In the lead article for the 10th issue of The Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities (JPAC), three Amish scholars from West Virginia University examined why the Amish are often reluctant to take advantage of vaccines, both now and in the past. The study was conducted by Rachel E. Stein, Katie E. Corcoran and Corey Coyler, from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia…
An 19-year-old Amish man has been charged with DUI following a collision involving a motor vehicle. This comes to us from the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Amish community – no stranger to DUI charges among its buggy drivers (more on that below). As far as this incident, here’s more from New Castle News: An Amish buggy driver involved in an accident reportedly found himself in a…
Here’s another song from Ben & Rose from their album “Slowly But Surely” – the final track on it, in fact. So this one has been out awhile, but we’re now getting it along with a video. “Angel Band” is described as “an old Gospel song” – and one of the oldest they’ve covered, at over 160 years old (even older than this favorite, it…
Strange to be doing a second Amish kidnapping story in a row, but here we are. News broke today that police have arrested the suspected kidnapper of an Amish boy in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. Back in September we learned that a man had grabbed a 9-year-old Amish boy while his back was turned at a farm stand, then put him in his vehicle and drove…
The shocking story of an “Amish wannabe” living in the Arthur, Illinois community who attacked and tried to kidnap a 16-year-old Amish girl has come to a conclusion of sorts. In the February 2025 incident – which happened in the early morning at a local coffee shop – Lester M. Raymind, 21, first assaulted, and then tried to carry away the girl. He was stopped by…
This story is part of a three-part Thanksgiving series exploring how the Amish express gratitude—not through words, but through action. In this first reflection, author and Amish taxi driver Haley Straw shares what she learned about quiet appreciation and the surprising ways the Amish say “thank you” without ever saying a word. A half-hug, a basket of produce, and a lesson in gratitude—the Amish way…
Another horrible crash has led to the death of an Amish teen in southern Iowa. And the person apparently responsible for the death decided to run. This incident, which happened early yesterday evening in Clarke County, Iowa, was reported at KJAN, a local radio station: (Clarke County, IA) [updated with suspect vehicle information] – A horse-drawn buggy operated by a teenager, was struck by an…
As of 2025, over 400,000 horse-and-buggy Amish live in 32 states. Scroll on for the full list, from the largest Amish population (Pennsylvania) to smallest (New Mexico). And for more on Amish in each state, check out the linked state guides for each entry. Numbers via the Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College (source link at bottom). 1. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Amish…
The new owner of historic Nappanee, Indiana attraction Amish Acres has explained more on the reopening process, and what visitors can expect, in a new article at Goshen News. And as was suggested before, it sounds like fans of the original should be happy with what’s coming. And there is to be a “twist” – but it doesn’t sound like it will be anything drastic….
Each year the Amish start new settlements (with nine new ones arising in the past year). Some grow slowly over time, others more quickly. Others eventually fail and disband. Dynamics such as the local economy, climate, and in-group harmony all can affect a given community’s chances of success. Today, Timothy L. Price shares a closer look at the goings-on in one such young Amish community,…