Gnadenhutten Massacre Site
Also known as: Gnadenhutten Massacre Site State Memorial
Why it's listed
This memorial south of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, marks the place where a Moravian mission for Delaware Indians was founded in October 1772 and where most of its residents were killed on March 8, 1782. The mission was established with help from missionary David Zeisberger, who won many converts. During the Revolutionary War the Moravian Indians stayed neutral, but frontier settlers suspected them of aiding the British. About 150 mounted militiamen from Washington County, Pennsylvania, reached the town, disarmed the residents, and voted to put them to death. Mission records show ninety were killed, while the militia returned with ninety-six scalps. Two boys escaped and warned other Christian Indians. No buildings of the mission survive. A simple obelisk and the graves of the victims mark the ground, which the Gnadenhutten Cemetery Association gave to the State of Ohio in 1931. A museum on the grounds is operated by the local historical society.
Significance in brief: The site marks the 1782 killing of about ninety peaceful Moravian Indian converts by Pennsylvania militia, who wrongly believed they aided the British. The massacre ended a successful Moravian mission among the Delawares, and later efforts to re-establish the Tuscarawas towns were less successful.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000519, listed November 10, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Gnadenhutten on county rte., Gnadenhutten |
|---|---|
| County | Tuscarawas County |
| Listed | November 10, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000519 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | March 8, 1782 |
| Areas of significance | Military, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Nothing remains of the original mission; the site is marked by an obelisk and graves, given to the State of Ohio in 1931 and run as a state memorial, with a museum operated by the Gnadenhutten Historical Society. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 40.35435, -81.43496 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000519.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.