Cutting Boards

The use of the cutting board dates back to the 1400's in China and then into Europe. The origin of the term "cutting board" is not known but were known as "table blocks" by early butchers because of their stability when cutting and pounding meat. The old wood slabs used as cutting boards were favored as they also increased the lifespan of their knives.   

In old Amana communal era, cutting boards were made by the Colonie's talented woodworkers as a hobby, apprentice, or assigned job as a cabinetmaker, mostly in the winter when not farming.  The boards were made to be simple, stable, and functional much like the lifestyle characteristics of old Amana. 

Most of the boards were made from walnut, maple or cherry, the hardest woods found in the 5,000 acres of high quality timber near the Iowa River and upper hills of the seven villages. They ranged in size from small to very large, lap sized boards.  Wood was cut at the local saw mills, milled, and taken to cabinet shops for making furniture and utilitarian tools. While not needing many tools to make these boards, woodworkers found them easier projects and a pleasure to make. Some cutting boards did come from Germany.

Many of the cutting boards were used in the many communal kitchens that served 50 to 60 people 5 times a day. It was not unusual to see several of the younger women there sitting with large tray-like cutting boards preparing a large quantity of vegetables for the next meal. It was even told that the walls there were to be as bear as a "planed board". Baked, hard crusty bread from local hearth bakeries was also cut on homemade bread boards.

These cutting boards are a foodie and antique collectors treasure as they are rare and from the communal era of old Amana Colonies.

    

Schulte and A. Jones photos/artifacts

HOOKED RUGS

Many great textiles arts in early Amana kept community members busy. The hooked rug, seat covers and cushions were some of them. Materials included finely cut and selected wool and cotton fabrics. Some were dyed and others used as is. Hooks and punches were made by local blacksmiths, cooper, and tinsmiths. The rugs were made by punching fine fabrics or yarns through burlap or linen backing
stretched on a wooden frame, then finished with a linen or cotton back.  Designs were hand drawn or bought patterns, inspired by the many flowers and animals in the yards.  The rugs are still a beautiful and prized folk art in Amana.

RUNNING RABBIT COOKIE CUTTER

The tinsmiths in communal Amana would get creative at the holidays or at the request of his children when he made cookie cutters.  One such popular cutter was the running rabbit cutter.  It was 8” long or shorter and very prized in one’s collection.  At Easter, bunny-shaped  sugar cookies were a German holiday tradition in Amana, prized as much as Christmas and Thanksgiving traditions. Every child received at least one 8 inch long cookie courtesy of the kitchen workers, the tinsmiths, and the Easter Bunny!  Colored eggs and other cookie shapes as fish, chicks, ducks, ponies, and squirrels also filled the basket. Cookies had a raisin eye or of one chocolate chip, with a brown sugar dough, and vanilla icing...all very tasty! This is a great German tradition passed down in many Amana families which is still shared today, while some wonder which village started the original recipe!

Below is a recipe from the vintage AMANA RECIPES cookbook.

OSTER HASEN (Easter Bunny cookies)

1 1/8 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

4 cups sifted flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

2-3 Tblsp melted butter or shortening

Beat eggs, add sugars and beat with electric mixer at high speed for five minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients which have been sifted together. ADD melted shortening and roll out on floured board to about 3/8 inch thickness. Cut with bunny shaped cookie cutter, add raisin or chocolate chip for eye and bake greased cookie sheet at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Amana Kolonieweg Trail

 If you visit the Amana Colonies near the Lily Lake between Amana and Middle villages, you will find the 3.1 mile trail connecting them. It is an easy, flat trail for locals and visitors to bike, walk, cross country ski or skate. The trail is paved most of the way with the south side gravel. Along the way you will experience gorgeous views of the blooming lotus on the lake, the Millrace canal, pastures, cows, farmland, forests, backyards, a memorial brick garden, numerous wildlife species. Some animals live here, others are migrating. Lots of nature sounds, flora and fauna will captivate you! 

