The Historic Village of Zoar

Photos by OHventures

It's likely that you have never heard of the tiny town of Zoar before now. But the job of OHventures is to bring to light some of the lesser known hot spots that are worth a visit. With 169 residents in the 2010 census, this historic village is one that is sure to turn heads whenever driving through.

On my annual camping visits to Atwood Lake in Tuscawaras County, I would always slow the car down and rubberneck my way through what I later learned was the Village of Zoar. It doesn't take long to drive through, yet there is much to see. The buildings are perfectly puritan, some dating back to 1817 when a group of German Separatists were seeking escape from religious persecution in their home country.

Heading here is like taking a quick journey back in time at a speed of 88.8 miles per hour with Marty McFly. The architecture consists of colonial-looking masonry, ornate observation towers (like that on top of the Zoar Hotel - pictured above), and even homes that resemble log cabins. You will stumble across centuries-old buildings with old fashioned trades, such as the cobbler shop, the blacksmith, and the weaving house. 

Me & Slider hanging out at the Zoar Town Hall!

Many of the buildings are open to the public through educational tours that showcase how things were done in the olden days. You can witness butter churning, bread baking, and tinsmithing on a hands-on guided tour all year long, as well as special Christmas tours to see the village decorated for the holiday season. The Old Cider Mill is currently an antique shop, as well as a bed & breakfast to those who want to stay overnight and get the full experience! Ghost tours, Civil War reenactments, the annual Harvest Festival in August, and nearly year-round crafts are highlights of the culture to be experienced throughout the year in Zoar.

RiverScape MetroPark

Photos by OHventures

 

 

RiverScape MetroPark

111 East Monument Avenue

Dayton, OH 45402

(937) 274-0126

 

On a recent Daytrip to Dayton, my friends and I overindulged in a hefty brunch at Olive: An Urban Dive, mid-afternoon ice cream bars and samples at the PNC 2nd Street Market, and platefuls of fried foods at Blind Bob's in the Oregon District. In other words, we felt like major fatties and decided that we (along with our food babies) needed to get some fresh air and incorporate some physical activities into our agenda!

 

Thankfully, in the hub of downtown Dayton along the beautiful Miami River was the convenient and peaceful RiverScape MetroPark. Here, we took advantage of the scenic walkway along the river (hence the name RiverScape) amongst the landscape gardens, flowering pots, hanging baskets and reflecting pools. There were also large swinging benches perfect for people watching and winding down from our long day of eating! Nearby was also a large sound stage, which we found out has many free concerts and events throughout the summer. The night we were there featured a festive salsa band!

 

On Saturdays in the summer (which is when we were there), RiverScape MetroParks offers kayak rentals for as low as $12. Additionally (and more up our alley since we did not have a change of clothes on hand to kayak in) the park allows you to rent bicycles until 4 PM. Rentals are available until 4PM. In the winter, there is an area for ice skating. And, if we didn't already eat a truck load of food that day, there is also a concession stand that sells shaved ice.

 

RiverScape MetroPark, with its beautiful interactive fountains and wonderful amenities, is a spot I would most certainly recommend to anyone taking a Dayton daytrip!