Nappanee, IN
Population: 6,715
Don't visit an Amish or Mennonite community on a Sunday. But Luke, wouldn't you be able to see them in church and experience the Amish in a more natural and religious environment?No, you won't be able to find them because the Amish don't have a traditional church. The services are held in a different location each week, so good luck. Still, I recommend you visit Nappanee, or any other Amish/Mennonite community when you can. They are a really amazing group of people that have a lot to offer in terms of life lessons and craftsmanship.
Amish CRG - Family Model - 1 Horsepower
When people think of the Amish they usually think furniture, and then horse-drawn carriages, oh and the bonnets too. If you're lucky enough to find out where the Amish are holding their weekly church service you'll see dozens of black carriages parked outside a home. I've always wanted to ask about the color, why is it always black? It reminds me of that old Henry Ford quote about the Model-T: "You can have any color you want, as long as its black"
I'm not saying they need ridiculous colors like chartruse or purple mountain majesty, but if I was Amish I feel like a nice barn red carriage would look really slick. Maybe add some flames?
Amish Acres
Originally an Amish farmstead that was founded in 1839 by the supposed first Amish family to come to Indiana. Today the land has been converted into a tourist park featuring many handmade goods. Take a tractor ride or stop by the bakery, meat and cheese store, and a sweet shop with an antique marble soda fountain.
The Round Barn Theater at Amish Acres
This is my favorite attraction at Amish Acres. The Round Barn is the National Home of Plain and Fancy. The play was on Broadway starting in 1955 and ran for 461 performances until making its way to The Round Barn in 1986. The Round Barn puts on 7 productions each year including the permanent performance of Plain and Fancy. The seating capacity is 400 and there are orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony sections.
Nappanee, IN
Slow and steady wins the race, that's the Nappanee pace. The town feels like a soft breeze rolling across your face during a hot and muggy day, refreshing. There are multiple antique stores lining the main road that offer a look into the past. As one of the workers I spoke with said, "working here and walking into the store every day is like walking into history itself," I couldn't agree more. I love (ok i'm obsessed) with thrift shopping. The first thing I do when I get back home to Indiana is stop by the local Goodwill to comb through their aisles. If I lived in Nappanee I would definitely want to open my own antique store, however I think it would be a bad business model to hoard all the items and not let anyone buy anything. Oh well!