The Amana Golf Course and East Amana are also nearby and accessible via a marked route. Parking is on the north side of the Lily lake where you can also find picnic tables to sit a bit and rest or nosh while you enjoy the fragrance of the lotus. The trail is open year round and dogs on leashes are welcome! Ctac photos

Amana Nature Trail in Homestead

 In a very beautiful setting north of the village of Homestead in the Amana Colonies, you experience a 3.3 mile loop trail. It is a moderate route, taking about 1 hour to complete. You will find it great for hiking, birding, and Cross country skiing. It is a peaceful, quiet walk while you explore the area. 

The Amana Nature Trail is a system of 3 trail loops between highway 6 and 151 by the Iowa River on private, Amana Society land north of Homestead. It is well marked for different levels of walking long or short routes leading through the forest to a bluff overlooking the Iowa River where a rock Indian Dam once appeared. It is now under 8 feet of silt and sand.  Three Indian burial mounds are also in the area, just off the trail, that date back about 1,000 years.

You can experience a variety of wild flowers, shrubs, hardwood trees, many bird varieties, wild turkey, deer, and fauna. Fb photos

Millwright Shop

The history of the millwright dates back to the indus­trial revolution. While milling machines, power looms, drill presses, lathes, and other equipment made mass production of goods possible, these new machines were too complicated for the average worker to understand. It became necessary to assign workers with specialized training to install, maintain, and repair equipment. With the growth of industrial establishments and the increas­ing complexity of machines, the millwright became an integral part of the workforce. The Amana woolen mill, operated by waterpower in communal days, needed and employed such a millright. The Millwright Shop stood on the grounds of the Woolen Mill complex. 

It is now the Woolen mill sales room on the property of the Millwright hotel.

Indigo Blue Calico

Indigo blue calico, my favorite fabric, was printed in Amana from 1861-1917, 4500 yards a day in its prime. Amana Calico was produced from the 1860’s until WWI when imports from Germany, which included the dyes needed for producing the cotton goods, were shut down. The last shipment of dye in 1916 kept the mills running for about a year, but once the supply was gone, the mills permanently closed. At the height of calico production in 1891, approximately 4000 -4500 yards of calico were printed each day. The mill or "print works" was located on the site of the present Amana Furniture Shop, the smallest brick building to the west being part of the original factory that employed 30 workers. The waterpower from nearby Price Creek was used to power the printworks mill. Designs were random geometric, floral, borders, and repeated stripes with about 500 patterns documented. The fabrics were used for summer work clothes, upholstery, curtains, quilts, etc. Many families dressed alike in this fabric. Calico patterns were printed with hand carved blocks, paste and acid resist rollers, and discharge print blocks.  Dyes were special indigo plant dyes, when exposed to the air would oxidize and turn yellow-green to indigo.  These dyes were not fast in  the early days so would often leave residue on the pine benches and hands, only to be bleached clean later. The Print Works mill closed in 1917 due to the lack of imported  dyes and supplies at the onset of WWI. The last  shipment of indigo dye, processed and imported from Germany, was brought on a submarine that slipped through a net of British destroyers to complete a harrowing voyage from Bremenhaven to Baltimore. This submarine, it is said, may have carried a special envoy from Germany to Washinton D.C. to appeal to the USA not to enter WW1. But they did, so all dye and goods shipments ceased. The story of the sub and crew spread to the USA and quickly as it carried goods for Amana, Iowa, a German settlement. So naturally this kept people away from Amana as anti German feeing was at a high. Despite all this the printworks still provided a means to sustain the early Amana community. The printed fabric sold for a reasonable price and allowed working women to afford new and beautiful calico cloth for clothing, a treasure in life for most 19th century women. Today the German influenced, indigo calico dyed fabric, which is very rare and rich as ever,  is much appreciated by viewers and collectors.