Amana Colonies

The Amana Colonies, a National Historic Landmark in Iowa, consist of seven contiguous villages in Iowa County founded in 1855 by members of the Community of True Inspiration, a German pietist sect that emigrated from Germany to escape religious persecution. The colonies operated as a communal society for nearly 80 years before residents voted to reorganize as a private corporation in 1932, a transition known locally as the Great Change. Today, the seven villages — Amana, East Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana, South Amana, West Amana, and Homestead — preserve that communal heritage through working woolen mills, wineries, furniture shops, and farm-to-table restaurants. Located 20 miles west of Iowa City and 80 miles east of Des Moines via I-80 Exit 225, the colonies are reached in roughly 25 minutes from Iowa City or 1 hour 20 minutes from Des Moines by car; no public transit serves the area. A recommended itinerary begins at the Amana Woolen Mill, the oldest operating woolen mill in the United States, which offers free weekday factory tours through rooms filled with industrial looms. From there, the Old Style Colony Museum — a complex of six historic buildings — illustrates everyday communal life from the 1850s through the Great Change. Midday lunch at the Ox Yoke Inn or Colony Market Restaurant delivers the Amana experience through generous family-style platters of German sausage, sauerkraut, schnitzel, and freshly baked bread. The afternoon suits a tasting at the Amana Colonies Winery, known for house-made fruit wines including rhubarb wine, and a stop at Schanz or Krauss Furniture to watch craftsmen shape cherry and walnut into heirloom pieces. Driving between all seven villages takes only 5 to 10 minutes per leg. Seasonal highlights include the Amana Colonies Quilt Show each July and an Oktoberfest celebration in early October. Most shops and restaurants close by 5 PM, so an early start maximizes time on the ground. The surrounding Iowa County farmland is scenic in all seasons, though October's harvest colors and fall foliage make that month particularly rewarding despite larger crowds.