The Byway Story
It was 1841. After a successful reconnaissance trip by leaders of their Amish community to scout out a new place to settle, four families with eight adults and seventeen children loaded their most necessary things in wagons and set off from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, heading west. In spring of 1842, eight more families arrived from Somerset County and in the fall, several more families arrived from Holmes County, Ohio. Initially, the settlers carved out subsistence farms from the Indiana wilderness and over time, transformed them into flourishing agricultural establishments.
Today, nearly 185 years later, mile after mile of white-fenced farms line beautiful rural roadways, populated with ever-present buggies at every turn. Buggies along the Amish Backroads Byway will not be occasional sightings, they are how the Amish get from place to place. Descendants of the pioneering families are spread throughout the area in what is now the third largest and most authentic Amish community in America. You’ll discover the surnames of the original families: Miller, Bontrager, Hershberger, Hochstetler, and Lehmann on mailboxes all along the Amish Backroads Byway in western LaGrange County.
Guided by a faith that emphasizes simplicity and humility, the Amish in LaGrange County forgo modern conveniences. Their lifestyle reflects biblical teachings that a simple lifestyle helps preserve spiritual integrity and a close-knit community bound together by shared beliefs and practices promotes community cohesion. The principle of “love thy neighbor” reflects a dedication to peace and communal harmony and a spirit of generosity, peace, and openness extends to their hospitality.
The Amish home is the epicenter of social and religious life. Worship services, weddings, and funerals are hosted in modestly furnished family homes, many of which include separate homes for elderly relatives. Courtship begins in adolescence when boys receive a buggy for transportation to chaperoned social gatherings. Marriage, celebrated with large weddings, extensive guest lists, and a communal meal, is viewed as a sacred, lifelong commitment. The meals are more than just food they offer a chance enjoy conversation with other community members.
When you explore the Amish Backroads Byway you can experience these traditions and the way of life firsthand. You may find yourself enchanted by the sight of horse-drawn buggies, likely carting Amish woodcrafters to their shops at the crack of dawn. As they diversified into cottage industries producing handmade furniture, quilts, rugs, and other artisanal items crafted with meticulous care, their offerings have become highly sought-after treasures to visitors and collectors alike.
Collaboration is a cornerstone of the Amish woodworking community. “We can specialize and focus on tables and have our small group of employees here, and another shop’s focus can be building chairs or bedroom furniture,” says Steve Raber, owner of West Point Woodworking in Shipshewana. “It gives a lot more people the opportunity to run their own business and employ family members and neighbors.” And despite their adherence to a simple lifestyle, the Indiana Amish deeply cherish innovation which locals claim distinguishes them from the more conventional Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“It is bred into the Indiana people to come up with new things,” says Freeman Miller, owner of F&N Woodworking. Many of the artisans at E&S Wood Creations, RH Yoder Woodworking, Westpoint Woodworking, and Heartland Mattress are members of the Northern Indiana Woodcrafters Association renowned for their dedication to producing Mission, Shaker, and Arts and Crafts-style furniture that stand as timeless symbols of quality and durability.
One of the unique things you’ll notice while traveling on the Byway is that Amish farmers still use horse-drawn plows, hand-held scythes, and natural fertilizers to cultivate fields. Their dedication to preserving the environment and maintaining the fertility of their soil is not just a nod to the past. It is a conscious, responsible, and sustainable choice.
While you are visiting, also be sure to enjoy a hearty, home-cooked Amish meal prepared using traditional recipes handed down through generations. Savor beloved dishes such as fried chicken, Swiss steak, and homemade noodles, all served with warmth and generosity. Every meal concludes with the inevitable decision over which type of pie to enjoy, a hallmark of Amish culinary tradition. The desserts, freshly baked cookies, and cinnamon rolls drizzled with frosting, are often so delightful that visitors find it hard to resist taking some home, along with other locally made treats like jams, jellies, and the ever-popular Amish peanut butter.
All in all, your journey along the Amish Backroads Byway is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable as you travel the serene roads of this unique experience. And most importantly, take you time as you interact with the wonderful people along the Byway. Return home, refreshed and renewed and ready to get back to life.
