Zoar Blue will be the first selection for the 2019 Tuscarawas County Historical Society’s book club discussion on June 3rd. Readers can purchase the book at the Zoar Store or the Tuscarawas County Historical Society. (Submitted)
 

Zoar, Ohio – The Tuscarawas County Historical Society has selected Janet Hickman's “Zoar Blue" as the first reading for their 2019 book club.

"Zoar Blue" is a historical fiction novel that tells the tale of two young people living in the pacifist society of Zoar during the Civil War. Historical society Curator Kim Jurkovic says they chose this novel for its ties to Tuscarawas County. 

“Last year we read 'A Light in the Forest' by Conrad Richter because of its ties to Tuscarawas County, so this year we wanted to do something similar,” she says.

Jurkovic says they encourage people to start reading the novel early so they have time to finish the novel before their June 3rd book discussion. The discussion starts at 6:30 pm at the Tusc Kent Archive in Founders Hall on the Kent State Tuscarawas Campus.

Jurkovic says they are also excited to partner with Historic Zoar Village to help bring this year's selection to life with a special Blue Zoar tour that takes visitors to the places mentioned in the book and treats them to lunch at the Canal Tavern of Zoar with a Civil War soldier. The tour is $24 per person and is available to book club members and the general public. For more information on the tour, call 330-874-3011. 

About Historic Zoar Village 

Historic Zoar Village was founded by German Separatists in 1817 and thrived as a communal settlement for more than 80 years. Today, the village is home to approximately 75 families living in homes built from 1817 to present. Zoar’s historical district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark District. Dozens of village structures have been painstakingly preserved through the collaborative efforts of the Zoar Community Association and the Ohio History Connection.