Located in central Tuscarawas County, the City of New Philadelphia will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founding in 2004.

Obviously, much has changed in the past two centuries. In 1804, Ohio was almost complete wilderness, with the exception of a few cities (Cincinnati and Marietta) and several Moravian missionary settlements in and around the Tuscarawas Valley. In fact, these settlements had more to do with the founding of Tuscarawas' county seat than many people realize.

In the autumn of 1803, John Knisely, a mill owner from Pennsylvania, took his son Samuel on a hunting trip to the Ohio Country. The two followed an Indian trail to the Moravian mission of Schoenbrunn (featured in last month's issue), where Knisely met missionary David Zeisberger (Schoenbrunn's founder in 1772). The Knisely men stayed at Schoenbrunn for several days and hunted deer. In addition, a strong friendship sparked between John Knisely and Zeisberger - a connection that would last until Zeisberger's death in 1818.

The beautiful plains, plentiful oak woods and fertile rivershores of the Tuscarawas Valley greatly impressed Knisely; he even picked out a spot on a bend in the Tuscarawas River as a perfect site for a town. According to Zeisberger's diary, Knisely left Samuel at Schoenbrunn over the winter of 1803-1804 while Knisely traveled back home to Pennsylvania. By this time he had made the decision to move his family to the Tuscarawas Valley and start a city.

Early in the spring of 1804, Knisely, along with his wife, six sons and four daughters, started out for Ohio. They were joined by 33 other pioneers, all bound for that site on the Tuscarawas River. The settlers carried with them necessary farm machinery and precious seeds to start the very first crops in the new town.

In October 1804, Knisely met John Heckewelder at Gnadenhutten, a Moravian mission near Schoenbrunn. In addition to being a missionary, Heckewelder also served as an agent for land proprietors in the East. In this role, Heckewelder was able to sell to Knisely a plot of 3,554 acres of land - the same land that embraces much of present day New Philadelphia.

Knisely was very particular about the platting of his new settlement. Instead of allowing free organization and growth in the town, he hired a surveyor to precisely plan the site. Knisely had the town laid out in a checkerboard plan, similar to the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In those early days of New Philadelphia, town merchants prospered, as the settlement became a popular stopping spot for travelers. Only a few years after the founding of New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County was formed, and a county seat was needed. New Philadelphia and the nearby town of Dover vied for the honor. In a true display of public spirit and generosity, Knisely offered to donate a site for the proposed county courthouse, plus 100 lots and 160 outlying acres, with the provision this land be sold by the county, with the proceeds going toward construction of the courthouse and other public buildings. Many believe it was this action which helped to secure the title of county seat for New Philadelphia.

New Philadelphia was officially incorporated in 1833, with the first town elections being held in May of that year. In 1834, Knisely died at age 84; his dream of a town on the beautiful river had come true.

That town continued to grow and prosper. The first railroad came through in 1854, and as for many towns, this was a defining moment for New Philadelphia. Another important development came with the construction of the Ohio-Erie Canal. The town soon became a wheat marketing center, with large warehouses built to house freight. The canal also furnished water power to flour and woolen mills. The railroads made coal mining possible, and eventually steel and manufacturing became major industries.

In 1895 New Philadelphia was named a city, with a population of 5,673 residents. Three years later the city got its first paved roads, at the public square. And in 1900, the New Philadelphia Public Schools opened, with five school buildings and a student enrollment of more than 1,200 students.

The New Philadelphia Post Office was constructed in 1929 with an exact physical resemblance to Freedom Hall in Philadelphia.

Today, the City of New Philadelphia is home to more than 17,000 residents. The city operates under a mayor-city council government; the current mayor is Ron Brodzinski. Visitors will not be at a loss for things to do in New Philadelphia - numerous shops and stores offer something for everyone, and the city is home to Tuscora Park, offering various recreational opportunities, a summer concert series, rides (including an antique carousel) and picnic areas (330-343-4664).

The New Philadelphia area is also home to two annual productions of the Ohio Outdoor Historical Drama Association - Trumpet in the Land, which tells the story of the Moravian missions, and The White Savage, based on the life of a British Indian agent (330-339-1132).

Nearby, the reconstructed Schoenbrunn mission serves as a state memorial. The grounds include 17 reconstructed log buildings, the original cemetery, planted fields and a visitors center (330-339-3636).

For more information on activities and attractions in and around New Philadelphia, visit the city's Web site, www.newphilaoh.com.

- Sources: A History of Tuscarawas County, 1988; www.newphilaoh.com. (Aug 2002 Edition)