develop the CVRR into one of Ohio's most successful narrow-gauges. To a greater extent they actually accomplished this feat, pouring some $ 2.6 million into the railroad and completing the entirety of the future Wheeling & Lake Erie's Cleveland - Zanesville corridor. Upon arriving, they quickly scrapped

5037-499: Was again in receivership within a year.  The Wheeling & Lake Erie went on to purchase the CC&;S for $ 3.85 million on August 5, 1899. Gould, arguably the most hated man in America at the time, had big ambitions in which the W&LE would play a vital role.  By the 1880's his aspirations for a true, coast-to-coast transcontinental railroad was nearing reality.  The Wabash was

5110-570: Was communally owned, and the farms, shops, and factories were managed by regularly elected trustees. The society attained its greatest prosperity in the 1850s, when it owned over 10,000 acres of land and was worth approximately $ 1 million. Many German-style structures have been restored and are part of the Zoar Village State Memorial. There are presently ten restored buildings. According to the Ohio Historical Connection, Zoar

5183-466: Was completed around New London and to the south (totaling 37 miles), the original W&LE was an utter failure.  Before shutting down in late 1879 the group was successful in converting the Huron-Norwalk segment to standard-gauge. In the meantime, another much more successful three-footer, which went on to become part of the modern W&LE, had been launched nearby.  It too, however, got off to

5256-660: Was later abandoned in 1936). With a well-built right-of-way now capable of supporting relatively heavy traffic the CVRR next focused on a line due south from Canton. What was built as the Connotton Valley & Straitsville Railroad would extend to New Straitsville via Zanesville and Coshocton in pursuit of the Perry County coalfields. Work got underway in June 1882 and had reached Coshocton (114.7 miles) almost exactly one year later in June 1883. The group attempted to gather financing for

5329-405: Was reorganized as the Cleveland & Canton Railroad (C&C) and eventually managed to raise $ 1.7 million to convert the entire property to standard-gauge, a process completed on November 18, 1888. The C&C finished the 29-mile line to Zanesville but never made it into Perry County.   Another name change took place in 1892 as the Cleveland, Canton & Southern Railroad (CC&S) but it

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