Inside A Missouri Amish Home (25 Photos)

What does an Amish home look like inside? That can vary. You’ll see some things appearing consistently across different church groups and communities. Still, there can be a big visual difference between a home such as this very plain one…and one that is significantly less plain.

Don Burke has visited an Amish home in Jamesport, Missouri, on several occasions – first on a tour, later on a personal visit. We’ll be sharing some views of the interior of that home, beginning with the first post today, from Don’s visits in 2013 and 2014.

You’ll see this family’s home has a certain look to it that–while in many ways is classically “Amish”–at the same time, I think reveals something of the character of the people who live there.

You kind of have a feel for who the occupants are and what they might be like by what you see in their home. I guess that’s true to varying degrees for anyone’s home. Have a look and see for yourself.


Don: In 2013, in one of our first trips to Jamesport, Missouri, my wife and I were introduced to the Grabers – an Old Order Amish family – as we enjoyed the Amish Farm Tour at their home.

This delightful tour allowed us to see a portion of their house, a view of their farm, and gave a chance to ask lots and lots of questions about all things Amish.

A Wringer washer. The family had powered the washer by connecting it to their shop’s compressed-air system, which was in turn powered by a diesel motor.

The family’s buggies.

A year later I had a special opportunity to privately take pictures throughout much of the rest of the Graber home – in their personal living areas that were not included in the normal tour.




When I walked into the kitchen it was a bit of a surprise. It was more contemporary than my preconceived idea of what would be in an Old Order Amish home. But, the Jamesport Amish do tend to be more progressive than a lot of Old Order groups.

Both the oven and the kitchen refrigerator (not pictured) operated on propane. A freezer in the basement was propane-powered, too.

The home had a large room that made for a cozy informal sitting area plus dining and sewing areas, too.

Amish dresses, with a painted-saw-blade clock in the background.

Although there is an electric cord on this modern sewing machine, the machine had been retro-fitted to be powered by an older sewing machine treadle.

A comfy recliner with Bible, inspirational books, a Sudoku puzzle and electronic games within easy reach.

In a nearby hallway.

Some personal and decorative wall items.

A wall-hanging with a list of all the family, and another in memory of a son/brother who had been killed in an automobile accident a few years earlier.

The women’s kapps, on empty containers, holding their shape.

A couple copies of Holy Scriptures (Bible in German), Martyrs Mirror, a family history, a state Amish Directory, and other publications.

Propane lamps were used to light the rooms.

This home – both the place and the people – have become very special to us through the years. We count our time spent there as one of the highlights of our experiences in the Amish world.


View more photos from Don’s visit to this home, as well as larger sizes of these photos, here and here.

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17 Comments

  1. Brenda Hine

    Paint

    I also see that in all the Amish homes the ceiling paint is a high gloss.
    Is this to reflect the light and help with make it brighter?

    1. Good observation, I never noticed that myself. Don’t know the answer but I wouldn’t be surprised.

      1. Katharine Morton

        Ceiling painted high gloss

        Yes a high gloss ceiling will reflect a bit more light which also help to conserve propane or kerosene for the Amish lifestyle

    2. Marie Graber

      I was raised Amish… as a matter of fact the pictures in this article are of the house I grew up in. The high gloss paint is not there to reflect light… I guess it’s probably just something that a lot of Amish use and that’s why you see it alot.

  2. Thanks Erik!

    It is always a pleasure to be a part of a post here on Amish America. Thanks Erik for highlighting my work again!

  3. conchita walker

    Interesting

    Very interesting pictures of a Missouri Amish home.

  4. Loved the pictures of the Graeber’s home.

  5. Randy A

    Nice Photos

    I always enjoy your posts with the photos. They make the post come alive.

  6. Thanks...

    Thanks Randy and Conchita. It’s a joy to be able to share my adventures with others. (BTW, “stay tuned” (as they used to say) because I think Erik has plans for more of my posts coming very soon! 😉 )

  7. Diane

    Surprised

    at the clutter in this Amish home. It’s more cluttered than mine. I think she could benefit from my Konmari organization method. Never thought I’d say that about an Amish home. Looking at other photos has trained me to be minimalistic. Cute and homey though.

    1. An explanation?

      Diane, thanks for your observation. I don’t offer this to so much disagree with you, but to maybe offer a little bit of an explanation. Yes, I would certainly agree that this is not the minimalistic appearance that we often have in mind when thinking of an Amish home. But I believe the family had 4 or 5 teens / young adults at the time, and even minimalistic tends to add up with that many young folks living in the same family area. But more than that, I think that photography is largely to blame here. Pictures (as here) can often have the effect of “flattening out” what we see. So all the various things scattered throughout a room with (say) 20 feet of depth is squeezed together in the picture to look like it’s all on top of each other. So having been there and being the one who took the picture, I would say that it actually wasn’t cluttered at all. Just a cozy, lived-in comfy place that when all squeezed into a two-dimensional picture might look more cluttered than it actually was.

    2. Cheryl

      I'm also surprised at the clutter

      I guess it’s just a preconceived notion on my part. I am looking into moving to an Amish area in a few years, and either, becoming Amish, or just living the lifestyle. I want to get away from technology and materialism. This house, though, is more cluttered than mine, and the electronic games surprised me. Other than the Bibles, the Amish c!othes, and the buggies, in what way are they still different? It looks like they’ve figured out ways, to live like the world while pretending they aren’t living like the world. Maybe I’d be better just living off the grid with other fundamental Christians. The Amish look like they’ve become too modern for me.

      1. Tracy Stout

        Too modern for you?

        As you sit at your keyboard, online in your air conditioned home, judging an Amish family. I agree, you should probably live off the grid…

  8. Josef von Klarr

    Iam from the amish too Ashland Co.Ohio

    The ashland ohio settlement is in commuion with Jamesport mo. Mor traditional though.Josef von Klarr

  9. Sherry ebey

    Cluttered rooms.

    I feel the rooms looked lived in. I know that I get my knowledge about the home life of the Amish from the books I read. Which I love dearly. But the authors usually dont go into much detail about the home decoration, just the story. Thank you for the pictures so we may see there are more ways then one to get the whole picture. Lol. I love the one with all her crafts in production. That looks like my house all the time lol but mine gets always from me me off and on. Thank you again for showing us and thank you family for letting it be shown.

  10. Mary Rogers

    Beautiful

    Beautiful.Not cluttered at all. Looks like a place I could call home. Lived in. Amish homes are not show cases. My neighbors have nothing but a cupboard for dishes. Table and chairs and a cookstove. And a sink that until they recently got a windmill in, they carried water to.Their livingroom is just various wooden chairs. No floor covering. Just plywoid. No curtains. They have an ice house in the corner of the buggy shed.