Or maybe I should revise the above headline to read where AREN'T there Amish communities in Kentucky?
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Reader Connie recently asked me what seems like a simple question: " would like to know all the Amish community that are here in Kentucky?"
I was starting to write her a note back, but then I thought geez if I am going to write such a long answer, I might as well share it with everyone. So, Connie, here is my long answer to your question!
🐎 Amish Communities in Kentucky
See, the question of "what Amish communities are in Kentucky" isn't as simple as it would seem. Because what exactly qualifies as Amish? There are also a number of "hybrid settlements", New Order Amish, Beachy-Amish sects, Plain churches, and Mennonite communities. You find some very conservative Amish that hew to the horse-drawn buggy, while others in the state farm with tractors. This piece will put a greater focus on traditional Amish settlements.
Below is a sort of my take on Kentucky's Amish but I'd love to hear from others who can build out this Kentucky list. There are actually Amish settlements now throughout the Bluegrass State. So Kentucky Amish country isn't just one place, it's many places! And it is a chance to step back and appreciate the simple pace. You won't find many Amish here on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest!
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- 🐎 Amish Communities in Kentucky
- ✔️ Christian County, Kentucky
- ✅ Hart County, Kentucky
- ✅ Harrison County
- ✅ Logan County
- ✔️Todd County, Kentucky
- ✔️ Crittenden County, Kentucky
- ✅Vanceburg, Kentucky
- ✅Mays Lick, Kentucky
- ✅Caneyville, Kentucky
- ✅Crab Orchard, Kentucky
- ✅Annville, Kentucky
- 🛒 10 Favorite Kentucky Amish Stores
✔️ Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is home to a whole bunch of different denominations of Amish from very conservative to the "electric Amish" of Crofton that use horse and buggies but also allow electric lights in their homes. Keep an eye out for a number of Amish-owned businesses in the area.
✅ Hart County, Kentucky
(Munfordville-Cub Run): The Amish around here have strong Lancaster County ties, first coming here in the late 1980s and early 90s. They maintain many of the styles of dress and dialect that you'd find in Lancaster. Many also came from Geauga County, Ohio so you have a mix of Amish cultures here. This is the largest Amish settlement in Kentucky with over 200 Amish families calling the area home. So this is the place in the state with the largest concentration of Amish-owned busiensses. Cruise the backroads where you'll see the countryside dotted with sawmills and Amish-owned meat processing, lawn furniture manufacturing, and harness shops. The Cub Run area has an especially large concentratiokn of Amish families.
✅ Harrison County
There is a small, conservative Amish settlement outside the town of Cynthiana, but Amish365.com doesn't have much information about it. Buggies are commonly seen in Cynthiana.
✅ Logan County
You have more and more Amish moving into this county. Auburn has been the flashpoint of fights over horse manure clean-up. There are some Amish-owned general merchandise stores and salvage groceries here.
✔️Todd County, Kentucky
Notable about Todd County's Amish population is the Swiss settlement near Guthrie. This Guthrie community has close ties to the Amish of Berne, Indiana. So you'll hear a Swiss dialect that you won't find other places. Guthre is a quirky community because in addition to Berne, many Amish moved to this area from Stuarts Draft, Virginia. So it's a mix of Amish cultures here.
✔️ Crittenden County, Kentucky
There is a large Amish community outside of Marion, Kentucky.
The Marison community began in the 1970s, with many Amish coming to the area from Delaware. The Marion tourism board offers a map of Amish businssses in the area, which shows where the bakeries and bulk food stores are.
✅Vanceburg, Kentucky
There is a small, traditional Old Order Amish community in Mason County, Kentucky.
✅Mays Lick, Kentucky
This is a more progressive Amish community that has some "communal tendencies" , but it is an Amish settlement.
✅Caneyville, Kentucky
This is not an Amish settlement, but they are Plain, meaning they use horse and buggy, and don't have electricity
✅Crab Orchard, Kentucky
This is a horse and buggy Amish settlement, but this one is a bit more progressive than some places. This community is on my list of places I'd like to visit this year! Update: Geez, I came to this community to try to find it in 2021 with no success. It seems like a now-defunct Amish church, I saw where some Amish homes used to be, but not sure if Any Amish remain in this area.
✅Annville, Kentucky
I am hearing that there is a brand new community near Annville in the eastern hills of the state.
There are also Beachy Amish Mennonite Plain communities in diverse places like Leitchfield, Cynthiana, and Providence. This is a pretty exhaustive list. The southeastern mountains of Kentucky are where there is the least Plain presence in Kentucky, That, however, is even slowly changing. I think this is a pretty comprehensive list, Kentuckians, did I leave any out?
🛒 10 Favorite Kentucky Amish Stores
You'll find greenhouses, bakeries, and bulk food stores dotting most of Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch country. These are definitely not the only Amish businesses in the state, but these are some of our favorite!
Editor's Pick!!! - Grandview Country Market: 9216 US-27, Cynthiana, KY 41031 - A charming Mennonite bulk food, bakery, and deli. Made-to-order sandwiches! Check out our visit to Grandview Country Market here.
Detweiler's Country Store: 12825 Priceville Rd, Cub Run, KY 42729. Detweiler’s country store is a classic Amish country store, with baked goods, bulk foods, and sundries!
