7/7/15 - Amana Colonies NHL

I met a woman from Iowa and asked her what I absolutely shouldn't miss when we went to Iowa. She sort of ummed a bit, then said, "I don't know. No one's ever asked me that before!" So I asked her where she took people when they came to visit and she immediately replied, "The Amana Colonies!" I put it on my list.

There are seven villages in the Amana Colonies: Amana, Middle Amana, High Amana, West Amana, South Amana, Homestead and East Amana. (Creative, isn't it, even if I'm not sure about Homestead...) Amana Colonies were a communal colony for some people from Germany seeking religious freedom. In 1932 during the Depression, they voted to establish private enterprises so they could continue to live in their community. They're not Amish--they live a contemporary life. The Amana Colonies are considered a National Historic Landmark and are in the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, so there's a passport stamp at the museum. That's how I got George to go shopping.

Many of the houses have plaques on them saying what purpose they had years ago.

The old houses are pretty cool, but even the new houses are unique. There are flowers everywhere.

We wandered in and out of the shops, and then had lunch. Then we wandered through some more shops and went home. Nice day.

For a few more pictures, go here: Amana Colonies