Cultures mingle as Amish settle in northern Missouri

STANBERRY, Mo. -- A yellow bus rolls down Missouri Route B, just moments after a clattering wagon carrying four Amish children crossed the road on the edge of Stanberry.

The after-school scene is symbolic of how two distinct cultures constantly cross paths in the small town of Stanberry. In just over a year, the Amish have made a peaceful transition into the area.

"I think the community has accepted them really well," said Larry McCarty, an insurance and real estate agent in Stanberry.

Last spring, two groups of Amish bought several tracts of land. About 18 families moved north of Stanberry, and another dozen families live northwest of Bethany, Mo. Many of the new residents moved from Michigan, where urban pressure from Grand Rapids made farmland scarce and expensive. In Northwest Missouri, they found affordable land and plenty of open space.

"Most of the people have been really friendly," said one Amish woman who operates a store out of her home.

Arrival of Amish

The arrival of these Amish families have brought about some quiet changes to their new hometowns. Hitching posts have popped up in front of businesses. One-room schoolhouses have been built to educate Amish children, as many as 15 or 16 per family. Once-abandoned farms are now filled with dairy cows, chickens, hogs and clothes hanging on the line to dry.

"I personally am very glad they're here," said Dr. G.E. Anderson, a chiropractor in Bethany who treats many Amish patients. "They pay taxes, they consume goods and services. That's what makes your economy keep going."

The transition hasn't been without its hitches. Gentry County Sheriff Eugene Lupfer said a few incidents of harassment against the Amish have been reported. But it's difficult to know exactly how much has occurred. The two cultures live side by side without problems for the most part, he said.

Economic lift

One thing people in the area are getting used to is the economic lift that has accompanied the population increase. Amish are regular shoppers at grocery stores, farm-supply businesses and the new Dollar General store in Stanberry that opened in January.

Jeff Ellis, economic development director for Bethany, said Amish set up booths in a couple of parking lots this summer. They sold baked goods and fresh produce. They've also opened a few home-based businesses: A bulk foods store on U.S. Highway 136 west of Bethany, a small engine repair shop and a woodworking businesses.

Bethany and Stanberry are still a long way from becoming tourist destinations like Jamesport, Mo., which is home to a large Amish settlement and thriving craft stores.

All the activity has raised concerns about safety on the highways with tractor-trailer trucks sharing roads with the Amish buggies. Renate Wilkinson, planning manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation, said the department is looking into widening the shoulders on the highway at Jamesport. They're evaluating the situation at Bethany and Stanberry and have posted signs alerting motorists about horse-drawn vehicles.