The Amana Colonies

[Abby Brown] The Amana Colonies are special. They represent the American dream come true.

(Map marking Iowa County in east central Iowa.)

In the mid-1800s, the Community of True Inspiration was a group of German immigrants looking for religious freedom and a place to allow their community to thrive and grow. After settling in Buffalo, New York, the group purchased land in Iowa in 1855 so they could have more space to farm. They built seven villages here, each about two miles apart. Long before they arrived in America and moved to Iowa, the group had decided that pooling their resources and living communally made the most sense for them. So people who chose to live in the society were assigned jobs, given a home, medical care and schooling for their children. They were also provided with a small purchase allowance to use at the general store. It was a simple, quiet life that involved working for the common good and attending church 11 times a week. For decades, living communally also meant everybody ate meals together. Kitchens like this were run by community members whose job it was to prepare, cook and serve all the meals.

(Abby is standing in a communal kitchen. To her right on a long table are several different deep cast-iron pots and shallow cast-iron skillets. Hanging over her right shoulder are several different sizes of metal serving utensils.)

(A historical black and white photograph of two women dressed in simple dresses with dark shawls over their shoulders and linen head coverings are preparing a meal at the stove.)

The people of Amana brought their intricate wool weaving skills to America with them and built a mill right away so they could use those skills as a way to bring in money for the community. Today, the Woolen Mill is still here in Amana. Traditional blankets, scarves and a few other items are crafted at this original mill location and sold to people all over the world. Honoring the heritage of the first German settlers here.

The Amana Colonies’ communal way of living ended in 1932. Part of the reason for the great change had to do with the economy of the Great Depression. But it was also because people in the society started to feel like the communal way of life was a bit of a roadblock to their individual goals. So in order to avoid people leaving or breaking up the group, the society changed.

Instead of sharing all the resources created or earned, community members kept the money they earned from jobs they chose for themselves. The farm land, mills and other large businesses didn't go away when the great change occurred, they were just handled differently by a corporation called the Amana Society. Several modern day appliances have roots in the Amana Society, including the first commercial microwave oven. It was created in 1967 by the Amana Corporation, a company founded by George Foerstner, who was a member of the Amana Colonies Communal Society.

Today, people can visit the Amana Colonies and explore history at the Amana Heritage Museum. There are historic buildings throughout the seven villages spread out over miles. So you can see as much or as little as you want. The original settlers here were known for their hospitality and kindness to people who weren't part of their community. And the same holds true today, with a welcoming atmosphere full of traditional food, tours and events, all honoring one of our country's most successful communal societies.

Every county in Iowa is home to someone's American dream. That dream is celebrated here in Iowa County.

Funding for FIND Iowa has been provided by The Coons Foundation, Pella and the Gilchrist Foundation.