This history of how the Amish came to Indiana is little-known to most Hoosiers. These culturally different people who live on the edges of society have been in our country and state for decades, but how did each Amish community become established? Scroll on to learn about the major groups in the state.
- The Amish in Indiana migrated from Pennsylvania and are mostly made up of Swiss, German, Mennonite, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania Amish.
Flickr/Anita Ritenour
- The community of Amish in Lagrange-Elkhart Counties is the largest in the state and the third-largest in the nation. It is home to about 20,000 residents spread across 140 congregations.
Flickr/Ian Lamont
- Founded in 1841, the Elkhart-Lagrange County community is also the oldest in the Hoosier State and includes Shipshewana and Middlebury.
Flickr/Jo Guldi
- Adams County is home to the second-largest Amish community in the state. It was founded in 1850 by Swiss Amish who are known for their very conservative customs and practices.
Flickr/johnny_appleseed1774
- Nappanee is Indiana’s third-largest settlement and is home to the state’s most popular Amish attraction, Amish Acres. It is debatably the earliest Indiana Amish settlement as it is believed to have begun in 1839.
Flickr/Mary Elaine
- The Lancaster Amish did not come to Indiana until the 1990s when two groups left the crowded community there for the Hoosier State.
Pixabay The first group came in 1991 and established themselves in Park County while the second group arrived in 1994 and set up in Wayne County.
- The rate of growth for Amish communities in Indiana has outpaced any other state, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, over the past several decades.
Wikimedia Commons/Ad Meskens
- Indiana is home to the most Amish settlements with more than 10 church districts, making the Hoosier State one of the best places to visit for a taste of the Amish life.
Wikimedia Commons/Tysto
Have you ever visited an Indiana Amish community? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.
Flickr/Anita Ritenour
Flickr/Ian Lamont
Flickr/Jo Guldi
Flickr/johnny_appleseed1774
Flickr/Mary Elaine
Pixabay
The first group came in 1991 and established themselves in Park County while the second group arrived in 1994 and set up in Wayne County.
Wikimedia Commons/Ad Meskens
Wikimedia Commons/Tysto
For more like this, check out these 14 places in Indiana Amish country that are worth visiting.
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Address: Indiana, USA
