Historic Zoar Village — Attraction in Zoar

I bought two tickets for the Zoar Ghost Tour Dinner at $30 each. The dinner was in the Canal Tavern in Zoar. Upon arrival, we were told that we would be sharing a table with another couple. I had not been advised in advance of this. The appetizer was to be deviled eggs. We were given 2 halves each, equaling only one deviled egg each. Those were placed on the side of our house salad plates. There was only one dinner roll allotted per person. I ordered the chicken pot pie, which filled my dinner plate was tasty. My partner ordered the beef roast, mashed potatoes and carrots. His portion was about half of what I received. His meat serving was small. The mashed potatoes serving was medium. There was, however, a ton of beef gravy on his plate. We ordered the spiced cider, which was very strong on the alcohol. I could not drink much of mine for that reason. We had to pay extra for our drinks plus tip. Dessert was a generous slice of iced devil's food cake. IT WAS SIMPLY DELICIOUS!! The dinner lasted only an hour. We were rushed out of the Tavern after the hour to accommodate a Halloween party that had been booked to begin one hour after the Ghost Tour Dinner was. Those bookings were way too close together. The Ghost Tour Dinner people were not given much of a chance to relax after the meal or to explore the Tavern. Our entrées were served pretty quickly after the appetizer and salad. I wasn't even finished with my entrée before my dessert was brought to the table. There were no waters on the tables nor salt and pepper shakers. We had to request both from the wait staff. For $60 PLUS the cost of 2 drinks and a tip, we should not have had to share a table with strangers. One deviled egg each does NOT qualify as an appetizer! The beef roast entrée was unacceptably small! Another booking should not have been made so close to our dinner, which forced everyone out before they were ready to accommodate the next party! It was DEFINITELY NOT worth the price!! The Ghost Tour was ILL-PREPARED AS WELL! The guides walked so fast that we couldn't keep up! It was supposed to be a lantern tour, but our guide was the only one with a lantern. We adults had to walk around with glow sticks hanging from our necks like a bunch of children. Often times the walkways were so dark that we couldn't see anything! I had to use the flash light on my cell phone so I wouldn't trip and fall! The people at each stop telling about the ghost encounters in each building were lifeless and bland. There was to have been a paranormal group at the first stop, which by 7:30 p.m., had not shown up! Our guide and the first story teller were unprepared, last minute substitutes. The bakery storyteller was emotionless. The was a planned ghost door opening at the bakery.🙄🤦‍♀️ There was a planted dummy in a top window in the second built hotel with a strobe light.🙄🤦‍♀️. I enjoyed the woman's story about finding a painting of her mother in the front of her house in another town at an estate sale. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENING WAS A GENTLEMAN ACTOR WHO WAS AT THE HERMITAGE HOUSE DURING THE TOUR! HE WAS DRESSED IN PERIOD CLOTHES AND ACTED A PERIOD STORY. HE WAS REFRESHING AND ENGAGED THE PEOPLE ON THE TOUR. WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED OUR ENCOUNTER WITH HIM! ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT EACH STOP SHOULD BE AS GOOD AS HE WAS! ZOAR HAS BEEN DOING THESE GHOST TOURS FOR A LONG TIME NOW, SO EVERYTHING ON THE TOUR SHOULD BE HIGHER CALIBER AND FAR MORE POLISHED THAN IT IS! OTHER THAN THE GENTLEMAN AT THE HERMITAGE HOUSE, THE ENTIRE TOUR WAS SECOND RATE AND BELOW. EACH TOUR TICKET WAS $19. I EXPECTED A LOT MORE FOR $38 ON TOP OF THE $75 FOR THE GHOST TOUR DINNER! I DEFINITELY WILL NOT GO BACK AGAIN! I CANNOT RECOMMEND THEM TO...

We travel to Amish Country in Holmes County several times a year. We always saw the road signs for “Historic Zoar Village” and remarked that we need to stop there to check it out. So, this trip south we included Zoar in our itinerary. For the uninitiated, Zoar was founded in the early 1800’s by a radical Lutheran break-away sect who traveled from Germany seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. They founded Zoar village, eventually forming a utopian commune which thrived until the late 1890’s. The commune eventually dissolved, but the village survived, with properties held by private owners. Our visit was on a perfect spring day. The sky was crystal blue with no clouds to obscure the bright sun. The village is easy to find. When you enter the village, the Visitor Information Center is at the opposite end of town. There are a few parking spaces in front and a large parking lot across the street. The only public restroom is at that parking lot so keep it in mind. The General Store/visitor Center was staffed by a friendly gentleman named Cal who welcomed the chance to have someone to talk to. He offered a brief history of Zoar and offered suggestions. We are mobility limited and the idea of a walking tour was not possible. Cal suggested we do a driving tour and park as needed to walk around and take photographs. He also gave us a map to keep us oriented. The buildings in the village are privately owned. Many of the 1800-vintage homes have been restored and modernized. On some, you can see the old bones of the original building but on many the bones are buried under vinyl siding and such. Many of the village attractions were closed as were many of the shops and stores. Interestingly, a Mexican restaurant next door to the village store was open for business. Who knew that radical German Lutherans had a taste for tacos and enchiladas. On a crisp spring day, portions of the village are breathtakingly beautiful. The immaculate herb garden with heated solarium in the background is stunning. It is easy to see how Zoar thrived socially, economically, and religiously until, suddenly, it did not. The collapse of the commune came suddenly as the turn of the century approached. Electricity, automobiles, and relaxed social norms all combined to bring the commune to an end. Our visit was a bit disappointing with so many parts of the village closed. But it was a pretty day and a pretty place and...

Born and raised in Ohio and my first time here was as a senior. Sorry it took me so long but then again might not have appreciated it as much when I was younger. Love the history behind Zoar Village, a true communal religious community that survived for ~80 years. Many original buildings remain, some as part of the historic site and some as private residences. The tour is definitely worth the $12 - tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable and very patient with people’s questions. The garden layout remains the same as when first planned although the center tree has been replaced. Would recommend walking around the village too, see the homes that aren’t part of the tour. As an aside, would love to see the inn restored and open...