Throwback Thursday – Hart County’s thriving Amish community

We’ve recently shared stories telling the history of southern Kentucky communities, like Kyrock and South Union. This week, we’re heading north to Hart County, where we find the area’s largest thriving Amish community. During the late 1980s, these families began migrating to the Horse Cave and Munfordville area from Geauga County, Ohio. 

Horse-drawn buggies frequent the backroads in the Logdson Valley and Forestville communities of Hart County. About 600 of these Old Order Amish faith families are scattered throughout the county. These families practice the Mennonite faith, which originated in Europe during the late 1600s. The faith is known for its rejection of most technological innovations found in modern society.

These Amish communities are known for their homemade and homegrown businesses, and have even become a major player in Hart County’s tourism. They run greenhouses, bakeries, make furniture, process meat, run sawmills and groceries, and grow vegetables for canneries and roadside markets. There’s even a map showing over a dozen Amish-owned Hart County businesses open to the public, and billboards on I-65 advertise fresh donuts and fun adventures.

These Amish-owned businesses include the Dutch Country Safari Park, Farmwald Dutch Bakery & Deli, R & S Grocery & Bakery, Abe’s Place, Detweiler Country Store, Dutch Country Fabrics, The Variety Shop, Crazy Bear Trading Post, Lone Wolf Sporting Goods, Nolin River Hardware, Trophy Ridge Archery and Outdoors, Hart County Produce Auction, Hidden Lake Gardens, Pleasant View Greenhouse, Schmucker’s Greenhouse, Windy Ridge Greenhouse, and Yoder’s Produce.

There are three annual events held in these Amish communities too, like the Hart County Spring Consignment Sale, the Tack and Horse Sale, and the Grandview Pony and Riding Horse Auction. 

Find the map and explore further on Hart County Tourism’s website.

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Throwback Thursday is brought to you by Hart County Tourism.