Amana Colonies, Iowa

In the early 1700s, the Community of True Inspiration, a Christian group, began meeting in Germany. Persecution and an economic depression in Germany led their descendents to seek a new life in America in the 1840s. Pooling their resources, they bought 5,000 acres of land near Buffalo, New York, and started a communal village. In 1855, needing more land for their growing community, they relocated to 25,000 acres along the Iowa River in the state of Iowa. Here they eventually founded seven villages known as the Amana Colonies. The word "Amana" means "to remain true." The Amana Colonies would become one of America's largest and longest-lived communal religious societies. They abandoned the communal system in 1932, but the seven colonies continue to thrive.

Most of us probably first heard the name "Amana" in connection with refrigerators or microwaves. In fact, the Amana Corporation was founded in 1934 by a resident of the Amana Colonies and was initially owned by the Colonies. There have been several ownership changes, but you can still buy Amana appliances, many of them manufactured in the Amana Colonies.

I decided to stop at Amana to see what current life is like there. Here are some scenes along the main street of Amana, one of the still-existing seven colonies:










At a festival a couple of miles down the road in Middle Amama, local crafters showed their wares:

Hand-powered wood lathe:



Angora wool right off the bunny:




David and Carol. David is an excellent nature photographer:



Woodworker with lathe:



Members of a family band provided music:



The refreshment tent: