Amish Enclaves in the Heartland: Exploring Nebraska’s Hidden Communities

Nebraska is home to several Amish settlements, each with its own unique charm. The largest and most well-known is the Amish community in the town of Milford. Here, you’ll find a bustling town filled with Amish-owned businesses, including furniture stores, quilt shops, and bakeries. Other notable settlements include those in the towns of Axtell, Bee, and Elkhorn.

Amish Communities in Nebraska

Nebraska Amish are renowned conservative affiliation, known for their white-topped buggies. Established in 1881 as an offshoot of Byler Amish, they quickly established themselves as an autonomous congregation in Nebraska.

Milford

Visitors to Milford will discover an array of attractions ranging from historical landmarks to natural beauty. Its beaches and historic downtown area provide opportunities for fishing, boating and shopping activities; plus the town offers several pet-friendly restaurants which allow their customers to dine outdoors at outdoor tables while offering various menu options including vegetarian fare.

The World’s Largest Covered Wagon may have seen better days, but it still draws visitors from across the nation. Once an outstanding example of mimetic architecture – with 50 feet long by 50 feet high white building covered by roofing shingles with four 24-foot wheels bolted to its corners for height – and topped by a cowboy Muffler Man – this Nebraska roadside attraction remains popular today.

Milford Historical Society boasts an array of exhibits and tours, such as Eells-Stow House dating back to 1700. This museum houses historic artifacts, documents, photographs that highlight Milford’s unique history and culture. Milford also boasts the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridge which provides stunning views of Housatonic River as well as surrounding scenery – it serves an integral purpose in local transportation infrastructure while being an attractive tourist attraction and popular local gathering point.

Bee

Nebraska offers many natural attractions, from rolling hills and green forests to peaceful countryside living. Beekeeping can also be found throughout Nebraska as there are many opportunities available to get involved in this industry – making beekeeping a great way to enjoy nature!

Nebraska is home to over 20 native bumblebee species that provide essential pollination services, making beekeepers very happy indeed! But these insects are far from being the only form of bee in existence – in fact there are more than 4,000 different kinds in existence across America – all providing crucial services both agriculturally and as an important element of ecosystem health.

Bees are social creatures that live in hives. Hives contain one fertile female known as the queen and drones or male bees who fertilize her eggs, as well as worker bees who build nests, feed their young, take care of the queen, communicate through pheromones or body language and care for both.

Nebraska has a minimum combined sales tax rate of 5.5%; county and city sales taxes remain zero percent. Due to COVID-19’s impact, filing deadlines in Bee may have changed, which makes staying compliant difficult without an automated solution like AvaTax.

Elkhorn

Elkhorn, located on Omaha’s western edge, was originally an independent city until incorporated into Omaha in 2007. Residents enjoy small-town living while still being close to everything the big city can provide; making Elkhorn an excellent choice for families looking for suburban living without paying urban prices.

Elkhorn offers many popular restaurants and shopping options, from Pearson and Company in its downtown area to Shevy’s Steak House, Heartland Cafe, Boyd and Charlie’s BBQ and Boyd and Charlie’s BBQ in its newer Shoppes of Legacy complex. Additionally, Upstream, Roja, Baby Blue Sushi Bars such as Shucks Oyster Bar are located there as well.

Elkhorn offers many exciting attractions for tourists to experience, such as its annual Elkhorn Days festival held the second weekend in June. This festival includes a parade, vendors, food trucks, music performances, corn hole and 3-on-3 basketball tournaments as well as car shows – plus much more!

Elkhorn real estate is relatively affordable, with home prices beginning at $200,000. When purchasing a home here it is essential to take the commuting time into consideration as traffic from west Elkhorn into downtown Omaha can be slow during rush hour traffic if working midtown or downtown. Also there may be construction projects taking place nearby which could disrupt your daily routine and could increase commute time significantly.

Axtell

Axtell, located approximately an hour south of Omaha, boasts an Amish community that draws visitors from across the nation. Its picturesque landscape features horse-drawn buggies, expansive gardens and small schoolhouses. Axtell also has several tourist attractions and restaurants that serve homemade foods that draw people in from all corners of America.

Axtell’s Amish residents are widely respected craftsmen. They are famous for producing handmade furniture and quilts made by hand, home baked goodies, canned delicacies and canned treats made with locally harvested fruits. Furthermore, the Amish share strong family ties as well as taking an pacifist approach to life.

The Amish community in Axtell can be broken into three distinct groups, the Nebraska Amish, Byler Amish group and Renno Amish group. Of these groups, Nebraska Amish are considered the most conservative as they live without electricity and use horse-drawn buggies for transportation; furthermore they do not permit motorized lawnmowers and do not use tractors in fieldwork activities.

Nebraska Amish Settlement was established in 1880 by a group of Amish families from Juniata County, Pennsylvania. Led by Yost H. Yoder – an early Amish bishop – it eventually formed into Axtell, and now encompasses more than 350 families.