About this property
The Amana Colonies are seven villages on 26,000 acres (110 km2) located in Iowa County in east-central Iowa, United States: Amana (or Main Amana, German: Haupt-Amana), East Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana, South Amana, West Amana, and Homestead. The villages were built and settled by German Radical Pietists, who were persecuted in their homeland by the German state government and the Lutheran Church. Calling themselves the True Inspiration Congregations (German: Wahre Inspirations-Gemeinden), they first settled in New York near Buffalo in what is now the town of West Seneca. However, seeking more isolated surroundings, they moved to Iowa (near present-day Iowa City) in 1856. They lived a communal life until 1932. For eighty years, the Amana Colony maintained an almost completely self-sufficient local economy, importing very little from the outside industrial economy. The Amanians achieved this independence and lifestyle by adhering to the specialized crafting and farming occupations that they had brought with them from Europe. Craftsmen passed their skills and techniques on from one generation to the next. They used hand, horse, wind, and water power, and made their own furniture, clothes, and other goods. The community voted to form a for-profit organization during the Great Depression, the Amana Society (Amana-Gesellschaft), which included the Amana Corporation. Today, the Seven Villages of Amana are a tourist attraction known for their restaurants and craft shops. The colony was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1965. The Community of True Inspiration (Amana Church) continues to worship in the Middle Amana meeting house, though "Special services, Sunday school, and fellowship activities are held in the larger Main Amana meeting house."
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Amana Villages
This page lists Amana Villages. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Amana Villages listed on the National Register?
Amana Villages was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Amana Villages?
Amana Villages is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Amana Villages a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Amana Villages has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Amana Villages?
The period of significance for Amana Villages is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1856.
Can I research the history near Amana Villages?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Amana Villages will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Iowa County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Iowa County.
Explore IowaCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Amana Villages will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.