People throughout history have shared the desire for safe and stable places to make their livings and raise their families – places to call home. The Canalway has been home to many people and many communities, each unique in its politics, interests, values and culture, and each a part of our legacy. These communities include cities, towns and people, drawn together in a way that makes our heritage area rich and vital.

The communities of the Canalway are linked by a shared heritage, the influence of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Yet each is unique it its development, growth, legacy and future. The diversity of community experiences in the Canalway is remarkable. It encompasses Schoenbrunn Village, the first Euro-American settlement that was a Moravian mission for Delaware Indians; Zoar Village, a utopian community settled by German Zoar Separatists; the Village of Clinton and other communities with strong canal-era heritage; Canton, whose boom is tied to the Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad; Goodyear Heights and other worker communities in Akron; and immigrant neighborhoods in Cleveland, such as Tremont and Slavic Village.

The Canalway also includes natural communities that, in many ways, mirror our human ones. These natural communities, a central component of ecology, showcase the interconnected relationships of wildlife and plants that must be balanced for overall community health. Natural ecosystem communities include wetlands, prairies, forests, rivers and meadows, as well as the animals and plants that call each one home.

The Canalway is divided into six community segments that stretch north to south in the Canalway, each representing some similarity in time and influence in the Canalway. From Cleveland to New Philadelphia, you will find the following communities: the Industrial City, the Cuyahoga Valley, Portage Path and Summit, Canal Villages, Lincoln Highway and the Tuscarawas Valley. Each provides a window into the diversity and richness of the Ohio & Erie Canalway.

The Industrial City: The Northern most section of the Canalway begins in Cleveland, where industry once reigned. Today, visitors can experience performing arts, sports, shopping, dining, museums, ethnic neighborhoods and nightlife. South of Cleveland, the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation features wildlife, fishing, hiking, biking and more.

Cuyahoga Valley: In the next region, visitors can experience outdoor life in the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park , the third most visited national park in the nation. Hiking, biking, fishing, sledding and more attract visitors to the park year round. Visitors can also experience the Canalway by traveling on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad or along the Ohio & Erie Canalway Byway to visit numerous heritage site and towns.

Portage Path and Summit: The Portage Path is the route American Indians used to portage canoes between the Cuyahoga and the Tuscarawas rivers. The Portage Path was part of the effective western boundary of the from 1785 to 1805. The city of Akron anchors this region.

Canal Villages: Small towns sprouted up along the canal and still exist today, a reminder of the canal era. Today, visitors can take in the sights and sounds the canal towns have to offer, experiencing historic canal charm and modern day convenience.

Lincoln Highway: Running east to west across the Ohio & Erie Canalway, the Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental highway built to accommodate America’s growing dependence on the automobile. Today it is recognized as a state byway. The cities of Canton and Massillon provide urban amenities along the Lincoln Highway.

Tuscarawas Valley: The southern-most region of the Ohio & Erie Canalway is full of history. From Schoenbrunn Village to Zoar, visitors can get a glimpse of what life was like before and during the canal era. This region also links to canal days, railroads and industry that moved north through the Canalway.

Northeast Ohio has much to appreciate in its communities. The history economic success of the region is reflected in its community institutions. Extensive county parks, diverse museums, our botanical gardens and zoos, and generous philanthropic organizations are all legacies of the wealth spawned by the canal era.