It’s time to register for the pre-convention overnight tour to the eastern Iowa colonies of the Amana community. Founded in 1855, the seven villages of Amana will acquaint you with a lifestyle that reflects a spirit of industriousness and caring values which may seem a distant respite from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century.
The pre-convention tour will depart from Des Moines at 8 o’clock sharp on the morning of Friday, June 29th, and return around 5 p.m. on the afternoon of June 30. Professional tour guides will describe the community of Amana and the surrounding countryside, and an ACB representative and ACB-trained volunteers will accompany you on the buses.
An early stop on the tour will be the Community Church Museum, where a local resident will explain the history and highlights of the community’s worship services. Other stops will include the communal kitchen, the cooper shop, the broom and basket shop, the woolen mill, the winery with the tasting room and many other attractions. Lunch at the Ox Yoke Inn will feature food served family style that will return you to the tastes of honest, well-prepared meals of a time before packaged foods and preservatives. The Old Creamery Theater will offer more delicious foods at dinner, and a play.
After a comfortable overnight stay and breakfast at the Guest House, the tour of the commune will continue. On the way back to Des Moines there will be a stop at an outlet mall where you can ease back into the life of the 21st century, with lunch on your own and discount shopping.
This overnight tour is a bargain at the pre-registration price of only $178. (If there’s still room by the time convention registration opens up, the price will increase to $180.) Call the ACB Minneapolis office to register for the pre-convention overnight tour. The number is (800) 866-3242, and you are encouraged to charge your tour on any of the major credit cards. Space is already filling up, so call today. A trip back in time to the 19th century may be just the respite you have been craving.