Antique Images of Amana Colonies: 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.