Unlike the majority of Lancaster Amish, those in Holmes County may use bikes. These two little guys are taking advantage of a crisp September evening.
Could this be the best time of year to be alive? It sure feels that way.
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I just got back, late Saturday, from a great trip visiting friends in Lancaster County and elsewhere. I’ve got a lot to share in upcoming posts. Â But for now, a little summary. Here are 12 key numbers from last week’s travels to Amish communities in PA, DE, VA, and MD: 7-number of settlements visited. Â In addition to the ones I mentioned in this post, I…
You’re never too old to throw a snowball, right? I’m 36, and I’ll confess to tossing a few earlier this winter, so I hope not 🙂 . On the lighter side of things, the photos here are from a snowball fight that broke out among Amish youth somewhere in northern Indiana. The photographer writes: “A youth was joining church today in our district and there were…
A friend of mine does regular “no technology” days with his family. This means one or two scheduled days a week when they turn off all the computers, iPods, and the like, and go with the “old-fashioned”: books, peace and quiet, family time (anyone ever try this?). I’ve admired the discipline it takes to do that. Â He has nothing to do with the Amish, but…
One thing you notice right away if you visit Lancaster County for the first time–especially when comparing it to just about any other Amish settlement–is how congested it is. There are a lot of people in what is supposedly a ‘rural’ county–nearly half-a-million. Some time ago, locals became concerned with what would happen if land pressures eventually caused the ‘garden spot of America’ to end…
This is maybe the most commonly-asked question I’ve gotten in the weeks following the February 3 train derailment and chemical spill and burn in East Palestine, Ohio. This is is an area right on the border with Pennsylvania. There are a number of Amish communities in the region. Within the greater overall concern for the residents of the region, a number of people have been wondering…
Marie Graber runs the Arbor House Country Inn in Jamesport, Missouri. You might remember Marie from last month’s post on Amish life in winter. Marie was raised Amish, and was a member of an Amish church for some time. Today Marie answers questions on the Jamesport Amish community, tourism in the area, growing up Amish, and other topics. I hope you enjoy this interview. Thanks…
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We saw similar scenes throughout the Wayne County, Indiana countryside today. Ponies pulling wagons of Amish children back home from their one room schoolhouse. And young boys and girls visiting with friends on their scooters (no bicycles in this community).
The Wayne County Amish are an interesting group. Unlike all of the rest of the Indiana Amish communities I have visited, this group still uses the gray top buggies (like they do in Lancaster), still use the “heart” shaped head coverings (unlike the fuller prayer kapps seen throughout the rest of the midwest), little girls don’t cover their heads (again, like PA), and mens and women’s dress is distinctly PA Amish.
Does anyone reading this blog know the history or migration of this group to Wayne County, IN?
Parke County, Indiana Amish origin
Not knowing the history at the time, this settlement surprised me when I came across the Parke County Amish a few years ago. Both Parke and Wayne are direct from Lancaster. I met quite a few families with relatives in these two settlements while in Lancaster this summer. Parke was set up first, in 1991 I believe, then Wayne in the mid-90’s. They are apparently much more back-and-forth with Lancaster despite the distance, than they are with nearer Indiana settlements, though I did meet some people in Daviess County, IN, who communicated with them.
I was reading in the latest Nolt/Meyers book about how methodically they planned the migration out of Lancaster and into Parke County. These guys didn’t mess around in making the move.