It used to be when we thought of the Amish, we generally thought of the rolling hills of Holmes County, Ohio or the gorgeous green valleys of Lancaster County. Â I remember a puff piece in People Magazine in the mid-80s about the Amish settlement in Kalona, Iowa and how the local mailman had a challenge delivering mail to the community when so many people had the same name (i.e. 10 John Stutzman's on the route). Â Back then, that was one of the western-most Amish settlements. There have been Amish settlements in Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota for generations, but they were historically a small, quiet presence. Â Fast-forward to today, and Amish settlements everywhere are growing because of the church's impressive retention rate and large families. Â This has made the once off-limits American West a frontier for the Amish.
The New Order Amish community near St. Ignatius, Montana continues to grow and prosper, as are other Amish communities in Montana. Â The oldest settlement there is an Old Order Amish community near Rexford which started in the early 70s. Â But St. Ignatius captures the "beauty award." Â Can you imagine hanging your laundry out to dry with this beautiful mountain range to look at? That is exactly what one elderly Amish couple has from their house. Â The snow-covered peak is Mount McDonald rising close to 10,000 feet above the surrounding valley. Â The peak is closed to climbers each summer as protected grizzly bears forage on the huckleberries that grow on the high slopes. Â Occasionally a grizzly wanders down into the valley. Â We'll have lots of neat photos and recipes from St. Ignatius in our upcoming book, Amish Cooks Across America (Spring 2013)
Kathy Faberge
Wow! Beautiful scene.