Iowa's Own Utopia: A Tale of the Old Midwest | Amana Colonies, IA

Compared to a city like Des Moines, most other areas of Iowan territory won't match anywhere near to a similar population size or density. In fact, the Hawkeye State is best known for its humble agricultural communities and endless tracts of farms, holding ample area to offer generations of opportunity seekers a new life on the land. One of these most notable instances occurred when a group of German-speaking religious folk immigrated to Iowa for their vision of a utopian community, characterized by their isolation from the rest of American society and a communal-based lifestyle in accordance with the colony's religious views. Although initially self-sufficient, the 20th century proved to be a powerful force of change in their society, forcing the series of villages to begin to integrate with its neighbors. Today we arrive at the main village of Amana, now instead reliant on the outside world's heritage tourism for much of its economic intake, inhabited by both descendants of original German settlers and more recent arrivals. As we examine how much has been retained from the Amana Colonies' more traditional years and what in fact has changed, the Coverage Project maintains this location to be one of Iowa's phenomenal cultural gems. This story is just one of many which illustrated the the dynamic lore of the midwest, a wide net which caught people from diverse backgrounds in search for a better life. Let's heed the call of the past as we bid adieu to Iowa and get ready to move onto our final state of the Frontier Americana Tour. Location Covered: Amana Colonies, IA ✅ Subscribe to follow me through this grand adventure! 🌎 🗺 Check out my website for more information about the project as a whole and to interact with my regularly updated travel map, marking down every location the Coverage Project has visited: https://thecoverageproject.wordpress.... 📸 Follow the official Coverage Project Instagram page for behind the scenes photos and updates on my travels:   / thecoverageproject