Steven wanted to show me Lancaster County on the way to Philly. Well known for its Mennonite and Amish communities, we made a special stop in Bird-In-Hand (yes, that's the name of the town) for Amish/Mennonite specialties such as shoofly pie, apple streusel, cheese and even Amish butter.
Our store of choice was Bird-In-Hand Bake Shop, which has all these treats, but also Christian books, souvenirs, handmade birdhouses, flowers in hanging baskets, and a playground out back. My purchases were rung up on a modern cash register, complete with contactless pay, by an Amish woman in a blue dress, white apron and white cap.
The store was completely modern, except for the unusual sign above the door. I'm sure it's all Amish and no regular modern American was consulted on the wording! In front of the store were acres of open farmland. Down the road were quilt shops and furniture shops, all products created by hand.
While at Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop I picked up a handy book:
20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites. The cover advertises that is has sold more than 400,000 copies. There is a lot of interest in these communities that wear "plain" traditional garb, often eschew all things modern and digital (though practices vary), and ride around in horse drawn buggies. According to this helpful book the Mennonites were formed in protest of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in 1525 and were initially called Anabaptists, but later became known as Mennonites, after their leader Menno Simmons, a former Catholic priest. In 1693, Mennonite Jacob Ammon broke from the Mennonites, declaring they were not strict enough, and formed his own community, later known as the Amish.
The communities now live side by side in Lancaster County. In general, it is the Amish that you will see in buggies, and less colorful clothes. But they are related in Christian faith, if not in practice.
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