Amish have lived in Iowa for over 160 years. The oldest and largest community in Iowa is found in Johnson and Washington Counties, around the town of Kalona.
Iowa has a significant but relatively modest Amish population given its long history. Amish in Iowa number around 7,000 today (see Young Center Amish Studies website).
Facts on Amish communities in Iowa:
Amish in some Iowa settlements milk goats and even sheep- One of the most conservative Amish settlements of all is found in Buchanan County, Iowa
- The Amana people are an Iowa religious group who once practiced communal living, and who are often confused with the Amish
Read more in this new Amish State Guide entry on Iowa Amish.
Also: a directory of Iowa Amish furniture dealers.
photo credit: california cowgirl1
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5 responses to Amish in Iowa
Hi Erik,
Thanks for another informative article. Your site is always my first port of call for anything Amish.
Keep up the work.
Thank you Mark–that makes my day! More states coming soon
Great article. I live in Buchanan County and you are exactly right. I have visited different Amish communities in Iowa and they do differ by community, but I’ve always felt the Amish here are the most conservative I’ve seen. Great website!
Thanks Janice! I have fond memories of Iowa (or Io-way, my preferred pronunciation
)
amish buchanan county, Iowa
Hi there very interesting information, I live just a mile from the Fairbank Amish Blvd. my closest neighbor is an Amish family, so we are very familiar with the Amish, I do have to say most are very willing to help anyone in need, and very friendly! My family and I love to visit all the shops and stores they have to offer, I am always on the lookout for more bent and dent Amish stores(groceries) so if you might know where I could get a map or information on these type of stores it would be very helpful, we would love to visit other Amish communities around, maybe even in Minnisota and Wisconsin if we knew where the stores were. Pleaase feel free to email me I would greatly appreciate it. customaudioworks@hotmail.com
Thanks Michelle
Amish in Iowa
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