Texas is not a state synonymous with the Amish. Various attempts have been made to settle in the state, but rarely does it ever result in anything lasting. This is an article that appeared in the New York Times in 1987 about an attempt to start a settlement near Stephenville. From what I have heard that settlement no longer exists. There are some Beachy Amish communities in Texas, notably near Lott and Seminole. Laura Camden and Susan Gaetz explore these settlements in their excellent book Quiet in the Land, which is a treasured addition to my collection. An Amish community tried to start near Grandview, but, again, it just didn't last. One of the issues that any Amish attempts to settle in Texas confront is something Texas is known for: size. Texas is so big and so far away from other closer Amish areas that to move there is to be very, very isolated. Even the Montana Amish at least have a network of Big Sky communities and easy access to eastbound rail. In Texas, you're basically on your own. There is one exception and that is outside of Beeville (a shout-out to Amish Cook SuperFan Debbie L who is in Beeville) where the Amish (actually one large family, really) began settling in the late 1990s.
I had the opportunity to visit the Beeville settlement over a year ago. It definitely is different than other Amish communities I have visited. There is a store there that sells baked goods on Fridays and it's absolutely worth a visit if you are in the area, but as I say in my video, don't plan your vacation around it!:) Click here to watch a short video documentary about the Beeville Amish community.
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