Whomever says a small town is boring just doesn’t know where to go! Check out these posts about everything small town – and enjoy the best of little.  Indiana is the crossroads of America – maybe some day you’ll find yourself driving through – and you’ll need to know where to stop along the way!

You can dig into actual Indiana towns, mom and pop restaurants, family owned bed and breakfasts – even recipes — by using the categories down the sidebar, but for this one?  I’m keeping it simple.

Plain and Simple: Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana

Small Towns: What to Know Before You Go!

Nourish Your Inner Goddess Yoplait Giveaway: Hoosier Style!

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3. Plain and Simple: Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana

Can I just say that the man who introduced President Obama must have had quite the year!  Laid off, rehired, and then introducing the President!  Amazing!

Wakarusa, Indiana; Elkhart County

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3. Plain and Simple: Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana

1.  Camera Shy. 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.

2.  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.

3. It’s Impolite To Stare. Yes, the sight of a sober black carriage clip-clopping down a car  filled street 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 – don’t expect them to jump for joy, either.

4.    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 Amish people are not there for your enjoyment; they are going about their daily business just like the rest of us.

5. Keep off the Grass. Don’t be a pest.  Unless a home advertises honey, baked goods, woodworking, etc., don’t even think about stepping onto someone else’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. 

©2010 littleindiana.com. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Plain and Simple: Old Order Amish in Nappanee, Indiana
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Each Amish settlement is broken up into districts and the bishop in each district decides on the rules for the people. 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, and no ornamentation.

Interestingly enough, the Bishop isn’t voted in, but, rather when a new Bishop is needed (after the death of the previous Bishop), eight men will each choose one Bible, and whomever takes the one with a slip of paper inside of it is the new Bishop…for life!

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” though you can see they do have playground equipment like swings, teeter-totters, and slides.  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.

While once upon a time, the Old Order Amish in Nappanee weren’t allowed to have rugs, pictures, or even curtains, judging from the whispering of fabric peeking out of many windows, the current Bishop has allowed curtains at least, though he will decide what color curtains are and aren’t allowed.

Even their cemeteries stick to the “less is best” ideal.  Located every few miles, no one headstone sticks 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.

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 service, share lunch.  No work is done on Sunday except for feeding the animals.  At the end of the lunch, whomever is going to host church the next time will take the white wagon back with them.

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 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!

If you head to Nappanee, Indiana, you may notice little buildings at the bottom of every driveway.  These are actually phone booths!  No, they aren’t for 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.

The Nappanee, Indiana Amish ride bikes everywhere unless they are heading to 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.

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, even use the Laundromat!  Sounds a lot like you and me, don’t you think?

Nappanee, Indiana; Elkhart County

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Arriving into town after dark, little Nappanee was all aglow.  I fell in love!  Who wouldn’t?  Bricked streets, a brightly lit downtown, and many old, wonderful buildings…just lovely.

We enjoyed walking around downtown and peeking in all the shop windows – all the stores were long since closed for the night – and I really couldn’t wait to get into some of them!  Pick up a brochure called Historic Architecture Walk of Nappanee: it’ll clue you in to some of the ogle-worthy homes in the area.

We had a rather unimpressive dinner (our server kept forgetting about us and my steak was completely drenched, and I mean drenched, in gravy).  It was a disappointing beginning, but something good did come out of it: we met a very nice woman 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 toured an Amish General Store, saw Amish schools, cemeteries, homes, and a TON of Amish buggies!  We learned so much about the Amish in the area.  It was a real eye-opener (stay tuned!).

This little place just had a wonderful feel to it.  The residents were friendly, the streets were clean and welcoming, but, unfortunately, this little place is also hurting very badly.  According to the Indiana Workforce Development Report for various months, Nappanee, part of Elkhart County, consistently ranks in the top as one of the hardest hit counties by the current recession, taking the #1 spot for unemployment.  Not good.

Amish or English, Nappanee needs your business! With such great little shops in downtown Nappanee and the Amish businesses dotting the area it makes a great place to play on the weekend.

Been to Nappanee?  Is there a particular time of year or event that just shouldn’t be missed?

