Heading South in Holmes County
As you venture further south in the Holmes County Amish settlement, towards the Coshocton County line, two things happen.
The countryside gets more rugged, and the churches more conservative.
The large Amish settlements–Holmes County, Lancaster County, northern Indiana–have their progressive and conservative factions. In Holmes County, the area past Charm and Farmerstown, down around Becks Mills and New Bedford and on into Coshocton County is generally considered one inhabited by stricter-living Amish.
This is definitely not a hard-and-fast rule, as for example the ultra-conservative Swartzentruber Amish are found mainly on the north side of the county and are also heavily settled in Wayne County.
The land becomes more hilly in the south, and has more of a backwoods feel. Scruffy gravel roads wind through the nooks and hollers of back country Ohio. It’s personally my favorite part of the entire settlement to travel through. But be sure to have a map with you if you come. Or better, leave it behind and see what you stumble upon.
I presume you’re refering to the southeast part of the county? It was a ride from Howard to Millersburg in 2003 that convinced me I needed lower gears for my bicycle. I had tried out some back roads that time. I don’t recall if I saw any Amish places before getting to Millersburg.
John you are right. There are some random little offshoot districts scattered around western Holmes County but it doesn’t really get thick until you near Millersburg.
Plan on taking a day-trip out to Bedford, PA real soon. I know there is an Amish settlement out there – though haven’t seen anything on the blog about them. I’ll snap some pics of the area and send them your way, Eric.
Not sure when I’m going to get out there – but hopefully before the end of fall.
Sounds great Dave, would love to put up some pics or if you even would like to guest-post something about them that would be great.
Sounds great Dave, would love to put up some pics or if you even would like to guest-post something about them that would be great.