By Kevin Williams
I absolutely loved my journey to Arthur, Illinois's Amish community a couple of weeks ago. It's hard to describe it...but I'll make an attempt...it's a very isolated Amish community. The closest sizable town - Champaign - is 40 minutes away. I found myself amazing that the first Amish arrived here in 1865. I mean, this place is isolated now, so I'm having trouble imagining how remote it must have seemed in 1865.
The community's isolation has given rise to innovation. The Amish here can experiment and try things out here in ways that maybe one couldn't in Holmes County, Ohio or Lancaster, PA.
The Amish in and around Arthur number approximately 4000 spread out among 22 church districts, but all of them pretty much fellowship and worship with one another, so you don't see some of the deep splits here that you do elsewhere.
So, enjoy these beautiful scenes from a wonderful Amish community!
If you want to learn more about the Arthur Amish and what to do if you visit, check out their tourism site here!
An Amish woman pedals down the road. Yellow safety vests are worn by most Amish in the area for increased safety, not something you see in many other places.
22 Amish church districts mean that there is plenty of business to go around for the many harness shops here...
Miller's is one of the larger harness shops, there are plenty of smaller ones tucked away in outbuildings...
Plain View Amish School, established in 1968, one of dozens scattered across the area...
Laundry flaps on the line...who needs a dryer with a stiff breeze almost always blowing across the Illinois flatlands?
Pumpkin farms paint the fields orange in autumn
The actual town of Arthur isn't any great shakes, but it's a convenient base from which to explore and has some charm to enjoy
Welcome to Arthur
Leave a Reply