2012-07-20: Highway F12
Took a bit, but I convinced Al to cut a corner on the way to our campground in Amana on Hwy F12. It was a great road - narrow with no shoulder but well paved. Our GPS was a bit lost and for a while we thought we were too. We were just about to try to turn around at the intersection of our road and a dirt road (motorhome and car) when a nice gentleman in a truck approached us, asked if we were going to Amana campground and told us to go about half a mile more and we were there! Another adventure!
2012-07-20: Communal Kitchen
The Amana Colonies were settled in the 1850's by members of the Community of True Inspiration, a religious sect mostly from Germany, on 26,000 acres. The first houses were large but without kitchens. Community meals were prepared and eaten in central kitchens. Six villages were established so that the farmers could work the land but return home for meals each day. Farming and the production of wool and calico supported the community.
2012-07-20: High Amana General Store
The High Amana General Store has operated continuously since 1857. We were lucky to meet the gal who owns the store and who was willing to answer the many questions we had about the Amana Colonies. The General Store has been owned and operated by her family since it opened in 1857. She said that if she wanted to sell the store, she would have to give the Amana Corporation "first right of refusal".
2012-07-20: Inside
Today the store retains such features as a tin ceiling, wooden cabinets, a kerosene pump and the original concrete loading platform. There were old-fashioned toys, puzzles, tools and kitchen utensils on display as well as items crafted in the villages for sale.
2012-07-20: Cemetery
Anyone can be buried in the cemetery but non-church members are buried way in the back corner. A member of the church is buried for free but has to have previously agreed to the uniform headstone found in the cemeteries in the villages.
2012-07-20: Giant Rocker
Iowa's largest walnut rocker was built here in the village in 1983. It used 300 feet of walnut, which weighed 670 pounds. It took 75 hours to build, 48 hours to cane, 10-1/2 hours to finish and and about $3000.
2012-07-20: Basket Weaving
Handcrafts have been a part of the Colony lifestyle since the communal era. Everything that was created here was done so with a purpose that made the Colonies self- sufficient. Beautiful hand woven baskets are still made here. This is going to be a willow basket used for berry picking. The weaver told me that as soon as she harvests the pliable branches she puts them in a freezer. She said that no matter how long they are in there, when she takes them out, they are still pliable and ready to be woven into a basket. She likes doing it this way because she doesn't have to soak the branches to make them bend.
2012-07-20: Sunset
As the sun started setting we were treated to a very nice sunset.
2012-07-21: Illinois
The campground in Peoria was right on the Illinois River. We could have gone sightseeing but decided to just sit and enjoy our view for the day.
2012-07-22: Horseshoe Lakes
It was nice to be able to stop at Horseshoe Lakes, one of our Thousand Trails campgrounds and just relax for a few days. Our view from the motorhome of one of the lakes was very calming. The only thing that could have made this better would have been cooler temperatures. We've been running our ac 24 hours a day!