The village of Zoar was founded in 1817 by a group of German separatists. The separatists traveled from Wurttemburg, Germany to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to escape severe punishment for separating from the Lutheran Church. The Quakers helped the separatists acquire jobs and even loaned them money to help with the purchase of 5,000 acres of land in Ohio. The self-sufficient village was named after a story in the book of Genesis. The Zoarites encouraged the State of Ohio to build the canal through their land. The entire community helped dig the 7 mile stretch of canal. As a result, Zoar payed off it's land debt. The Ohio & Erie Canal dramatically improved Zoar's economy. Zoar prospered throughout the years. The society was dissolved in 1898.