The village of Zoar was founded in 1817 by German religious dissenters as a communal society and represents “an exceptional historic way of life.” Few such settlements in the U.S. are as well preserved as Zoar and have such distinctive architectural and historic features. It is of exceptional value in illustrating the heritage of our nation. Zoar is a national treasure enjoyed by thousands of Americans every year. The Historic Village of Zoar sits at the base of a levee constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) nearly 75 years ago to hold back potential floodwaters. The levee is in need of major repairs and the Corps has given it a “Dam Safety Action Classification I” rating — its lowest safety rating, meaning the need to address the issue is “urgent and compelling.” By law, the Corps must consider all options to fix the problem. Basically, there are three alternatives: * Repair the levee * Tear down the village and let the area flood * Relocate the Historic Village of Zoar to higher ground The Zoar Village Government and the Zoar Community Association believe the only acceptable option is to “preserve Historic Zoar intact where it is.”