Habegger's Amish Market: 415 Perrytown Rd, Scottville, KY 42164. Another wonderful bulk food option with plenty of meat, spices, and cheeses!
Amish Heritage Furniture: 5859 US Highway 69, Mayslick, KY 41055. A wonderful Amish-owned furniture showroom featuring hand-made Amish furniture.
Farmwald Dutch Bakery: 720 L&N Turnpike Rd., Horse Cave, KY – 270-786-5600. Freshly-baked doughnuts made daily, pies, breads, pretzels, breakfast, soups, burgers, sandwiches, and deli meats.
R & S Grocery and Bakery: 235 Irvin Cemetery Rd., Horse Cave, KY – 270-786-3005 Homemade doughnuts, breads, cakes, cookies, candies, made-to-order sandwiches, meats, cheese, groceries, household supplies.
Editor's Pick!!! - The Variety Shop: 3297 Easy Gap Hill Rd., Cub Run, KY – 270-524-0404. We love Amish variety shops! This is just a classic Amish-owned sundry store that features fabric, children’s toys, baby items, bird feeders, household goods, and gifts.
Pleasantview Greenhouse: Hammonsville Rd., Munfordville, KY – 270-473-4013. This is a classic Amish greenhouse featuring vegetables, annuals, hanging baskets, ferns, tropical plants, perennials, rose bushes, trees, along with handmade birdhouses, feeders, and planters.
Amish Farmers Market: 7700 Ft. Campbell Blvd., Hopkinsville, KY. Open downtown Hopkinsville Saturday mornings from late May to mid-October. Featuing locally grown veggies, local honey, molasses, baked goods, and more!
Schlabach's Amish Bakery: 6225 Guthrie Road, Guthrie, KY 42234. A classic Amish bakery featuring unbelievable freshly baked breads, doughnuts, cakes, pies, and more.
Lavern's Country Market: 52 S. Fork Creek Road, Liberty, KY 42539. Cheeses, milk, butter, eggs, honey, jellies, and more.
Carolyn Frank
Casey County has had a well-established Amish society for over thirty years, with several retail businesses. "English" folks from Lexington and Danville make a day of it and enjoy the shops and The Bread of Life Cafe.
New Amish communities have sprung up in Gravel Switch and Hustonville.
Kevin
Thank you, Carolyn, I am not sure if I knew that or not..Thanks!
Carol
There is a Mennonite community and also some folks that are connected to the Charity Churches in the Scottsville and Liberty, Ky area. I know you were writing about Amish communities but thought someone might be interested in this info also. At least some of the families in these areas have connections with the Muddy Pond/Clarkrange/Crossville, Tn communities.
Kevin
Carol, thank you for that...One of these days I'd love to visit the Muddy Pond community!
Carolyn
My brother and his wife took me to Bowling Green Ky. while visiting them several years ago.
We visited a stand where they sell jams,honey etc. It was amazingly beautiful. A couple women and some children jumped out of a buggy and ran for their gate. They were dressed in full Amish attire. Not being familiar with their rules, I asked the gentlemen working the stand if I could take their picture and they said "no" so of coarse I respected that. That started my fascination with these great people. Thank you Keven for all your input and hard work.
Kevin
Carolyn, so glad you got to experience Amish culture first hand, I wasn't sure if you had ever been able to...perhaps one day they'll try again in Washington! - Kevin
Richard Keel
We went to dinner tonight at the recently remodeled Steak-N-Shake here in Georgetown, KY . While getting our beverages a large group of Amish came in. A short while later one of the men asked if we knew where the nearest Amish Community might be found. We did not, So, we sat searching with our phones. I even phoned the local Scott County Sheriff's dispatcher and he did not know. I then tried the state police, but after ten tries and a persistent busy signal I gave up. So now I am at home and the search for "Kentucky Amish" has brought me to your web pages. Should I find myself attempting to find an answer to that question again, I now know where to come. I would suggest you consider adding a map with locations flagged. Thank you for this educational and well done web site. -- rk
Kevin Williams
Thanks for stopping by Richard, I need to update the page. You're right, a map would be great. I think I might look into making maps of the different states with Amish locations marked on them, that is a super idea. To my knowledge, the closest Amish settlement to Georgetown would be near Cynthiana, but I know little about that group. They are pretty conservative.
Susan
Members of the Amish community in Nicholas County near Carlisle were among the first to offer hands-on help following terrible middle-of-the-night flash flooding which took a life and left many homes severely damaged or destroyed on July 30. I went to Carlisle yesterday to check in with friends whose house was badly damaged, and to offer sandwiches, chips and fruit to anyone dealing with the flood's aftermath. A group of eight young Amish men were working to clear the enormous piles of debris left by the flooding Brushy Fork from backyards along East Main Street, one of the worst-impacted areas. When I offered these young men sandwiches, they politely said they'd already eaten - but they were happy to get potato chips!
They're being the Hands of God in the World right now, as are many others voluntarily helping out in hard-hit Nicholas County.
Kevin Williams
Thanks, Susan, good to hear about such selfless actions by the Amish in that area, thanks for sharing with us!