Amish population nearly doubles in 16 years

 

By MARK SCOLFORO

- Associated Press Writer

 

LANCASTER, Pa. — The Amish are expanding their presence in states far beyond Pennsylvania Dutch country as they search for affordable farmland to accommodate a population that has nearly doubled in the past 16 years, a new study found.

 

States such as Missouri, Kentucky and Minnesota have seen increases in their Amish populations of more than 130 percent. The Amish now number an estimated 227,000 nationwide, up from 123,000 in 1992, according to researchers from Elizabethtown College's Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies.

 

Over the same period, Amish settlements have been established in seven new states, putting them in at least 28 states from coast to coast. The new states are: Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Washington and West Virginia.

 

http://www.centredaily.com/news/breaking_news/story/788175.html

Guess there's not much to do in an Amish home once it gets dark.

I first saw Amish when I was a young kid in Pennsylvania. About ten years ago, I traveled up with my parents to northern Ohio (Holmes County) to see some Amish and visit the local stores. Then, when I got my license, I discovered that they had located in southeast Ohio!

 

Travel down the backroads -- you'd be surprised at how many there are. Using my last example above, I traveled down Ohio Route 141 from Ironton to Gallipolis, passing by some pretty poor and gritty areas near Ironton that soon opened up to vast woodlands and farms before ending at Gallipolis -- and I traveled some of the other routes, like Ohio Route 775. I counted at least 5 Amish homesteads on my first trip in 2004, and at least 20 in 2008. Country stores had opened up in the small towns, hitching posts included. New, clean white houses were everywhere. Barns were going up. It was really beautiful.

that was a very interesting read because i also read somewhere that the by hassidic jewish population (aka the urban amish) was exploding too.

Do Amish use contraception or believe in abortion? I'm assuming they don't. That would certainly explain it. Back when most Americans lived in rural areas, they had a lot of kids so that they could help on the farm and produce. That's probably another reason.

^--- Also, the divorce rate is zero, or nearly so.

this could be the answer to our dwindling population woes.  :-o

...

The arrival of the Amish can raise land prices, and their self-reliance translates into a relatively low burden on public services.

 

Dennis Hubbard, a government official in Sheldon Township, Wis., said the newcomers seldom appear in the court system, require long-term care or attend public schools.

 

"As they live their lives, they really do not become very involved with government," said Hubbard, whose state has seen its Amish population climb 117 percent since 1992....

There is more to that.

 

Most of the Amish in Northeast Ohio are in Geauga County.  Their children use the MRDD (mental retardation/developmental disabilities) schools at a WAY higher rate than the other Geaugans.  It is due to recurring recessive genes in their population that is very small.  Good thing for them that Geauga is the wealthiest corner of Ohio.

^true

 

Wickliffe Elementary in the 80s received a bunch of deaf Amish kids.  Not sure if it's the same today, or why Wickliffe was the destination school for that program.