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    Home » The Plain Columns » The Amish Editor

    Red Flags in Amish Country?

    Published: Mar 6, 2012 · Updated: Feb 2, 2021 by Kevin Williams | 3 Comments

    It was a gorgeous day in Adams County, Ohio Amish country last weekend. If you ever want a pleasant afternoon drive from Cincinnati, just head east on State Route 32 to Adams County where you'll find a hilly haven honeycombed with tiny ribbons of road just itching to be explored.  For me, this is, in many ways, where it all began...my Amish experience, some 22 years ago.  But I'll write more about that soon.

    This is a neat photo that Rachel captured of an elderly Amish woman making her way back home from Miller's Market along Grace's Run Road.  What this photo also captures is an increasingly common safety feature on open Amish buggies and carts: the red flag.   Notice the red flag on the white pole rising above the woman on the left side of the buggy.

     

    I've seen this flag on carts in Ross County, Ohio, Adams County, and  in northern Indiana and Michigan.  An Amish woman recently told me that she really liked the red flags and said maybe they could help prevent tragedies like the Labor Day pony cart accident that occurred near Middlebury, Indiana last year.  As the photo illustrates, the carts and wagons are lower to the ground and potentially out of the immediate line of sight of a rapidly moving motorist.  The flags help add a splash of warning color higher up. Of course this also illustrates the split within the Amish church as some are rebelling against such bright safety colors, while others - like this settlement - are embracing them.  As an aside, these carts (sometimes called "gigs") are popular with younger single people or the elderly. They are very manageable and notice the spot for storing groceries beneath the seat.  Pretty cool!

    And, of course, in addition to red flags, reflectors, and triangles, these ubiquitous yellow buggy signs serve as a reminder to visitors to slow down and share the road!

     

    « Symposium Scenes: Buggies, Bonnets, and Birds
    Adams County Beauty »

    About Kevin Williams

    Hi, my name is Kevin Williams and I am owner of Oasis Newsfeatures and editor of The Amish Cook newspaper column.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Magdalena

      March 06, 2012 at 11:32 am

      Thanks for this post, as I intend to get a pony cart. Excellent idea.

      Reply
    2. Loretta W.

      March 06, 2012 at 1:15 pm

      Saw on the Columbus (OH) Channel 10 news that the area was hit by a couple of tornados. Was there much damage? I love going to Adams county.

      Reply
      • Kevin

        March 06, 2012 at 1:42 pm

        Loretta, a small tornado did touch down in Adams County near Winchester, but did little damage...so Adams County is in good shape! - Kevin

        Reply

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    Kevin Williams - The Amish Editor Amish Cook Column

    Hi There, I'm Kevin!

    Welcome to Amish365, where I share my knowledge of Amish cooking and culture! I’ve spent almost three decades exploring Amish settlements and kitchens from Maine to Montana and almost everywhere in between. I’ll occasionally throw in stories of my travels, journalism adventures (I’m a Pulitzer prize-nominated journalist), fascination with grocery stores and Kmarts, and much more!

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