Did you know that Missouri has North America’s 7th-largest Amish population, with roughly 9,500 Amish (Young Center, 2010)?
Missouri is a state, like New York or Wisconsin, that has attracted much Amish settlement in recent years. The “Show Me” State has added roughly 2 dozen new settlements over the past two decades, averaging more than one new settlement per year.
Facts about Amish in Missouri:
- Missouri is home to a handful of Swiss Amish communities
- The community at Seymour in Webster County has the most church districts of any Missouri Amish settlement, with 12
- Amish once lived in the “Missouri Bootheel” region
Read more on the Missouri Amish in today’s new entry in the Amish State Guide.
Amish in Missouri have also founded numerous small businesses, including carpentry companies, dry goods stores, and woodworking shops. Read more on Missouri Amish furniture.
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16 responses to Amish in Missouri
I love these post I really would like to read more on the Wisconsin Amish, where they all are Thank You
Thanks Lois and glad you asked. As a matter of fact Wisconsin is the next state in line. Should have that entry up next week.
Thanks so much , enjoy all the info on Amish America. We haven’t been to Missouri but last year made our first trip to Lancaster. Oh such beautiful country. Can you tell me are the roads in Missouri, Amish country as narrow as in Lancaster? Also would love to hear more on Lancaster. Thanks
roads
There is an Amish community near Leadmine, Mo. Most of the access roads are paved. There are a couple of stores down gravel roads (a country store and furniture store), but it is wide enough for a vehicle to get through. The furniture store has the narrowest road and a lot of potholes. It is narrow because it is off the beaten path (turn off paved state hwy to gravel road and then down a driveway). Make sure you are in a high-centered vehicle.
Amish in Missouri
I think some Amish tried to settle in Arkansas but it didn’t work out. Is this true? If so, why did they leave?
Dena there are Amish in Arkansas, 3 small communities: http://amishamerica.com/arkansas-amish/
HI Erik,
Are there any Amish settlemnts in Idaho?
George
Hi Linda, many thanks! I really don’t have the info on the roads unfotunately–I imagine it varies? Will have a state guide entry on PA and Lancaster coming up sometime soon.
Hi Dena, as of this year there are actually 3 Arkansas settlements, all very small (see the Young Center Amish Studies site for more). There’s never been a big Amish presence in Arkansas.
Hi George,
There was an Amish settlement for about 4 years near Bonner’s Ferry in Idaho, but it ceased to exist in 2004. There has actually never been much Amish settlement in Idaho.
It is so wonderful that as a child in the 1970′s I never saw an Amish person in my town and only once in awhile in Nevada, but now I see them here in El Dorado Springs on occasion and frequently in Nevada. A young amish family recently opened a wonderful little store north of Walker MO. Thanks for all the posts on different states.
Michelle-I had to do a double take on your comment, first having visions of Amish high rollers strutting into the MGM Grand Casino on the Vegas strip…then I realized that this Nevada is a town in Vernon Co in Missouri (of course). It reminded me of some of the colorful town names in MO (Leeper; Mexico)
LOl! We also have a town named Tightwad and one named Needmore. At one time there was a bank called the Bank of Tightwad. Wonder i it was hard to get a loan? LOl! Yeah nevada Mo isn’t pronounced the same as the state either.
Michelle I have to guess–Ne-VAY-da?
Yep that is it.
Narrow roads in mo
I was raised in northeast MO, near Canton, MO. There are a few Amish communities in NE MO. To answer the question as to whether the roads are narrow? The side blacktop roads in the rural areas are narrow and with rolling hills the ditches on either side are deep. In MO there are many side blacktop roads in the rural areas. The main highways are wider, but also busier. Near the Amish communities, there caution signs that remind drivers to share the road with buggies. Hope this helps. God bless.
Amish in Missouri
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