History and adventure are a marriage made in Tuscarawas County! The heritage of Northern Tuscarawas County is tied to the Ohio & Erie Canal — once a conduit of goods from northeast Ohio to the Ohio River and Lake Erie. The Canalway, designated as a national scenic byway, allows outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to walk, bike or hike nearly 100 miles of the towpath from Lake Erie to the Tuscarawas Valley near Camp Tuscazoar (home to several mountain bike trails). Historic Zoar Village was settled in 1817 by German separatists and thrived for eighty years as a communal society with all members of the community sharing the work, supplies and successes of the village. Both the men and women of Zoar helped to hand dig the canal! Today visitors can tour ten restored buildings throughout the village including the bakery, tin shop, meeting house and store, as well as the beautiful and religiously-significant Zoar garden which tells a biblical story in its layout. Private homes, retail shops and a church and school are housed in additional original buildings. Nearby is a museum located on the site of Ohio’s only Revolutionary War era fort, Fort Laurens State Memorial.
The city of Dover is home to Ernest “Mooney” Warther, “The World’s Master Carver.” His hand-carved steam engines and works of art are on display at The Warther Museum, together with a collection of 73,000 buttons owned by Warther’s wife, Frieda. Today the family business is knife making and a visit to Warther Cutlery is a must while in the area! While in Dover, visit one of three unique museums including Famous Endings Funeral Museum, a collection of celebrity and historical figures’ funeral programs, prayer cards, posters, gifts and unique items such as the hand-written invitation list to Marilyn Monroe’s services and Humphrey Bogart’s original burial plaque. The JE Reeves Victorian Home and Museum is a ‘no ropes’ museum with original family-furnishings from the steel magnate’s family. The collection includes oddities such as framed hair art and the reconstructed head of notorious raider William Clark Quantrill. At the Auman TV and Radio Museum you will find a collection of various TVs and radios dating back to their invention. The collection also includes board games, lunch boxes, toys and advertising items related to television shows. A favorite display is the original DJ booth of Alan Freed known for coining the phrase “Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
For a little adventure, families will find canoeing, kayaking, zip lining and bubble soccer available in the area, along with equestrian and pedestrian trails. For a daytrip or an extended visit, Tuscarawas County is hard to pronounce but easy to remember! To obtain more information or a calendar of events call 800-527-3387 or visit the website www.TravelTusc.com.
Things to do in Tuscarawas County Ohio
