Some+Iowan+Communities

Original Author: Eric Schleisman, ENG299 FL10 Revision Author:
 * Some Iowan Communities**

The idea of a Utopian society has been in existence far longer than most of us imagine. The idea of a secular community can be traced as far back as Plato, “While Plato’s utopia in //The Republic// was never made concrete; his vision of the just society has provided many of the terms and conditions for thinking about and constructing societies for much of western history” //(//Semel ii). In all actuality the Americas were in itself a dream of a utopian society, “America’s distance from European orthodoxies and its vast spaces and resources allowed Europe to see the new world as the site of promise and possibility” (Semel ii). Individuals questioning the church and the rule of hierarchies developed into many different religious communities opening up in America throughout the 18th and 19th century (Semel iii). Some of these communities succeeded and some failed many of them now are nonexistent.

“Utopian communities, borne out of enlightnment emphasis on the rationality of nature and out of increasing fear of the impact of industrialism” (Semel iii). The communities that were created out of enlightenment were not an attempt by founders to escape religious persecution but more out of advancement for intelligence. These attempts were made “out of a clear blueprint that rational beings could follow to remake society” (Semel iii). Some of these societies included New Harmony, Indiana created by Robert Owen and Brook Farm, Massachusetts inspired by Robert Fourier (Semel iii).

Iowa also became home to many Utopian communities. Three communities formed in the 1800’s, one led by Abner Kneeland, one of Hungarian exiles led by Count Ladislaus Ujhazy, and the most notable community Amana. “Two miles south of Farmington, located near Van Buren Iowa there was once a town called Salubria, founded by Abner Kneeland of New England in 1839. Kneeland, at one time a Baptist minister, became a Universalist minister and then came to believe in pantheism (that god is everything). Convicted of blasphemy for an article he wrote and imprisoned for sixty days, he counted Ralph Waldo Emerson and Bronson Alcott among his supporters” (Stock 41). Somewhere around a year after his release Kneeland brought a group of followers to Iowa and established a colony where he could acquire what he called “freedom of inquiry” (Stock 41). He lectured in Iowa for five years about his pantheistic beliefs, but people around him did not agree with him. Salubria became known as the “infidel” colony. Kneeland died in 1844 and the colony was disbanded (stock 41).

In 1850 another group came to Iowa and tried their hand at communal living. A group of Hungarian exiles who were led by Count Ladislaus Ujhazy came to Decatur County, Iowa (Stock 41). “On the open prairie they dreamed of building a New Buda, named after the Hungarian capital, Budapest, complete with castles on great estates and city parks. But unfortunately, initially, that is all they did- dream” (Stock 42). The exiles were eventually allowed to return to Austria, the count encouraged his people to return but would not go back himself in fear that he would not be accepted back. His people decided not to return without him and Ujhazy committed suicide at the age of thirty three. His followers returned back to Austria and some remained in Iowa, the followers who stayed labored and prospered as members of other Iowa communities (Stock 42).

Not all communities in Iowa failed, “The community of True Inspirations originally came from Germany in 1842 and formed the Ebenezer Society near Buffalo, New York. As the city expanded and encroached upon their tract of five thousand acres, the elders decided to relocate. They purchased eighteen thousand acres along the Iowa River in Iowa County, and laid out the village of Amana, meaning “believe faithfully”, in the summer of 1855” (Stock 43). Life at Amana was formed on the basis of religion; members believed that communal living would simplify life so that members would have more time to worship God. “All meals were served in community kitchen houses and men and women worked at the trades for which they were best qualified. Some farmed the land or built furniture; others baked bread or prepared sausage; some operated looms in the woolen mills. And at the center of all the activity was the church- usually with eleven services a week” (Stock 44, 45).

