ZOAR - Historic Zoar Village will welcome historian Richard Haldi this Saturday for a look at "Ohio's First Super Highway" - the Ohio and Erie Canal.

The free presentation begins at 11 am at the Zoar School House, located at 254 4th St. It will explore the canal's remarkable story from its inception in the 1820s to the appearance of the first canal boats in Massillon in 1828. 

Haldi is a Canton native, the author of "Cornelius Aultman: Ohio's Great Civil-War-Era Industrialist", and a trustee for the Canton Preservation Society. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Ohio University and was employed by Diebold, Inc., in Canton from 1966 to 2001. 

The presentation is part of the Zoar Speaker Series held the first Saturday of each month in Historic Zoar Village from March through December. The events are free to attend and open to the public.

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.