Save Historic Zoar
“Zoar is unique in that there are so few intrusions of modern buildings. There are many small towns across America, but you don’t usually find this type of architecture, or so many early structures, concentrated in such a small area,” commented Jennifer Donato, Zoar Village site director. “It’s an extremely intact historical district, which is very unusual. Fifty-one of the original buildings are still standing today on their original sites. Through the preservation efforts of the Ohio Historical Society, the Zoar Community Association, the Zoar residents and the village of Zoar, Zoar is one of the best preserved national treasures in the United States.”
However, this national treasure is in grave danger. A levee system constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) almost 75 years ago to hold back floodwaters from the village and surrounding areas has been compromised, and is desperately in need of major repairs. The USACE has deemed it as Dam Safety Action Classification I, which is the lowest safety rating given. Legally, the USACE now must determine all possible solutions, taking into account many factors. The three solutions being considered are to: 1) Repair the levee, thus preserving the village of Zoar intact, 2) Tear down the levee and allow Zoar to flood, thereby destroying it, or 3) Relocate the historic village of Zoar to higher ground.
The Zoar village government and the Zoar Community Association believe the only acceptable option is to “preserve Historic Zoar intact where it is.”
Rodney Cremeans is project manager with the USACE Huntington District, which is assessing the situation over the next 18-24 months.
“The first step is to…do a baseline risk assessment,” explained Cremeans during a recent visit of USACE staff to Zoar. “At a later date, we will brainstorm and contemplate various structural and non-structural alternatives, and then, after we’ve formulated those various alternatives, then we will do a comparison of those alternatives. Ultimately, we will make a choice on what is the recommended plan,” he noted. “There is an extensive review process, and those are put in place to make sure we’ve done everything in accordance with policy, and we’ve not possibly overlooked anything.”
“As a part of this study, we are conducting an environmental impact statement… we have to take into account the impacts to waters, streams, terrestrial habitat, aquatic habitat, cultural resources and historical properties like the village of Zoar, archaeological sites, social impacts,” stated Aaron Smith, project study manager with USACE. “Community and social impact is definitely something we consider. Our primary goal is to reduce risk of life, and so we’re always looking for the best solution to that problem.”
If the USACE’s final decision, based on economic and other factors, is to attempt to move Zoar, then what?
“The historical setting and layout of the entire historic village and gardens would be lost. The unusual arched vaulted ceilings located in most of the cellars and basements constructed with old German building techniques would be lost and destroyed if the building had to be moved and placed on slab type construction. The original location, setting, and reasons the Separatists chose to be near the Tuscarawas River, and later the importance of the Ohio & Erie Canal, would no longer exist,” said Donato. “The relationship of the flour mills, saw mills, grist mills and water, for the purposes of commerce important to the survival of Zoar, would be entirely lost. Therefore much of the story of self-sufficiency and communal survival of the Separatists would be lost forever.”
Public letters of support for Zoar can be sent to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District, 502 Eighth St., Huntington, W.Va. 25701-2070, emails to: zoarlevee@usace.army.mil, or phone calls to 304-399-5720.
(This is the first in a three-part series addressing the whys and hows of the situation, and calling for public support to Save Historic Zoar.)