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Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Images

Jessica Nunemaker — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:00:20 +0000

If you saw my last article about The Round Barn Theater at Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana, you probably remember how impressed I was by it. I’ve got a few more photos here so you get a better idea of why!

Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana

This 100 year old round barn is simply remarkable. It makes for a very intimate and unique theater. I can’t imagine there are many others of its kind!

Nappanee, Indiana is very lucky to possess such a treasure. If you haven’t been over to this part of the state, I highly suggest you do! This is Amish Country.

Round Barn Theater Images

Nappanee Indiana Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Left

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Light Deck

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Seal

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Lobby

Find more Nappanee, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Amish Acres Historic
Farm & Heritage Resort
1600 West Market Street
Nappanee, Indiana 46550
800.800.4942
574.773.4188

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Thanks again to Elkhart County and Amish Acres for the free tickets to Ring of Fire at Amish Acres. Opinions, as always, are mine and mine alone.

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Nappanee, Indiana Welcome Center: Your Starting Point

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:00:02 +0000

When you first arrive in quaint little Nappanee, Indiana, this is the place to get your bearings. This is where you can figure out your next move, your “must do,” your plan of attack.

Nappanee Welcome Center

Nappanee, Indiana Welcome Center

There’s a slew of brochures just inside the front door. You’ll need them!

Here is where you will find maps to the country shops (that you really need to go to), area attractions like Amish Acres, and other nearby can’t-miss destinations, like the Wakarusa Dimestore.

Not only can you figure out your game plan, but you can browse through a little bit of Indiana history before you leave!

Get Your Indiana History Here

The Nappanee Welcome Center has all sorts of Indiana history here. This town boasts a lot of neat artifacts from its early days–and from the people in the town.

There’s info about the Air Force One pilot from Nappanee, the famed cartoonist Bill Homan of “Smokey Stover” fame (and quite a few others), as well as a really unusual attraction: Hartman House.

Hartman House

Nappanee, Indiana: Welcome Center Jessica Nunemaker

Was little Indiana and hubby expecting to find an actual house inside and part of the Nappanee Welcome Center? Not at all! What an unexpected and very interesting feature!

You literally walk through the rooms of the furnished home to get a feel for how life would have looked in the olden days. One word? Charming!

I would have loved to see the kitchen in its original form but that room is reserved for staff.

What they did include was the front porch. You know how we Hoosiers like a good front porch!

Nappanee History

Nappanee, Indiana Welcome Center: Fire Truck

There is a lot of military items on display here. They actually have books of old letters from different people in this Indiana town, like military members. Isn’t that a neat idea?

As you can see, I checked out the old jail. Our kids would have loved to have seen that one!

All in all, we were impressed! We weren’t expecting such a large welcome center and museum all rolled into one.

Nappanee, Indiana is certainly putting its best foot forward when new visitors come to town.

See more Nappanee, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Nappanee Welcome Center
302 West Market Street
Nappanee, Indiana 46550
574.773.7812

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Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater

Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana holds a very awesome attraction: The Round Barn Theater.

Built of wood in 1911, it’s probably one of the most unusual theaters I have ever been in (and I’ve been everywhere, man, I’ve been everywhere)!

Round Barn Theater in Nappanee, Indiana

After the barn was purchased from an Amish farm a few short decades ago, 100 Amish carpenters in Nappanee and beyond were hired to take apart the old round barn.

Each piece was numbered, moved to its new home at Amish Acres, and reassembled in order to house a permanent memorial to Joseph Stein and a theatrical hub in the small Indiana town of Nappanee.

Inside The Round Barn Theater

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater

Walking in to the Round Barn Theater you can’t help but gasp in awe! I wasn’t expecting the inside of the theater to literally be circular.

That might sound silly, but you have all been there before–places with names that reflect what they were aren’t always accurate as to how they look today.

But the Round Barn Theater at Amish Acres? Is incredible.

The Ring of Fire at The Round Barn Theater

Thanks to Elkhart County and Amish Acres, little Indiana and hubby saw a musical, a Johnny Cash tribute, Ring of Fire. Am I someone who would call themselves a Johnny Cash fan? Not so much. However–I really enjoyed this show!

The cast worked so well together with quite a few memorable voices. I’d like to hear more from some of them! Each Ring of Fire cast member trades off playing the part of Johnny Cash and/or other Cash family members. It puts a fun spin on the (many) Johnny Cash songs performed.

I’ve been singing, “How high is the water, Papa?” off and on since we saw the show. Very catchy. Kid #1 has been playing along and singing the response line back to me.

One of the perks of being little Indiana? I walk the line. Actually, they kindly let me take pics inside The Round Barn Theater the next day so all of you could see it too!

Yes, that neat image above is inside the theater looking up. Simply awesome.

Plain and Fancy

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Acres Round Barn Theater Marquee

Though I haven’t seen it yet, I did find out that The Round Barn Theater is the National Home for the musical Plain and Fancy.

