Settled in the 1850s on 26,000 acres along the Iowa River by members of a religious sect mostly from Germany, the Amana Colonies are seven quaint and closely united villages: Amana, East Amana, High Amana, Homestead, Middle Amana, South Amana and West Amana. The people lived communally until 1932, when they voted to end the communal way of life. At that time the Amana Church Society was organized to continue the religious aspect of the community, and the Amana Society was organized along corporate lines to handle business affairs. Learn More...