Amana’s history can be broken down into three periods. “The relatively stable years of the old system (from 1859 to approximately 1915); the years of accelerated change (from about 1920 to 1931); and the years following the newly changed Amana of 1932 (Semel 86). The old system followed the familiar rules of any Utopian society, “elders ran both the spiritual and the secular affairs of the community. The council determined who would work where and at what times. All work, of course, was directed primarily toward the common good….the work assignments were generally made according to the principle of each according to his or her inclination. Initial work assignments were doled out when members of the community reached their fourteenth birthdays” (Semel 86). Around 1920 the old order began to change very quickly. Influences from the outside like the automobile, the telephone, and the radio made it almost impossible for Amana to maintain their isolation (Semel 88). The youth of Amana were able to see life outside of their world, and they liked what they saw. The outside world was also very interested in the simplicity that Amana exhibited. Problems started to mount on the community and made life different from what they once had known. “With increasing frequency, members were allowed to overspend their annual allowances at the general store. Persons who refused to do their fair share of work continued to receive all the benefits of the society, including the store allowances. Day laborers had to be hired in increasing numbers to do the work of those who refused. By 1932 the annual payroll for day laborers cost the society 60,000…..suspected embezzlement became a problem. Members who had easy access to cash began facing accusations of using money for their own purposes (Semel 88).

In 1931 serious talks of reorganization began at Amana. The elders of the society were now realizing that the ways of old were impossible to preserve. Legal assistance was sought and Amana was able to create a new plan on February 1st 1932. “The Change” as members called it was approved by ninety percent of the membership. With the approval of this new plan voters had created two separate societies. “The Amana Church Society was incorporated as custodian of the religious, benevolent, and charitable affairs of the community. The new Amana Society was a capitalistic, for-profit stock company” (Semel 89). The “Change” symbolized change for the youth members of the community, for the older members this meant the breaking of old traditions and a loss of ideals. “Community kitchens were abolished and individual kitchens in the homes had to be set up. All work ceased and new work assignments were made by a business manager from outside the Society” (Semel 90). The elders of the Society were now considered irrelevant; they were no longer able to earn a wage and now were living on very meager incomes they received from the sale of their Prior Distributive Shares. The guidelines of “The Change” allowed a transition period; this gave members the opportunity to live in their homes rent free until January 1st, 1933 (Semel 91). “By the end of the transition period there were over 100 proud owners of new cars. Not only did this disturb old tradition, it also disturbed the old tranquility” (Semel 91).

Today life in Amana is extremely different from what once was. It is now a tourist attraction and has moved away from its roots as a Utopian community. The longevity that Amana has had is truly amazing, and although different Amana is still thriving today. “Because of intermarriage, outmigration of natives, and immigration of non natives, there are very few full-blooded Amana people left at all…only about 20 percent of the 219 current full time Amana employees own stock in the corporation, so even there the original idea of the individual working for the good of the whole- and receiving benefits in return- has lost much of its relevance” (Semel 92).


 * Communal Amana History**
 * 1842-** Decision to leave Germany and go to America.
 * 1843-** More than 800 followers came to America,
 * 1846** founding the Ebenezer, N.Y., Colonies.
 * 1854-** Committee goes to Kansas; Committee goes to Iowa; in December the site of Amana was selected in Eastern Iowa
 * 1856-** West and South Amana villages selected.
 * 1857-** High Amana founded.
 * 1859-**Amana society incorporated.
 * 1860-** East Amana founded.
 * 1861-** Village of Homestead purchased in order to obtain access to railroad.
 * 1862-** Middle Amana founded.
 * 1867-** Christian Metz, leader of the moves to America and to Amana, died.
 * 1883-** Barbara Heinemann Landmann, last inspired leader, died.
 * 1932-** Amana Society reorganized as commercial, tax-paying Corporation.
 * 1932-** Amana Church Society organized as non-profit organization.

Bourret, Joan Liffring-Zug, and Dorothy Crum. //Life in Amana: Reporters' Views of the Communal Way, 1867-1935//. [Iowa City, Iowa]: Penfield, 1998. Print. Semel, Jay, and Annie Tremmel. Wilcox. //Utopian Visions of Work and Community: a Collection of Essays from Presentations Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities//. IA City, IA: Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Iowa, 1996. Print. Stock, Janice Beck. //Amazing Iowa//. Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill, 2003. Print.
 * Works Cited**

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