The history of the Amana Colonies

Diane L. Barthel has written a fascinating book on the history of an Iowa tourist attraction: the Amana Colonies.

In Amana: From Pietist Sect to American Community (335 BAR), Barthel takes the reader back to 18th century southern Germany where a group of Christians was dissatisfied with the Lutheran tradition. They called themselves the Society of True Inspiration. In 1843, they arrived in America. From New York, they made their way into the heartland by the mid 1800s.

The author compares the early Iowa settlers of this society to the Amish. Both wore simple clothing, and discouraged new technology.

Those in the Amana settlement believed in communal living. Everything was done for the whole of the group. They were self supporting.

Because of the influence of surrounding towns, they loosened up their rules. More modern clothing was accepted. Drinking alcohol was allowed. Instead of German, English became the language they used. Part of this was to get the tourist dollars in, especially after good roads were built and people began owning cars.

Diane Barthel's Amana continues through the 1970s when more and more private businesses were allowed into the community, and the Amana Society created a museum for the tourists, detailing their heritage.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008