Where are the Amish in Nevada?

Are the Amish willing to take a gamble on Nevada?

Okay, sorry, if I am going to do a post about the Amish in Nevada, then you are going to have to put up with a lot of Vegas-style puns. So, where are the Amish in Nevada? Spin the roulette wheel and guess!

If you guessed that there were no Amish in Nevada, you'd be correct.

❓ Why Are There No Amish In Nevada?

There is a lot of federally-owned land in Nevada so even with its extensively rural reaches, it's not easy just to pick a spot and settle. But even so, here are some reasons there are no Amish in Nevada:

Climate: the heat in the summer can be among the worst places in the USA. The Amish, without electricity, would find summers every unhospitable.

Agriculture: agriculture is tough too in Nevada harsh weather and rugged terrain.

Distance: Any Amish settling in Nevada would be far from any other Amish communities, resulting in isolation.

I think Nevada will be one of the last states where Amish will settle. Perhaps someday, but for now, they are far better bets.

🗺️ Closest States To Nevada With Amish Communities

There are no states bordering Nevada with Amish populations, with the exception of Idaho, but that settlement is in the far northern part of the state and is quite small. Here are the closest states with Amish communities:

• Idaho
• Montana
• Wyoming
• Colorado
• New Mexico
  

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📜 The Story of Mennonites in Nevada

This does not mean the state does not have any Plain presence. The state does have one Plain Mennonite church (Beachy Amish). A newspaper article from the Ely, Nevada newspaper described the Diamond Valley Mennonite Church...here are some excerpts from the superb article in the Ely Times:

The church building first appeared as a single white dot in the vast sage-covered plain of the Diamond Valley, 12 miles north of Eureka. Coming closer, we saw its simplicity: a converted double-wide mobile home. The soil of the churchyard was loose and dry after one of the driest  winters in memory, so my footsteps left tracks. It was mid-April and blindingly sunny, but at 6,000 feet above sea level, the Sunday morning was cool

This Mennonite church is near the town of Eureka in the middle of nowhere, far, far away (about 3 hours north) from Sin City. The article continues:

Presently, the yard began to fill with pickup trucks and SUVs, and the people who stepped out of them bore Bibles, babies, and smiles. The women wore loose ankle-length dresses, expertly home-sewn of pretty cotton prints, and their hair was gathered up in buns, each bun covered with a small white cap. Men favored plain slacks and white Western-cut shirts, but a couple wore black suits of unusual simplicity, without lapels. Nobody wore a necktie. Only a few of these folk had met me before, but most greeted me warmly as they might an old friend.

And then the reporter describes a bit more about the church:

These were Mennonites, members of a remarkably sincere denomination of Christians, who began to settle in Eureka County in the 1990s. Now 50 of them took seats in the sanctuary of the double-wide church, leaving only a few empty. Worship opened with the hymn, “We Now Have Met To Worship Thee.” No musical instruments are permitted, so somebody blew a pitch-pipe to establish the vocal key. 

🏪 Amish Businesses in Nevada

Well, if there are no Amish in Nevada, it would stand to reason that there are no Amish businesses in Nevada. Still, there are at least a few places you can get your "Amish fix" with some baked goods and jams and jellies. Here is one of them, you can head for The Strip in Vegas and then go get an Amish fix at Amish Jam Jelly Honey House, 856 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89107. The store describes itself this way:

"Step back in time and savor the taste of tradition at Amish Jam Jelly Honey House, a family-owned haven for authentic Amish goods in the heart of Las Vegas. Explore shelves brimming with jams, jellies, and honey crafted with age-old recipes and the freshest ingredients. Discover a taste of community and indulge in a touch of Americana, whether you're visiting their charming store on Rainbow Boulevard or browsing their online marketplace. We offer free shipping if you live in Las Vegas - must call to place your order to receive free shipping in Las Vegas. Visit our 2 locations or order online."