The Zoar Village National Historic Landmark Levee Project in Zoar, Ohio, has received the National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation. The award was presented by Travis Voyles, Acting Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), during the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s (NTHP) annual PastForward Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This joint award recognizes partnerships that promote the preservation of significant historic resources and positively affect their communities. It is given to a project or program where a federal agency collaborates with nonfederal partners to achieve an exemplary preservation result.
“We are proud to honor the Zoar Village National Historic Landmark Levee Project and all those who worked tirelessly to steward it,” said Acting Chairman Voyles. “Throughout the project, the Army Corps of Engineers truly understood the historic value of Zoar Village, emphasized public communication, and maintained visitor access to the historic buildings. We applaud the unparalleled dedication and commitment of the project partners to protect this historic Ohio community.”
Zoar Village was founded by German settlers in 1817. Many original buildings are located near a levee built in 1930 to protect against flooding. After a high water event in 2005 raised concerns about the levee’s condition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) considered options such as removing the levee or relocating parts of the village. Early requests for public input generated significant national response, leading USACE to develop creative solutions that preserved both safety and historical integrity.
Over nearly twenty years, USACE collaborated with several organizations including the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office, Ohio History Connection, Zoar Community Association, Ohio Archaeological Council, and Ohio and Erie Canalways Association. The $14 million levee repair project was completed in 2023.
The Federal Partnerships award is one of eight honors given at this year’s ceremony recognizing achievements in preservation.
"Preservation is a creative force. Historic places hold shared memories that can bring us together. By saving and thoughtfully adapting them for new uses, we can strengthen community engagement, nurture local culture, promote economic opportunity, and reduce waste," said Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "The winners of this year’s National Preservation Awards have each demonstrated the creative potential of historic preservation to serve the public good. Whether it’s the transformation of a Beaux-Arts industrial landmark into housing, or the brick-by-brick relocation of an important historic house so that it can offer the local community a place for civic gatherings, these sites and preservationists give a face to the maxim that ‘preservation creates.’”
