Amana Colonies, Iowa

Amana Colonies' story begins with a group of Germans who were seeking religious freedom in the United States.  They first settled near Buffalo, New York, then moved west to Iowa in 1855.  Six villages were established a mile or 2 apart with some 26,000 acres of land across the Iowa River.  The village of Homestead was added in 1861.  Each village was self-contained to provide for their basic needs.

In the seven villages, residents lived a communal life where men and women were assigned jobs and no one received wages.  The elders assigned the jobs.  One of the jobs was to work in the communal kitchen.  As we toured the kitchen, Emily (88 years old) explained the many tools used for cooking:

The dry sink with a drain

and the huge board used to make noodles

or the oven made by the blacksmith shop

and the pot bellied stove to heat the eating area of the kitchen.