Written by Joseph Stein, the same guy who wrote Fiddler on The Roof, I think I can add it to the list as something that I should probably see someday. It’s a story of two couples, one of which is Pennsylvania Amish and the other? New Yorkers.

Don’t Cry! Cry! Cry! that you haven’t been there yet–head over to Amish Acres and see it all for yourself! They have a couple of shows playing at any given time.

Find more Nappanee, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Amish Acres Historic
Farm & Heritage Resort
1600 West Market Street
Nappanee, Indiana 46550
800.800.4942
574.773.4188

View Larger Map

Thanks again to Elkhart County and Amish Acres for the free tickets to Ring of Fire at Amish Acres. Opinions, as always, are mine and mine alone.

little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

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Wakarusa, Indiana: Wakarusa Dime Store for The Kid in You

Jessica Nunemaker — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Wakarusa, Indiana holds quite a fun surprise: The Wakarusa Dimestore. In businesses since 1907, I dare you to try not to run up and down the candy-filled aisles grabbing every shiny, colorful, candy-containing package in sight!

Wakarusa Dime Store

You’ll find row after row of old favorites in this small Indiana town. We saw Apple Heads and Candy Necklaces, Candy Buttons and Big League Chew Bubble Gum.

Wakarusa, Indiana: Jumbo Jelly Beans at Wakarusa Dimestore

There’s the whole gummy gambit from cheeseburgers to rats (gross), as well as some things I hadn’t seen before.

It will make anyone with a sweet tooth revert back to an 8 year old with free reign and a couple of bucks in his pocket.

Jumbo Jelly Beans

Wakarusa Dimestore boasts quite the claim to fame: The Jumbo Jelly Bean.

While I am normally not that big a fan of jelly beans, turning them into these Goliaths has made me a believer–and an addict! There’s a lot of fun flavors at the Wakarusa Dimestore!

Can you say “variety?” Sure, there’s the old favorites like Cherry and Lemon and Orange, but then there’s all sorts of fun ones like Chocolate Covered Cherry, Root Beer, and (the really pretty) Jellystones.

Fit for The President

Random fact: Jumbo Jelly Beans were once enjoyed by Ronald Reagan as a way to kick his smoking habit. He really made jelly beans gain popularity for any time of year!

If you are in the area you have got to check out the Wakarusa Dimestore. It’s so much fun to wander around and just look! But even more fun? To wander around and try to many samples of Jumbo Jelly Beans.

See more Wakarusa, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Wakarusa Dimestore
103 E. Waterford St.
Wakarusa, Indiana 46573
877.715.9821
Weekdays: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4 PM

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Four Tips to Remember When Knee Deep in Amish Country

Jessica Nunemaker — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:30:11 +0000

Nappanee, Bremen, Shipshewana, Goshen, Middlebury…these are just a few of the little places that boast an Amish population. If you have never been around the Old Order Amish before, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Buggy

Camera Shy – Old Order Amish don’t like to be photographed, period. While picture taking isn’t exactly against their religion, posing for a camera most definitely is. Horses, buggy’s, farms, homes, barns, wash drying on the line–all those items are fair game. Just try to keep Amish faces out of it.

Hold Your Horses! — Slow down there, buckaroo. You’re in Amish country now. While Amish horses are used to sharing the road, it just makes sense to avoid tailgating, speeding, and using the car horn around Amish buggies.

It’s Impolite To Stare – Yes, the sight of a sober black carriage clip-clopping down a car -filled street in a small Indiana town is jarring. Yes, the Amish dress differently, but keep in mind that they are still people, too. You wouldn’t like being continually gawked at so don’t expect them to jump for joy, either.

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… — Don’t play the part of the obnoxious tourist! Asking intrusive questions is not a way to make friends, no matter who you are. The Old Order Amish people are not there for your enjoyment; they are going about their daily business just like the rest of us.

Keep off the Grass — Don’t be a pest. Unless a home advertises honey, baked goods, woodworking, and the like, don’t even think about stepping onto someone’s property, no matter how perfect a picture you think you can take. Trespassing is still trespassing no matter what your beliefs, so just. Don’t. Do it.

Elkhart County

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Plain and Simple: Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana

Jessica Nunemaker — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:30:22 +0000

Early in the morning, our new friend pulled up to the Victorian Guest House Bed and Breakfast to pick us up for a personal tour of the Old Order Amish homes and businesses in Nappanee, Indiana.

Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish School

In Nappanee, Indiana and beyond, each Amish settlement is broken up into districts. The bishop in each district decides on the rules for the Amish people that live there.

For instance, the Amish in Nappanee, Indiana would have different rules to follow than the Amish communities in Ohio or Pennsylvania–even differing from the town right next door.

