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Lancaster (PA Dutch) Area

Always Wear A Helmet

THE AMISH ...
An Introduction

Here in Lancaster County, over 20,000 Amish (pronounced Ah-mish, not Ai-mish) serve as living reminders of a quieter time, a time when the horse and buggy was the mode of transportation and families lived and died in the same small communities. The first Amish arrived in Lancaster County and nearby Berks and Chester counties in the early 1700s to take part in William Penn's "Holy Experiment" of religious freedom.

In 1525, after the Reformation, a group of Swiss brethren felt that only adults should be baptized. They met secretly in a member's home and confirmed their faith by re-baptizing each other as adults, even though they had been baptized as infants in the state church. Thus, they became known as Anabaptists, which means re-baptizers. Because of their beliefs in adult baptism, non-violence, and separation of church and state, they were viewed as "radicals," and thousands were tortured and killed in the following years.

In time, the different Anabaptist groups became known as Mennonites, after the greatest of the Anabaptist leaders, Menno Simons. It was in the late 1600s that Ammann broke away to form a group that more strictly adhered to the founding beliefs and practices of the first Anabaptists. The differences between the various Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren groups are their interpretations of the Bible, their uses of modern technologies such as automobiles and electricity, the values they place on education, their uses of English, and their degrees of interaction with outsiders.

The Amish believe that "worldliness" keeps one from being close to God, so they choose to live without many modern conveniences and technology, such as cars, television, videos, etc. Rather than use electricity, they have bottled gas stoves and refrigerators. They do not live in seclusion from the rest of the world. Amish farms can be seen interspersed with modern farms throughout the countryside, and there is much daily interaction between the Amish and the non-Amish ("English") community. Contrary to popular belief, the Amish do not live the same way they did 300 years ago. They have adopted many things to make life easier, but are careful not to accept new technology without considering its effects of their community lifestyle.

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This is a lovely area for biking. I check into Flory's Campground on North Ronks Road, just off Route 30. You can see and hear the horses and buggies going by from your site. The best way to see the Amish and their farms is to cycle off the two major routes in this area, Route 30 and 340. Both do offer a lot of things to see and do, but traffic, particularly on Route 30, can be very heavy. I wanted to cycle into the City of Lancaster, but Route 30 turns into a major highway just outside of the city and not cycle friendly. I tried Route 340, but they are resurfacing the road as of July of 2001, so that didn't work either.




Dutch Haven known for "America's best Shoo Fly Pie" (per Time magazine). Samples warm from the oven and topped with whipped cream - how can you resist purchasing a whole pie!


If you are interested in model trains (and what male isn't) The Train Museum will fascinate you.	This actually is a motel with each car being a separate guest "room."



Weavertown One-Room Schoolhouse (Typical example of schools attended by the Amish children today)	A popular tourist stop - wine tours and tastings. Good buys on bottles of various types of wine.




Prior 6 photos taken at Kitchen Kettle Village 32 shops and restaurants Intercourse, PA http://www.kitchenkettle.com Lots of shops, restaurants, entertainment!