Myriad myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings about the Amish abound, and can lead to some uncomfortable situations for guests of one of Ohio's most-visited tourist destinations.
According to numbers from a study released by the state of Ohio, the annual economic impact of tourism in Holmes County is around $313 million.
Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Executive Director Tiffany Gerber said she believes that number is a little low, as a study conducted by Ohio State University Applied Methods and Research Experience (OSU-AMRE) estimated the economic impact of tourism in Holmes County is around $500 million annually.
"The total economic impact of tourism in our area, is somewhere between $300 and $500 million annually," Gerber said.
There are some visitors who seem to think Amish Country is a place with characters in costume, not realizing it is actually a way of life.
Some well-respected voices in the plain community of Holmes County shared thoughts about tourists and common courtesy while visiting Amish Country.
Gerber said common courtesy goes a long way when dealing with anybody, and is always a good rule of thumb.
"The chamber's current primary focus is on road safety more than anything else," Gerber said. "Share the road, watch for buggies, don't pass on a hill and be aware that e-bikes go up to 35 mph. Those are the kinds of things we actually put in writing in the Holmes County Visitor's Guide.
"We don't talk about the actual etiquette of interaction," she said. "Some people visit our office, they come in and don't really have a clue about the Amish. We encourage people to say hello. We stress not to ask them to pose for a picture. It's basic common courtesy."
Gerber said for a more in-depth understanding of the Amish and their culture, she hands visitors a brochure and sends them to Behalt, the Amish Mennonite Heritage Center on County Road 77 in Berlin.
A peaceful culture of faith
Behalt is a 10-foot by 265-foot cyclorama mural painted by Heinz Gaugel over the course of 14 years. It was completed in 1990 and has served as a visual history of the Anabaptist. The tours at Behalt help to explain how and why the Amish and Mennonites live as they do.
Carita Keim, a tour guide at the Heritage Center, said the most common courtesy tourist should remember when visiting Amish Country is that it is not acceptable to take photographs of the Amish.
"I think we have some of the most pleasant visitors as tourists," Keim said. "Most of the visitors know that it is impolite to take pictures of the Amish. They are people, just like you and I. They are not part of an exhibit. "
Wayne Wengerd, a representative of the Amish Steering Committee, said Amish people are just like everyone else when it comes to sharing a smile and some small talk. Treat the Amish the same as anybody else. He suggests if meeting someone who is Amish at the grocery store, say hello and strike up a conversation, and start building a relationship.
"If you treat people how you would like to be treated, that pretty well takes care of things," he said.
Strike up a conversation, but do it with respect
Things have changed greatly over the past 20 years, according to Wengerd, who noted the Amish community is much more accustomed to the tourists who regularly descend upon Holmes County and surrounding areas.
"Most Amish are OK with the tourists," Wengerd said. "I don't hear of much bad experiences between Amish and tourists. Some tourists are hesitant to talk to Amish because they don't know how they will respond. There are still some tourists out there who think this is just for show or for tourists only, but not very much."
Wengerd noted visitors shouldn't be afraid to ask questions of the Amish, but to do so with respect.
"We're people and we respond just as most other Americans respond, and that is, if we're treated with respect, we're respectful," he said. "We're busy and we're going about our work, so just because we may not stop and give you attention doesn't mean we're rude. It's just that we have work to do. If you have the opportunity, most of us are not offended if you stop to talk or visit, or even ask some questions, as long as it's done respectfully.
"Respect and the Golden Rule of treating others how you wish to be treated, as well as something as simple as a smile, communicates in any language," Wengerd said. "Everyone gets the message. If you're friendly, most will respond in a friendly manner. And then you can tell where people are comfortable in going with their conversation. For myself, I'm not offended if people ask personal questions. Some people might be."
Traffic: A unique situation in Amish Country
With so many types of vehicles and traffic on the roads, from semis, trucks, tractors, cars, horse and buggies, e-bikes, unpowered bikes, kids walking to school and farm equipment, Holmes County roads are distinct. Add in all the hills and twisting, turning roads, and driving can be an adventure.
"With all the traffic, every day we have without a real tragedy is another miracle," Wengerd said.
He reiterated what Gerber said about road safety being a major priority, adding visitors should not pull up too closely behind a buggy at a stop sign because horses sometimes will back up.
"Horses have a mind of their own," he said. "They're not like vehicles. You might want to give them some distance. It's been a long time since I've had a bad experience on the road. Most people are respectful, including tourists, which we deeply appreciate."
From Jan. 1, 2019, through the end of June, 2024, there have been 137 buggy-related accidents in Wayne County and 75 in Holmes County, according to data from Ohio State Highway Patrol Statistics Analysis Unit. There were 714 such accidents statewide.
During that same time, there have been 85 bike-related incidents in Wayne County and 82 in Holmes. The data collected on accidents involving e-bikes and mopeds has been 15 incidents recorded, seven in Wayne County and eight in Holmes. There were 855 accidents reported statewide.
Business owners comfortable with questions
Leroy Yoder, owner of Hiland Bikes in Berlin, said he rarely has a problem with tourists.
The biggest incident he remembered was the surprise of a potential supplier who seemed shocked when Yoder asked that something be faxed.
"He just couldn't believe in this day and age that we still used a fax machine," Yoder said with a grin.
Yoder said he fields many questions from visitors, but nothing too personal or invasive.
"If everybody was a little more courteous, the world would be a better place," he said.
Harry Miller of Pine Lane Produce echoed Yoder, pointing out every tree has a bad apple.
"We get some questions, mostly about our religion," Miller said. "We're careful about what we tell them. But as a rule, most people are pretty respectful. I often tell people that all we ever hear about is the bad stuff, but there is a lot of goodness in the world."
In regard to traffic safety, Yoder noted a few years back he was approached by a woman who suggested setting up a program to teach tourists how to drive among all the buggies and bikes.
"Maybe if you teach the locals first," he said. "Our locals need to be reminded about the laws on the roads. But there is a lot of room for bicycle riders to learn as well. I think it all comes down to common courtesy."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Amish culture, religion, way of life to be respected in Holmes County