Nappanee, Indiana; Elkhart County

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©2010 littleindiana.com. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Get Comfortable But Not TOO Comfortable. Remember, this is somebody else’s home.  Get relaxed, get cozy, just keep your feet off the antique coffee table and try to resist jumping on the puffy beds.

2. The Honor System. Some places charge for things like soft drinks and forgotten toiletry items like disposable razors or toothpaste (I don’t think I have ever remembered everything I have needed!).  If there is a plate set out for that, pay up.

3. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Not only are there possibly other guests, but there could be other people in whatever rooms surround yours, so don‘t turn up the radio to full blast and try not to stomp around.  Treat everyone and everything with respect and you can expect the same in return.

4. Take It Outside! Smoke?  Just don’t do it inside.  Amazing antiques and fragile laces just don’t mix well with cigarette smoke.

5. The Art of Conversation. The great thing about bed and breakfasts is that you have the chance to connect with other guests.  Don’t force your opinion on others and try not to tick everyone off.  Remember, everyone is there for one thing: relaxation!

6. Must Love Dogs. Not every bed and breakfast is going to embrace the thought of having dogs or cats in their rooms.  Find out the pet policy for the place you are thinking of staying in so you can make other plans for Fido or Fluffy if need be.  Ask the innkeeper.  They may have an idea of a nice kennel in the area where your pooch will be safe and happy.

7. Alcohol. Bed and breakfasts have their own policies about alcoholic beverages, so make sure to know the rules of the house.  Many, however, do offer sparkling juices as a fun replacement…for a price. 

8. How about that flaky pastry! Bed and breakfasts are famous for putting out their own cookbooks.  Pick up a copy and recreate a meal to remember at home!  Otherwise it doesn’t hurt to ask if they wouldn’t mind sharing the recipe for your own private use.

9. The Real Deal. Many bed and breakfasts have special themed packages which can range from romantic weekend packages with sparkling cider and flowers to special deals at area attractions that all serve to make your stay more than memorable!  Don’t be afraid to ask about current specials.

There you have it.  Nine whole tips to keep in mind when venturing into the comfortable world of the B & B!  Enjoy your stay!

©2010 littleindiana.com. All Rights Reserved.

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Anyway, from the outside, The Victorian Guest House was absolutely beautiful…and pink.  Very, very pink.  We had arrived after the usual check-in time, but made arrangements with the manager beforehand, so we simply typed in our entry code and were soon amazed.

Lovely etched glass doors led into an entryway with fantastically gorgeous woodwork along an impressive staircase.   Our room was at the top of the stairs, The Coppes Suite.  Why did we choose to stay in this room?  I think the picture easily explains it.

Yes.  The tub was that huge.  Original to the house and in excellent condition, it is capable of holding 65 gallons of water with plenty of room for two.  I totally felt like a Princess.

After gaping in awe at the bathroom — which was really huge and really cool — (it even had a stained glass window)  we made our way downstairs to check out what was offered in the dining room.  What a room that was!

There was an insane amount of woodwork here as well as an incredible carved table and chairs.  My photos just do NOT do it justice!  I picked through numerous teas while hubs ponied up for a cold beverage from the mini-fridge.  Yes: hot = free, cold = pay. 

Breakfast in the morning was okay.  It started with a pear comfit, an egg casserole that I’m pretty sure I have made myself at home, and a generous slice of chocolate bundt cake.  Good, but not knock-your-socks off good.  I have to admit I was expecting a little more from such a fancy schmancy place.

The Victorian Guest House is in a terrific location.  Right in downtown Nappanee, hubs and I could easily ditch the car, walk around, even have a drink at the downtown bar together, and stumble make our way back without getting lost and confused about how to get back.  We are a gifted people, us Nunemakers.

Bottom-line: it is a wonderful home and definitely worth checking out.  They just don’t make them like they used to!

What is your "must-have" feature when you are looking to stay at a bed and breakfast?  Is it a gourmet meal, easy access, or surprise feature (like a really great bathtub)?

Victorian Guest House
302 East Market Street
Nappanee IN 46560
574773.4383

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