Although comprised of only 18 communities, Tuscarawas County, Ohio boasts a long and varied history. Incorporated in 1808, it is rich in Native American and early pioneer lore. It is the birthplace of the first pioneer settlement in the Ohio Country (1772-1777), and was home to the only Revolutionary War Fort in the state, erected in 1778 near Bolivar, Ohio. Baseball great Cy Young was born and is buried here. The Society of Separatists of Zoar experimented with one of the most successful endeavors in communal living in American history. Coal mines, a significant source of employment for residents of the county, dotted the countryside. The Ohio Erie Canal, which ran the entire length of the county, provided transportation for area goods and people. Major flooding in 1913 caused intensive damage to low-lying settlements. More recently, archaeological expeditions have sketched an image of early life in these communities, and have even uncovered a Revolutionary War Burial Site.
