From the quaint hearth ovens of communal life, the Amana Society Bakery has grown. This typical brick bakery once served the village of South Amana. Each village in the Colonies had bakeries to supply bread every day to each kitchen in the village, delivered by horse drawn wagon. As the baker approached he would ring a bell and one of the women would go out to tell him how many loaves the kitchen needed, usually about a dozen. On Saturdays a special treat arrived with the baker. He brought coffeecakes with delicious fruit fillings in the middle to grace the tables on Sunday morning. Many Amana recipes are based on traditions originating in Germany

As people outside the Colonies expressed interest in the traditional German recipes the Amana Colonies offered, the bakeries began producing for tables other than those of the dining halls of the Inspirationists. Today, breads produced at the Amana Society Bakery, are sold to stores throughout major Iowa metropolitan centers as well as the Amana Stone Hearth Bakery in Amana. Amana bread is available in stores and shops throughout the colonies. The traditional baking methods have combined with new, modern technology. The Amana bakery offerings include Sesamecrust White Bread, German Black Bread Homemade Style, Round White Bread, Old Fashioned potato rolls and many others.

The Amana Society Bakery is located at 23 220th Trail, in Upper South Amana. It is not open to the public; however, their products are sold at the Amana Stone Hearth Bakery in Amana Monday-Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Credits and Sources:

National Park Service. "Amana Colonies." http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amana/sitelist.htm.

Photograph by Shannon Bell