All Old Order Amish do have a few things in common: No cars, no posing for photos after you have been baptized, and no ornamentation or buttons.

Interestingly enough, the Bishop isn’t voted in. When a new Bishop is needed, after the death of the previous Bishop, eight Amish men will each choose one Bible. Whomever takes the one with a slip of paper inside of it is the new Bishop…for life!

Old Order Amish Schools

As you can see from the photo, the Amish here have their own schools. Much like their homes, Amish schools don’t even possess shutters, which is considered “too fancy.” You can see they do have playground equipment like swings, teeter-totters, and slides. I was kind of surprised by that.

The schools are usually run by two teachers. Amish students attend up to 8th grade but when they turn 16 their education is considered complete. Even if they want to, they are not allowed to continue on in their education. Old Order Amish do not believe in higher education.

Plain and Fancy

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Cemetery

Once upon a time, the Old Order Amish in Nappanee weren’t allowed to have rugs, pictures, or even curtains. But judging from the whisper of fabric peeking out of many windows, the current Bishop has allowed curtains. He will decide what color curtains are allowed.

Our guide let us in on the fact that the Bishop here had also allowed photos of the kids. While grandparents don’t have entire walls covered in them, they do have one or two images of their grandchildren.

Even Amish cemeteries stick to the “less is best” ideal. Located every few miles, no one headstone stands out over the rest. Names and dates are the only things on the tombstone. No flowers, wreaths, or anything of that sort. It is uniform and very, very tidy.

Old Order Amish and Church

Every other weekend, one Amish family will have church and furnish lunch for the members of the district (here, in Nappanee, there are 33 Amish families).

They sing a cappella, conduct the service in High German, and after the three hour service–they share lunch. No work is done on Sunday except for feeding the animals. All meal preparation for the Sunday church service is done the day before.

At the end of the lunch, whomever is going to host church the next time will take the white supply wagon back with them.

Amish Farms

All the farmers have giant workhorses. These massive animals have shaggy patches near their hooves and are quite tall. They work in groups of eight, making two trips up and down the field. Then that team will rest while the farmer switches them out for a fresh team.

You can imagine how long it would take to get a field completed without using a tractor!

Phone Home?

Nappanee, Indiana: Amish Horse and Buggy

When you toodle around Elkhart County, you may notice little buildings at the bottom of every driveway. These are actually phone booths! No, they aren’t for chatty Amish teens–the phone inside is used only in case of an emergency.

Bad things can happen to anyone and the Amish do take advantage of a few modern conveniences when it comes to protecting their own.

Amish Horse and Buggy

The Amish in this small Indiana town ride bikes everywhere–unless they are heading into town, in which case they hook up the horse and buggy.

Apparently, (so says my source) these Amish treat their buggy like many non-Amish men, or “English” as they call it, like to treat their cars: With pride! The insides might have plush velvet and are very comfortable (not to mention expensive).

It can be quite a culture shock the first time you see someone so plainly dressed. But even the Nappanee, Indiana Amish like to hit yard sales on Thursdays and Fridays, eat out at the local pizza joint, get groceries, and use the Laundromat! Sounds a lot like you and me, don’t you think?

See more Nappanee, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Nappanee, Indiana in Elkhart County

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Nappanee, Indiana: Aged to Perfection

Jessica Nunemaker — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:30:53 +0000

Nappanee, Indiana is an amazing small town. Charming and well-kept, it’s small town living at its best!

Downtown Nappanee, Indiana

Nappanee, Indiana Downtown

Arriving into town after dark, this small Indiana town was all aglow. I fell in love! Bricked streets, a brightly lit downtown, and many old, wonderful buildings…just fantastic.

We enjoyed walking around downtown and peeking in all the shop windows. All the stores were long since closed for the night. What a fun selection!

Small Town Trust

We met a very nice woman in town who volunteered to take us around Nappanee in the morning and give us an up close and personal tour of the Old Order Amish area.

Only in a small town would someone offer to cart around a couple of strangers and not think twice about it. How amazing is that?

The next morning she picked us up from The Victorian Guest House.We saw so much!

There’s more to the Indiana Amish than horse and buggy. We toured an Amish General Store full of bulk foods, bakery items, and cheese, as well as Amish schools and homes.

We learned so much about the Amish in the area from someone who actually knows the families! It was a real eye-opener. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Almost Famous

Nappanee actually has a few claims to fame for such a small town. For starters, as you may have figured out already, Nappanee has a large Old Order Amish population. It’s the biggest in Indiana, don’t'cha know.

It’s also the largest producer of RV’s (that’s Recreation Vehicles for all you city folk) and kitchen cabinets. little Indiana could so use one of those!

Location, Location, Location

With such great little shops in downtown Nappanee and the Amish businesses dotting the area it makes a great place to play. We can’t wait until we have the chance to return!

Find more Nappanee, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Nappanee, Indiana in Elkhart County

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little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

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