North Carolina has had trouble establishing an Amish presence over the years. I think there are several reasons for this. One reason is that the state is relatively removed from other Amish areas. I think the Appalachian Mountains have sort have served a natural/psychological barrier to southeast settlement.
👍 Why The Amish Population Will Grow in North Carolina
While the Amish have been slow to settle in the Tarheel State, I do think you'll see more growth and here are some of my reasons:
- Amish populations are growing in nearby Tennesee and Virginia, so it's not uncommon for them to move to neighboring states when their populations increase. And, overall, the Amish population is increasing nationwide.
- North Carolina has an amazingly comfortable climate, not too hot in the summer, not too cold in the winter. This makes it an idea fit for the Amish since most don't have indoor electricity to regulate temperatures.
- The temperate climate also makes for a great growing season and an abdundance of crops and there are still swaths of North Carolina where some acreage can be snagged for a decent price.
🗺️ Where Are The Amish Communities in North Carolina?
Union Grove-Hamptonville: This community is North Carolina's oldest. It's a quirky settlement. This settlement is known as a haven for seekers, people from the outside who wish to convert to being Amish. There are some unusual last names in the settlement that suggest being a convert, like Coletti, but also plenty of typicaly Amish ones like Slabaugh and Swartzentruber.
In1985, some Amish from the New Order in Guthrie, Kentucky, settled in along a small swath of land adjacent to Interstate 77, establishing a new community that has endured every since. The Amish here use horse and buggies, but they are often called the "Electric Amish" because this is one of the few horse-and-buggy groups that have adopted indoor, on-the-grid electricity. This can make the transition for outsiders easier.
Ellenboro: This is Amish community is a relatively new one. I find the location curious because it's kind of in an area of North Carolina that is rural, but within an hour of very large and urban Charlotte. Reading dispatches from this community in the Amish newspaper, The Budget, I get the idea this is a Swartzentruber Amish settlement because there are references to visiting Randolph, Mississippi, and that community is a Swartzentruber one.
Etowah: Home to a conservative Amish-Mennonite church. I don't know a whole lot about this settlement.
Hiddenite: This settlement is Beachy-Amish Mennonite, which means the church members drive cars and use electricity. They dress plainly, however, and usually have their roots in the Amish church. The hub of this church community is Daysprings Christian Fellowship. The church describes themselves as: "Dayspring Christian Fellowship is a Mennonite church nestled in the foothills of NC. We enjoy the community around us and want to be a blessing to all around us."
Taylorsville: I don't know much about this Amish community, but it seems like a small, traditional one near Hickory.
🏪 Amish Businesses in North Carolina
Here are a couple of our favorite North Carolina Amish-owned businesses, if you have any other suggestions for inclusion on this list, send a email and let us know!
The Dutch Cupboard: I had a post about this business in Etowah, North Carolina, sounds like a classic Amish bulk food and bakery.
Shiloh General Store, 5520 St Paul Church Rd, Hamptonville, NC 27020: This is a classic Amish bulk food store and bakery in the Union Grove-Hamptonville community. One TripAdvisor reviewer gave a super summation of the store, here it is: I visited Shiloh General Store with a group of friends. We arrived around lunch time so we could experience their delicious made to order sandwiches that come with a bag of chips for just $6. The deli where you order the sandwiches is in the back left hand corner of the store. There is a pre-printed white slip of paper where you indicate a choice of in house baked bread, meat, cheese, condiments and vegetables. Just about everyone there was ordering their sandwiches. The wide front porch is shaded and has lots of seating where you can enjoy your lunch.The store itself has all kinds of baked goods, meat, cheeses, dairy items, frozen foods, snacks, pantry items, a massive variety of jarred food
This is classic Amish-type deli and bakery store so if you are anywhere in North Carolina, this is a store worth visiting.
Home Acres Fine Furniture, 6224 Windsor Road
Hamptonville, NC 27020: This is an an authentic Amish-owned furniture store in Hamptonville. Here's a bit more of their story: Marvin and Mary Miller, along with their family, moved to a small Amish community in Hamptonville, North Carolina from an Amish community in Ohio. It’s well known that central Ohio is the home of many fine craftsmen who produce well-made, sturdy, and beautiful Amish furniture. Marvin has had experience in this world of furniture and knows how to judge quality. Home Acres Fine Furniture came about as a result of Marvin’s desire to meet the need for quality crafted Amish pieces in North Carolina.
North Carolina Amish Recipes
Amish cooking has a similiar style here as elsewhere, but here are a few recipes specifically from North Carolina's Amish:
Homemade Cereal: This is a fun recipe, just be sure you have a bowl of cold milk to dunk this cereal in!
Linda from KY
The recipe is incomplete. After you spread the mixture into a baking sheet, what are the instructions?
Kim
Bake until nicely browned (about two hours). Let cool completely, then crumble into fine pieces and toast in a warm (250°F) oven
Kevin
Thanks, Kim!
Gloria A
Hi Kevin,
There are Amish homes and a store in Beulaville NC which is close to Jacksonville NC. It is a small community. They have a store there called; The Country Barn. It used to be called Bulk and More store and it was owned and ran by Mr.& Mrs. Elbert Mobley. Mr. Mobley died and his wife now has their daughter and her husband to run the store, Here is a little write up about it.
The store offers a wide range of flours, grains, bakery mixes, and a complete line of baking items such as flavorings, candy chips, dried fruit, yeast, chocolate, and more. Additionally, the aroma of freshly baked bread and muffins will entice you to search for peanut butter and jelly. Moreover, the store also has a large variety of sugar-free items. You can even find "hand-rolled butter" here. almost everything is sold in bulk sizes.
Kevin Williams
Thank you, Gloria, super interesting. This post about North Carolina Amish is very outdated, but I'll be refreshing it soon and will be sure to add this information. Mobley is not a typical Amish last name so must be a more recent convert.
Denise Fetters
Being originally from the central part of PA, I lived near the Amish (many farms), and I always highly respected them. I found them to be facinating and loved their customs and beautiful children; therefore, upon moving to NC, I was interested to know if any communities were located here. Low and behold, I am only about 45 minutes from Hamptonville, and have visited Shiloh General Store on many occasions, as well as purchasing beautiful furniture made by the Amish (from a store just down the road from the general store). I find most of the food in the store is very similar to that of what PA Amish in central PA made. I grew up on Amish-like food; however, I have gotten away from it as I got older, but I still make many of the desserts and the home-made noodles that are delicious. I enjoy many of the recipes you publish as well. I truly love the Amish population, and oh, how I miss hiring the Amish for home projects. They show up on time, and their work is meticulous and beautiful, and their fees are quite reasonable. They built my home in PA out of native stone (blasted from the rocks) adding beautiful oiled walnut beams from the walnut trees that were dried and oiled (cathedral ceiling). Their craftsmanship is unrivaled!
Kevin Williams
agreed about Amish craftsman ship, second tonone. Glad you live close enough to Hamptonville to go to Shiloh Gen Store, sounds like a classic Amish store!
Denise Fetters
It is! I was surprised the last time that I visited, as this store sells Amish ring bologna! I love it, and it sells out quickly, as there are no grocery stores that I have found that sell ring bologna (love the hot)! They do sell Lebanon bologna (very surprising), and every time a person cuts the bologna, they ask if I am from Lancaster, PA! When I tell them that I am not, they seem to think that Lancaster is the only Amish population! I tell them, if interested, to visit the Belleville Auction in Belleville, PA. It is held every Wednesday and is great. Many clans visit.