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Illinois Amish Heritage Center: Bringing Early Amish Culture To Life
he Illinois Amish Heritage Center, located three miles east of Arthur, IL, and six miles west of Arcola, IL, and Interstate 57, will begin its fifth year by moving the historical Miller Amish German schoolhouse to the IAHC this spring. The 100-year-old school was built about 1920 and was originally located two miles west of Arthur on Illinois Route 133. It was moved about 2011 to the Miller farm, two miles farther west, where it was preserved in its original historical condition. The Miller school served as a German school where Amish youth, after graduating from the eighth grade, went to learn the German language. This is important because Amish church services are conducted in high German. The school is in pristine historical condition with original paint still on the walls. The students’ and teacher’s desks, and the wood or coal burning stove are in place, along with the original graniteware wash basin on the shelf in the rear of the room. German lessons can be seen written on the chalk board in the front of the room. The Miller school will join the 1882 Schrock house and the 1866 Yoder
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house, along with the Yoder workshop, at the IAHC campus and will help interpret early Illinois Amish life to site visitors. The school will include an exhibit on Amish education, and today’s school children will be able to sit at the desks where Amish youth studied over a century ago. The IAHC to tentatively open in 2021: Depending on the status of the COVID pandemic, the IAHC board of directors is tentatively planning to open the Amish Heritage Center a few days a week this summer. Exhibits are being planned for the houses and school, and tours of the buildings are being developed. The 1866 Yoder house is still under restoration, and visitors will be able to see the structural research and restoration process. Exhibit panels will describe elements of the original house as it was built by Moses Yoder in 1866. The Schrock house will include exhibits on Amish history and recent Amish culture, as well as exhibit panels explaining the historical aspects of the house as it was built in 1882 by Daniel Schrock. A modern restroom was recently added to the back of the Schrock house as well as a modern kitchen, which will allow the site to host meetings, dinners, and educational programs. Harvest to Home event planned for October 8, 9: Harvest to Home will return to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on October 8 and 9, with expanded activities and demonstrations. It will rotate with the Steam Threshing Days, which will occur in even numbered years, while Harvest to Home will be held odd numbered years. This is due to the yearly rotation of the wheat and corn crops.
