Established in 1817 by German religious dissidents, Zoar became one of the most successful experiments in communal living during the 19th century. Early hardships led the Zoarites to establish a communal system in 1819 to ensure economic and social security. In 1825, the Society of Separatists of Zoar contracted to build seven miles of the Ohio and Erie Canal, including four locks, just southwest of the village, and payment for the work completed in 1828 allowed the society to settle its land debt. The canal made a significant economic contribution to the village by bringing packet boat passengers to the Zoar Hotel and providing new outlets for goods produced by the Society. The Zoar Town Hall was built in 1887 when the village was formally incorporated, the Society disbanded in 1898, and the Zoar Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Today the canal is part of the Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor.