Amana Colonies

Understand

In 1855, a group of German settlers decided to buy some 30 square miles (70 km²) of land in eastern Iowa. These settlers, whose spirituality was marked by a strong belief in mysticism and communal life, sought to practice their religion in isolation. The Great Depression made it impossible for the villages to continue their isolation, and the Amana people voted to end their communal life, convert their shares in the common property into a formal business corporation, and build economic ties with the outside world. To this day, residents still maintain some of the traditional industries—woolen textiles, meats and cheeses, furniture—that their ancestors brought over from Germany. Some of the largest businesses and farms in the area either are or were previously owned and operated by the Amana Society, the for-profit corporation that was created when the businesses were separated from the church. The entire set of colonies was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and there are hundreds of historic buildings still in use across the seven villages, mostly as homes for the approximately 1,200 permanent residents or as small businesses that cater to tourists.

Climate

Getting there

The nearest airport with scheduled passenger service is the Eastern Iowa Airport, between Cedar Rapids and the Amana Colonies.

Getting around

There is no public mass transit service, no bike rental, and no car rental service within the colonies. Transportation is by car, by joining a bus tour, by biking, or by walking. Each of the small villages is a couple of miles away from the next, which means it is about an hour's walk from one to the next. However, few people routinely walk or bike between villages now, except to follow the bike trail between Middle Amana and Main Amana. Within each small village, however, walking from one shop to the next is often the best choice. The colonies were modeled after German farming villages, so they generally have a single main street with smaller residential streets branching off from the main street, and most shops are on the main street or very close to it.

1 Amana (Main Amana). 2 Middle Amana. 3 Homestead. 4 South Amana. 5 High Amana. 6 West Amana. 7 East Amana.

See

1 Iowa's Largest Rocking Chair, 618 8th Avenue, West Amana, ☏ +1 319 622-3315. M-Sa 9AM–5PM. An 11-feet tall, 670-pound handmade attraction at the Broom and Basket Shop. (updated Apr 2015) 2 Mini-Americana Barn Museum, 413 P St, South Amana, ☏ +1 319 521-3729. 9AM–5PM, April–Oct. The largest known collection of miniature models made by a single person in the world is displayed in a horse barn from Amana's communal era. The miniatures are built on a 1:12 scale and show scenes from the area's past. $3.50 adults, discount for age 5–17. (updated Nov 2024)

Do

Amana Colonies Recreational Trail (Kolonieweg). Trail for bicycling and walking, mostly paved, with some gravel. Bike or walk 3.1 miles (5 km) between the old Amana Depot in Main Amana and the trail's official end in Middle Amana. Stop for a picnic at Lily Lake on your way. The flowers at the lake bloom in late July and early August. Various festivals. Seasonal festivals are held several times a year, including a Maifest in early May, an Oktoberfest in early October, and a Tannenbaum Forest from Thanksgiving through mid-December. (updated Aug 2018) 1 Historic Communal Dinners, 1003 26th Ave (Communal Kitchen Museum, Middle Amana), ☏ +1 319 622-3567, [email protected]. For reasons of efficiency, meals in the communal days of the Amana Colonies were prepared in kitchen buildings and served to groups of about 40 people at a time. Several times a month during the tourist season, the Amana Heritage Society offers a large meal in the only intact communal kitchen. The menu follows some of the original recipes used at that particular kitchen, as prepared by the Amana Meat Shop. The menu is set in advance, and typically includes meat, potatoes, pickled and fresh vegetables, plus cake for dessert. The meals are served family-style – a tradition carried on by some of the restaurants in town. Diners sit together on benches at long trestle tables, which makes this a unique opportunity to talk to some of the town's older residents. If you have a group of 15 to 20 people, contact the society about scheduling a private event. During the rest of the month, the kitchen and the cooper's shop is open a few days each week for tours. $30 per person. (updated Oct 2022)

Buy

Main Amana, in particular, is home to many tourist-friendly shops selling art, antiques, clothing, and gifts.

1 Amana Woolen Mill, 800 48th Avenue (in Main Amana), toll-free: +1-800-222-6430, [email protected]. M-Sa 9AM–5PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Founded in 1857, it is the only woolen mill still operating in Iowa. Free self-guided tours of the small mill allow you to see the looms in action. (updated Mar 2017) 2 Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse, 4513 F Street (North end of Main Amana), toll-free: +1-800-373-6328. Ham, bacon, pork chops, other meats and cheeses. Good source of food for a picnic. 3 Broom and Basket Shop (Philip Dickel Basket Exhibit and Museum Gallery), 618 8th Avenue (in West Amana), ☏ +1 319 622-3315. M–Sa 9AM–5PM. Handmade brooms and woven baskets. You might get to see a broom-making demonstration, and there is a frequently changing exhibition of baskets on display. (updated Mar 2019) 4 Hahn's Original Hearth Oven Bakery, 2510 J St (Middle Amana), ☏ +1 319-622-3439. W, F, Sat 7AM until sold out, during warmer months. The last old-fashioned hearth oven in town, this bakery was built in 1864 and is original to the communal days of the Amana Colonies. The owner–baker still uses some of the original recipes, too. Pre-ordering is necessary, as Mrs Doris normally bakes only enough to fill the orders. Orders must be placed by telephone at least one day in advance. Tell her what you want: white or rye bread, cinnamon rolls ($1.50 each), streusel ($8), or coffee cake ($8). If you're not sure what you want, then try the "Zuckar Kuchen" (rich yeast dough with sugary streusel on top) or a filled coffee cake with your choice of fruit or cinnamon. (updated Oct 2022)

Eat

One of the main attractions of the Amana Colonies are its restaurants, which usually feature old German recipes and family-style service. Several of these well-known restaurants are housed in former communal dining houses from the earlier period. Many attract bus tours from considerable distances for a meal in the Amana Colonies.

1 Ox Yoke Inn, 4420 220th Trail, Amana, Iowa 52203 (in the middle of Main Amana), ☏ +1 319 622-3441, toll-free: +1-800-233-3441, [email protected]. Sun 9AM–6PM; M–Th 11AM–7PM; F–Sat 11AM–8PM. Lunch and dinner. A large restaurant that serves mostly German-style food with old-fashioned decor, with an emphasis on the meat-and-three-sides sort of square meal. Several dairy-free and gluten-free options. Don't forget to save room for a slice of pie. Brunch on Sundays (9AM–2PM, $30) will be the best be