The Amana Colonies have seen many industries and businesses in both the Communal and post Communal eras. During the communal times the woolen mills, farms, orchards and vineyards, gardens, meat markets and furniture shop all produced goods to be sold outside of the colonies. The Amanas were a major producer of vegetable seeds, one of the few industries that are no longer provided. The same is true of the flour mills. They also had places to eat, a gas station and hotels. General Stores were in each colony.
The Amana Colonies had their own blacksmith shops, cooper shops, lumber mill and kiln, kitchen gardens, beef and hog farms, dairies, and carpenter shops.
Post communal businesses include many fine restaurants, Wine and cheese shops, a meat market and smokehouse, woolen mills, furniture factories, a basket and broom shop, bakeries and many specialty shops. There is now a Whirlpool Factory that was once Amana Refrigeration.
The hotels are no longer operating in the Colonies. Hotels now operate in Little Amana on the south side of Interstate 80. Little Amana also has restaurants, shops, an Iowa Welcome Center and a couple of gas station/mini marts.
Woolen Mill 1930's
Woolen Mill smokestack 1930's
Woolen Mill and Millrace 2009
General Store Main Amana 1930's
General Store Main Amana 2009
Flour Mill West Amana 1930's
Meat Market Main Amana 1930's
Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse 2009
Smokehouse hams and sausages
Hotel and Kitchen South Amana 1930's
Hotel and Kitchen South Amana 1930's
Hotel and Kitchen South Amana 1930's
Old Hotel and Kitchen South Amana 2009
General Store South Amana (now Fernhill Quilts and Gifts) 2009
The General Store was robbed by Jesse James aided by the Greene brothers of Marengo the night of April 27, 1877. The gang escaped to Marengo with $2,000 catching the train from there. It housed a sandwich shop after the Big Change.
South Amana Post Office 2009
The original Post Office was housed in the General Store
Granary in South Amana 2009
General Store in Upper South Amana 2009
Homestead Hotel 2009
between two periods as a hotel the was Bill Zuber's Resturant. Bill Zuber was a former Major League pitcher who practiced pitching inside the former mill in Middle Amana. (now Whirlpool).
The Resturant had a long standing feud with the Amana Colonies Land Use District over the neon sign in front of the building. Zubers eventually lost and the sign came down. Score one for historic preservation, score zero for an Amana landmark restaurant.
Bill Zuber baseball card
Former Sandwich Shop Homestead 2009
Former gas station Homestead 2009
Former Homestead Smokehouse 2009
Millstream Brewing 2009
Amana Furniture Shop 2009
