Schoenbrunn Site
Also known as: Schoenbrunn; Schoenbrunn Site State Memorial
Why it's listed
Schoenbrunn was a Moravian mission village on the Tuscarawas River in what is now New Philadelphia, Ohio. David Zeisberger led 28 Delaware Indians to the spot in May 1772 and named it for a beautiful spring. The village was laid out in August 1772 with two streets in a T shape and forty lots, one for each family. Within two years it held more than 60 houses, a log church and a log school where nearly 100 children were enrolled by 1775. Residents followed 18 rules of government and farmed in common. The settlement is described as the first organized American settlement in the Northwest Territory. Caught between American and British strongholds during the Revolutionary War, it was abandoned and destroyed in 1777 and never reoccupied. No original buildings survive, but archaeological work in the 1920s and 1950s confirmed the village location. The State of Ohio acquired the site in 1923, and reconstructed cabins, the church, the schoolhouse and a trading post now stand there.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Schoenbrunn as the first organized American settlement in the Northwest Territory, founded by the Moravian missionary David Zeisberger with 28 Delaware Indians. It combined Indian and European customs, with a school, a church and a written set of rules of government. It was abandoned and destroyed in 1777 because of its awkward neutral position in the Revolutionary War.
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 70000520, listed November 10, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 250, New Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Tuscarawas County |
| Listed | November 10, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000520 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1772-1777 |
| Areas of significance | Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No original structures remain. Reconstruction of cabins, the church, the schoolhouse and a trading post began in 1927 and was still in progress. The site is a state-owned park and museum. |
| Acreage | 68 |
| Coordinates | 40.46548, -81.41873 (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 70000520.
- 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.