Amish Resurgence: New Settlement Breaks Ground In North Dakota

The Amish have rallied and are back in North Dakota for the first time in over a century.

You might be saying, that we have had Amish colonies in North Dakota for a long time. That would be incorrect and you are probably thinking of the Hutterites.

Both groups have similarities, but one big difference between the Amish and the Hutterites is that the Hutterites embrace technology. They have smartphones and drive vehicles. The Amish are famous for their horse and buggy for transportation.

I got to know a guy who once lived in a Hutterite colony in Forest River, North Dakota.  He told me Hutterites are pietist Christians believing in adult baptism and pacifism, as do other Anabaptists such as the Mennonites, and the Amish.

He also went on to tell me the Hutterites are held together by their strong religious beliefs.  They are a self-sufficient people, living a completely communal lifestyle within the bounds of the colony.

Most Hutterties immigrated from Europe to Russia, and then to the United States after hundreds of years of persecution.  This caused Hutterites to relocate several times,  according to Prairie Public Newsroom.

We have two different groups of Hutterites who call North Dakota home.

They are the Schmiedeleut group, that has most of its colonies in southeast North Dakota.  The other group is the Dariusleut group, which has one colony in southwest North Dakota.  That colony is not too far from Bismarck and is located north of Elgin, North Dakota close to Lake Tschida.  This colony is known as the Wollman Ranch colony.

Here's a Google Map screenshot showing the locations of Hutterite colonies in North Dakota.

(LEARN MORE: About the Hutterites in North Dakota here.)

Now, the Amish are back in North Dakota for the first time in over a century.

According to an article I read on NewsBreak, the Amish have recently established a settlement in North Dakota near Rugby, North Dakota.

The new settlement began to take shape in 2024, when 25 families from Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania decided to make the move to the Peace Garden State in Pierce County.

Apparently, the families were able to find some affordable farmland and felt led by the Lord to make the move and establish a colony in North Dakota, according to Amish member Jacob Miller.

Previous attempts to establish the Amish in North Dakota were unsuccessful.

Back both in the 19th and 20th centuries the Amish were ultimately unable to establish colonies due to our harsh North Dakota winters and difficulties in adapting to the environment.

Another early settler, Sarah Yoder says this Amish group is better prepared this time around, and they have taken steps to ensure their community can thrive in this climate.

We welcome back the Amish to North Dakota and wish them well.