Who we are.

The Moravian missionaries' efforts to christianize the Indians led to the opening of Tuscarawas County for settlement. In 1804, John Knisely purchased 3,533 acres of land and laid out the village of New Philadelphia which became the county seat in 1808. At that time, only four families lived in New Philadelphia, but the town boasted an operating clay kiln and a tavern. Other pioneers, largely from the Susquehanna Valley in Pennsylvania, soon followed. During the early years, New Philadelphia was a focal point of settlers traveling to Ohio from the eastern states. Taverns did a thriving business and merchants prospered.

The Ohio and Erie Canal, completed in 1835, was the chief cause of New Philadelphia's growth in the mid 1800's. The canal enabled farmers to ship their products economically; large warehouses were built to store the incoming and outgoing freight and New Philadelphia became an important wheat marketing center. The canal also furnished water power for flour and woolen mills.

With the emergence of the railroad as the chief means of transportation, the canal was eventually abandoned. In 1854 the first railroad in Tuscarawas County connected New Philadelphia with Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The development of the railroads and resultant ease of transporting goods enabled growth in markets and encouraged manufacturing. The discovery of vast resources of coal in the surrounding hills "fueled" the local industrial growth in the 1860's.

Today, as an important manufacturing and viable business center, New Philadelphia maintains its historic place as the social and economic focus for the surrounding area. All across America, an interesting trend is occuring in the retail industry. Small cities and towns are rediscovering and reclaiming their downtown shopping districts. People are yearning for the nostalgia and historic roots that our downtowns represent. Independent business owners are finding success again in these traditional shopping districts. There is a definite revival of Main Street USA taking place.

Why do cities like Charleston, SC, New Orleans, LA, and San Francisco, CA, enjoy vibrant cultural downtowns with tourism dollars in the billions every year? These cities enjoy strategic geographic locations that make them famous. They have a strong historic legacy. But the single most important factor is their foresight in preserving their architecture and heritage. What would New Orleans be without the French Quarter and Jackson Square?