Also called the “Plain People” the Amish and Mennonites choose for themselves a simpler life. Their homesteads are characterized by well-manicured gardens, windmills, and long rows of hanging wash on clotheslines as well as several homes on each farm to accommodate large and extended families. On an Amish farm, you will not see electric wires, frilly curtains or other kinds of adornment.

Old Order Amish women and girls wear modest dresses made from solid-colored fabric with long sleeves and a full skirt. These dresses are covered with a cape and apron and are fastened with straight pins or snaps. They never cut their hair, which they wear in a bun on the back of the head. On their heads they wear a white prayer covering if they are married and a black one if they are single. Amish women do not wear jewelry.

Men and boys wear dark-colored suits, straight-cut coats without lapels, broadfall trousers, suspenders, solid-colored shirts, black socks and shoes, and black or straw broad-brimmed hats. Their shirts fasten with conventional buttons, but their suit coats and vests fasten with hooks and eyes. They do not have mustaches, but they grow beards after they marry. The Amish feel these distinctive clothes encourage humility and separation from the world. Their clothing is not a costume; it is an expression of their faith.

Though the Amish have a distinct way of life, they are not separatists. They live in complete harmony along side non-Amish neighbors (to the Amish, all outsiders are called Englishers). The most popular farmer’s markets in the county have Amish and English proprietors working side by side. The Amish conduct business and participate within the communities in which they live. They shop, sell, bargain, and vote. They’re friendly, God-fearing and good-hearted people that often remind visitors of the way many of our ancestors lived. With a focus on family, hard work, prosperity and faith.

While Lancaster County is only the second largest Amish community, they are the richest. Their farmlands are the most prosperous soils in the nation. And their proximity to Philadelphia and other cities allow them to sell and trade their quality goods in abundance. Here, in Lancaster County, the Amish are known for their tobacco and soybean crops, corn, dairy, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. They craft simple, but extremely sturdy furniture, clocks and birdhouses. And their quilts with traditionally Amish designs are recognized the world over.

The Amish have long preferred farming as a way of life. While they do not permit the use of tractors in their fields, some Amish use modern farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules. Old Order Amish do not own or operate automobiles, believing that cars would provide easier access to the ways of the world. Amish children attend Amish one-room schoolhouses through the eighth grade. Amish worship services are held every other week in one of the member's homes. Socializing is an important part of Amish life. The Amish have a strong sense of community spirit, and often come to the aid of those in need. Their barn raisings are a good example. Neighbors freely give of their time and their skills to help one another. The Amish are generally private people and often find all the attention and curiosity about their lifestyle disturbing. They believe that the taking of photographs where someone is recognizable is forbidden by the Biblical prohibition against making any 'graven image'.

The Plain People trace their origin back to the Protestant Reformation in Europe, where there was an emphasis on returning to the purity of the New Testament church. One group of reformers rejected the popular concept of infant baptism, and became known as Anabaptists. The Anabaptists believed that only adults who had confessed their faith should be baptized, and that they should remain separate from the larger society.

In 1536, a young Catholic priest from Holland named Menno Simons joined the Anabaptist movement. His writings and leadership united many of the Anabaptist groups, who later became known as "Mennonites."

One of the teachings of the Amish faith is called the ban or shunning. This is based on the New Testament command not to associate with a church member who does not repent of his sinful conduct. The purpose of this discipline is to help the member realize the error of his ways and to encourage his repentance, after which he would be restored to church fellowship.

This excommunication was at first only applied at the communion table. However, the followers of Jacob Amman felt the unrepentant individual should be completely shunned or avoided by all church members. This belief, along with other differences, led to Amman's split with the Mennonites in 1693. His followers were later called Amish.

These Anabaptist groups were severely persecuted throughout Europe. Thousands were put to death as heretics by both Catholics and Protestants. To avoid this persecution many fled to the mountains of Switzerland and southern Germany. Here began the Amish tradition of farming and holding their worship services in homes rather than churches.

Many Amish and Mennonites accepted William Penn's offer of religious freedom as part of Penn's "holy experiment" of religious tolerance. They settled in what later became known as Pennsylvania. The first sizable group of Amish arrived in Lancaster County in the 1720's or 1730's. Today, the Amish can be found in 23 states here and in one Canadian province. Their settlement in and around Lancaster County is their second largest. And because of their large families, the total Amish population has more than tripled since 1960.