Just off I-80 about 30 minutes west of Iowa City is a working German Colony that had its roots dating back to the early 1700's in Germany. The religious leaders moved their community from Ebenezer, New York to the fertile lands of Iowa in 1855. The Amana Community of True Inspiration became the 7 villages of Amana and thrived for 80 years following communal principles and a self-sufficient society. The original climate required many hours of hard farming work and in the communal dining room a meal was served with no communication among diners. Meals were expected to be eaten in 15 minutes or less. The leaders decided who would tend the fields, who would cook the dinners, and who would go off to college to return to become doctors, etc.

In the early 1930's once the railroads were built near Amana, the younger population hitched a ride out west to return to tell family members what life was like outside of Amana. In an effort to keep the community in tact, the elders decided to allow for private ownership.

Joanna Schanz, of Schanz Furniture & Refinishing and known in the area as a gifted cane weaver and willow basket maker, told me that original members were allotted stock shares. One share was worth 7000 dollars and wasn't capable of being handed down to the next generation. Very few new couples could afford these shares so they were in essence split to where one share was like now worth 100 shares to make them more affordable. Mrs. Schanz lives in one of the original red-sandstone houses and at one time four generations lived in her home with her husband. Quality furniture is still hand-crafted in her husband's furniture store.

I continued my journey on to 220th Trail and eventually found Ackerman Winery where rhubarb and blackberry wine are still produced in stainless steel vats. Ackerman has won many awards for its sweet-tasting, fruity wines.

I stopped in at the Ronneburg Restaurant known for its authentic Bavarian foods. Tammy Frimm, the server who has been working at the restaurant for 8 years told me the restaurant's specialty is saurbraten with potato dumplings. Saurbraten is sliced roast beef marinated in vinegar and seasoned with gingersnaps and simmered in wine slowly for several hours and in the old days originally stored in the cold cellar for days before being heated and served. To complement the dish are potato dumplings that are specially seasoned and rolled into fifty-cent size balls. The meat has a heavy vinegar taste to it and one that I'd say requires an acquired taste. The dumplings do help minimize the tangy after taste. I was then rewarded with a slice of German chocolate pie, which was loaded with coconut and pecans and reminded me of pecan pie served at a Mullen's Thanksgiving.

After my meal, I journeyed past the Amana refrigeration plant that is owned and operated by Whirlpool. It seemed odd seeing a manufacturing plant of this size sitting squarely in the middle of farmland. I was told the original founder of the plant manufactured iceboxes and purchased the plant from the original members of the colony plant. The plant had once employed nearly 2000 employees but now was down to close to 1300 employees.

My final visit was to the Amana Woolen Mill that had been operating since 1857. At one time the mill had over 200 mechancial looms that weaved baby blankets, but was now reduced to a few machines used to attract tourists to its blanket shop. Only one operator ran the few machines remaining and because I once worked in a circular knit textile plant as an engineer, the operator was only too happy to offer me a nostalgic demonstration of his trade.

Willkommen means Welcome! in German. Many of the original sandstone homes remained in excellent shape, but it seemed to me like modern-day society was leaving this once harmonic community behind. Tourism dollars are desperately needed and the close-knit Amana communities are trying to keep the cultural alive. I can only hope this rich heritage isn't lost in the current economic crisis because our youth to need to know that we once were a nation of craftsmen who took pride in building products with our hands.