Please be very careful caching. There are horse drawn carriage that are black, so in the dark they are very hard to see. If they know you are there, they do try to get to the right side of the road so it is easier for you to pass. Also, if they do not use the carriages, they will use a horse or walk. Do not be surprised while you are caching that they stop to see if you need any help. They will not pass you without waving, HI!
This town has a high population of Amish. This will wind you through their schools, businesses and especially their homes.
The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.
Non-Amish people are generally referred to as “English”. Generally, a heavy emphasis is placed on church and family relationships. The Amish operate their own one-room schools and discontinue formal education after grade eight, at age 13 or 14. Until the children turn 16, they have vocational training under the tutelage of their parents, community, and the school teacher. Higher education is generally discouraged, as it can lead to social segregation and the unraveling of the community.
Amish typically believe that large families are a blessing from God. Farm families tend to have larger families, because sons are needed to perform farm labor.
The Amish are known for their plain attire. Men wear solid colored shirts, broad brimmed hats and suits that signify similarity amongst one another. They grow beards to symbolize manhood, marital status and promote humility. They are forbidden to grow mustaches because they are affiliated with the military, which the Amish are strongly apposed to due to their pacifist beliefs. The women wear calf length dresses, muted colors along with bonnets and aprons. Prayer caps or bonnets are worn because they are a visual representation of their religious beliefs and promote unison. The color of bonnets signifies whether the women are single. Black bonnets are single and white are married. All clothing is sewn by hand and do not use buttons because they are seen as too flashy.