The Golden State has a very sparse "plain presence." Most people don't think of horse-and-buggies when they think of California (unless it is a Hollywood movie scene). So, are there Amish in California?
In fact, there are no Amish communities in California today. There was an attempt to start an Amish community near the town of Salinas in 1913, but that was short-lived. To my knowledge, there has not been an Amish presence in California since then. The state is just not very appealing to the Amish for a variety of reasons.
📋 Reasons Why The Amish Have Not Settled in California
These are purely speculative on my part. I doubt there is some rulebook out there saying the Amish shouldn't move to California. But there are probably reasons they stay away, among them:
Distance: Yes, the Amish have successfull settled in Montana and Colorado and other places in the west, but it took years for those communities to take root and eventually flourish because they were so far from the where most Amish are concentrated: in the Midwest. The Amish are very family-oriented and going back and forth from California to Ohio could become very expensive very quickly if you are relying on hired drivers. Plus, it'd add days of travel time each way.
Natural Disasters: California doesn't exactly have a paradise aura to it anymore. It's reputable precedes it. With earthquakes, fires, and drought all plaguing the state in recent years, I think most pragmatic Amish aren't saying: "gee, California sounds like a super place to move!" Most Amish would steer clear of that.
Cost: Have you seen the prices for a two-bedroom apartment in the San Fernando Valley? Just kidding, most Amish would opt for the rural reaches of the state and land would be cheaper there. But the cost of starting a new Amish community from scratch so far away and finding land in California that is cheap enough and "checks all the boxes" is challenging.
Do I think the Amish will settle in California eventually? Yes. Some adventurous Amish will decide to give it a go, probably within the next five years, and when it happens, I'll update this post!
🗺️ Almost-Amish Communities in California
The closest thing to an Amish community in California is in Ventura County in southern California.
There is a very small Beachy Amish Mennonite settlement near Lebec, an hour or so north of Los Angeles in the rural reaches of Ventura County. That's a settlement I would enjoy visiting someday.
An article in the Ventura County Star back in 2008 described the community in this way:
About a dozen Mennonite families are spread throughout Lebec, an unincorporated community that prides itself on fishing, hunting and the snows that come every winter. Many of the Mennonites came to these hills and valleys just outside Ventura County from Ohio and Pennsylvania, following a pastor who settled here a decade ago.
This sounds like a classic Beachy-Amish Mennonite church, with members who use plenty of technology,but use it sparingly and dress plainly. A handful of locals had joined the church as of that 2008 writing and as of 2004 it appears the church, Lebec Mennonite Fellowship, still exists.
🧭 Plain In Northern California
There is also a small Mennonite community near Bangor, California in the far north. The church is called the Marantha Fellowship. The church has a handful of families and has been there since 2004. There used to be a Mennonite-run bakery - the Bangor Bake Shoppe - but searches online now say that it is permanently closed. That's too bad. My guess is that if the Amish were to give it a go in California, it'd be in the north first, perhaps a daughter settlement from Montana.
🧭 Plain in Central California
The Golden State's largest Plain population can be found near Modesto where there is a robust German Baptist community.
The German Baptist community is centered outside of Modesto in what is known as the "Wood Colony." Local media describes the settlement this way:
While more accepting of modern technology than the Amish, the Old German Baptist Brethren, who make up about one-third of the district’s 1,000 or so residents, live a life atypical for California, where families remaining in one place for generations are a rarity.
From his classroom window at the Brethren Heritage School, Lloyd Wagner, a 51-year-old social studies and English teacher, can see the cemetery where his baby daughter, his brother who died at birth, his grandparents and most of his great-grandparents are buried.
One of the best ways to experience "California Plain" is to visit the German Baptist-owned Cover’s Apple Ranch. The 89-acre ranch is one of the few remaining orchards in an area that used to boast dozens. Cover’s is perched at 3000 feet in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 19211 Cherokee Road, Tuolumne, CA 95379, phone 209-928-4689, a cool, crisp climate ideal for an orchard. Cover’s claim to fame with customers is their “Mile High Pie", a delicious apple pie creation from the skilled German Baptist bakers.
🏪 "Amish" Businesses in California
There are other areas in the vast Golden State that offer Amish-type experiences, whether it through furniture or baked goods. Here are a couple. We'll add to this list, if you have a recommendation, email [email protected]
Jantz Cafe and Bakery: With locations in Merced, Mariposa, and Atwater, this is a palce where you can experience authentic Mennonite culinary traditions. Jantz is common Mennonite surname, which gives me more confidence in this place. This small Mennonite family bakery offers sandwiches and freshly baked breads, pies, cookies and pastries. The boxed lunch is a wonderful option to take to the park on a hike. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. A Tripadvisor review: Very clean and inviting. Excellent service and their breakfast can't be beat. They make their own pastries. Try their cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.
Sierra Valley Furniture: In Oroville, this furniture shop has built relationships with Amish craftsmen in Ohio and Indiana. I'm sure it is expensive to ship the items clear to California, but for those wanting the quality, it's probably worth it. Per the business: we have begun to offer Amish-made furniture along with our made-in-Oroville line of furniture. It is crafted in Ohio and Indiana by woodworkers who share our passion for deep-down quality.
Cathy Stewart
Very interesting about the Amish in CA
Missy
Lloyd Wagner, and the Cover family are Old Brethren, rather than German Baptist. Leslie Cover baptized my husband and myself into the Old Brethren in Sept 1995. He is also the editor of The Pilgrim, a small newsletter.
Kevin Williams
Interesting. And thanks for telling me, I'll make that correction!