10 Unusual Amish Communities

One thing that makes the Amish such a rich and vibrant group is that there are various ways of “being Amish”.

Across 600 different communities and dozens of affiliations, you can notice quite a number of differences in the ways Amish people live and manifest their faith.

One common type of comment I come across is when someone comes to know the Amish in his or her community.  They then assume that what they’ve seen or experienced is the way Amish do things everywhere.

Another variation of this is when people claim one group of Amish are “the true Amish” or the “real Old Order”. For instance, when comparing a plainer group to a more progressive one which allows more technology.

But there are many different ways of being Amish.

So what makes these communities unusual or atypical? It could be something about how they worship, or get around, or other aspects of how they live.

Something about each of the 10 settlements below makes them different from “the norm” – meaning each has something seen in few, or no other, Amish communities.

This might have to do with their transportation, way of worship, or other cultural aspect. You could probably add quite a few more to this list, but I thought this was a good start. I drew on settlements in multiple countries for this list.

Ten Unusual Amish Communities

1. Dover, DE

The Amish in the First State’s only community have an unusual buggy design, with rounded sides. Dover affiliation Amish can be found in other states including Kentucky, Virginia, and New York.

2. Pearisburg, VA

This small settlement is tucked away in Giles County in the mountains of western Virginia. In this seeker-friendly community, live interpretation may be provided for guests to worship services.

3. Colonia Naranjita, Bolivia

Amish live mainly in the US and Canada. The only exception is this community in Bolivia, and another in Argentina. These are former Mennonite communities which affiliated with Amish in 2015.

4. Somerset County, PA

The Amish here worship in meetinghouses. Only a few other communities have them, including nearby Oakland, Maryland.

5. Milverton, ON

By far the oldest Canadian community, founded in the 1820s. Ontario saw an influx of Amish after World War II, with the country seen as a refuge for people of nonresistant belief. The Milverton people long predate the next oldest existing Canada settlement, which came about in the 1950s.

With their venerable pedigree, the people in this community have several things that make them stand out among Amish in Canada. These include an “older” style of dress, buggies without tops, and last names (such as Jantzi and Kuepfer) rarely seen elsewhere.

6. Garnett, KS

The Amish in this community may drive cars for work purposes. They do not own the cars, and do not allow car usage for personal reasons.

This “exception” has occurred, rarely, elsewhere, notably Arthur, IL, where the practice eventually declined

7. Enon Valley, PA

Amish here drive buggies with a distinct hue. It’s been described as a “pale yellow“, or “cream.”

To be honest, I’ve never visited, and don’t know that I’ve ever found a good photo of this – the photo linked here is tagged “Enon Valley” though seems to have had some effects added to it…that noted you can see how it might be similar to that of the New Wilmington Amish, but not so yellow as that of the Byler Amish.

This old but small settlement (just one church district) has had “very limited fellowship” with other Amish groups (see “Clusters of Amish Subgroups and Networks, 2009”, unpublished paper by Stephen Scott).

8. Berne, IN

Amish in this Swiss community have maintained the unusual custom of yodeling. Also seen (heard) in the Allen County Swiss settlement, but more common here.

9. Pinecraft, FL

This is probably the only Amish settlement where the Amish don’t use the horse and buggy. In some communities the horse and buggy has become less common (“tractor Amish” settlements), but still used at least on Sunday. In this Sarasota-area neighborhood, Amish walk, bike, or go by large adult tricycles.

10. Aylmer, ON

This community is home to arguably the most influential and best-known Amish publishing house, Pathway Publishers, responsible for widely-read publications such as Family Life.

Aylmer can be considered a part of the “Reformist Amish”, who emphasize high moral standards while maintaining low levels of technology. Related communities are found in locations in the US and Canada including Unity, ME and Fertile, MN.

Update: A reader shares two more examples – one about the above mentioned Pinecraft, Florida Amish community, and about the Ethridge, Tennessee Amish community:

Another part of the Pinecraft Amish settlement I find unusual is that the number of Amish church services varies in the settlement depending on the time of year. In the wintertime when many Amish visit Pinecraft for anywhere from a few days to several months, there can be as many as four locations where Amish services are held, but in the summertime I think there are only two regular locations for Amish services.

Another Amish community I consider somewhat unusual is Ethridge, Tenn. Even though it is a very plain, low technology community, it seems to welcome visitors, there are over one hundred homesteads which have one or more products for sale, and there are two horse and wagon tours a visitor can take of the community (though they are conducted by non-Amish).

Get the Amish in your inbox

Join 15,000 email subscribers. No spam. 100% free

Subscribe