The site of what was a communal village of German separatists in the 1800s has been one of 90,000 sites on the National Register of Historic Places for decades. But this week, it got the OK from a key committee of the National Parks Service (The Landmarks Committee) to move up to landmark status. That recommendation will go to the National Park systems advisory board with the ultimate decision left to the Secretary of the Interior -- likely next year.
Jeremy Barnhum of the parks service says the landmark designation is a rare one held by about 2,500 sites in the U.S.
“National historic landmark status is special because it essentially designates this place as something that possesses exceptional value in demonstrating the history and heritage of the United States.”
Barnhum says that includes variety of representations.
“What’s important is that they either are associated with a turning point or significant event in American history, they tell the story of an individual’s significant role in U.S. history or perhaps are an exceptional representation of a particular building or engineering method.”
The landmark status could mean special funding and other help from the National Parks Service.
In making their case, Zoar’s backers call it “a nationally significant communal Utopian society” and a key representation of life in America in the 19th Century. | 
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