The Amish People in Lancaster County

Lancaster County is a really unique place to visit. You can be visiting the city and within 10 minutes outside the city limits you’ll run into an Amish farm. You’ll see the “plain people” riding down major roads in their buggies, working in their farm fields and you’ll find them shopping in the same stores that you and I do.

Back in the mid 1980’s we lived in Lancaster for a few years and I had to the opportunity to meet several Amish families. Matter of fact…some of those Amish women taught me how to make homemade bread, fruit pies and that famous whoopie pie! Let me tell you…they can cook and they can cook some of the best food you’ll ever have in your life!

The Amish don’t like to be photographed and its considered to be rude to photograph them. They don’t believe in using motorized vehicles, motorized farm equipment, using electricity, using telephones and they dress very plain. Their children don’t go to our public or private schools, they go to Amish schools within their own communities.

Over the past few decades Lancaster County has turned into a huge tourist destination. People from all over the world come to Lancaster to see the Amish and to experience the local attractions. You can visit various museums, go outlet mall shopping, take horse & buggy rides, visit art fests, the hot air balloon festival, tour Amish farms & one-room school houses, visit farmer’s markets, antique markets, the theater and Lancaster is home to Dutch Wonderland, the amusement park for kids!

Today I wanted to share just a few photographs to give you a little peek into some of the things we saw on a recent day trip down to Lancaster County…focusing on the “plain people”. You won’t see any up close & personal photos (that would be rude), so all of my photos were taken at a distance. If you ever get the chance to visit…I highly recommend it. It makes for a great weekend getaway, summer vacation or if you live local…a day trip!