Amish Country News  Online!

The big news for us this month is our new website, www.amishnews.com. Our site is not full of "bells and whistles." It is simply a great, easy-to-access source of information on Lancaster’s "Amish Country." So, what will you find there?

First of all, we wanted our site to be a more detailed source of information than our newspaper. For those advertisers who already had a website of their own, we have built in links. For others, we went out and created simple webpages for them. So even the "little guys" who may not have the big bucks for a fancy website are now represented and accessible to you, our readers. Just as we do in our publication, we have everything organized by category --- shopping, dining, lodging, attractions.

One unusual aspect of this is the fact that we have webpages for quite a few of our Amish advertisers and, while you will not see photographs of them, you will find pictures of the beautiful quilts, crafts, and furniture many of them produce. So if you were wondering if any Amish-owned businesses are on the Internet, the answer is "yes!"

Another part of our website was designed to answer all the requests we get for copies of articles and the Amish series. Now, you can read not only past articles, but also the upcoming articles that have yet to be printed in the remaining issues of this year. Of special interest right now is our series "The Amish Speak," with writings by Amish people from across North America. We decided to take a break from writing about them, and to let them speak for themselves. The series is excerpted from the excellent book The Amish In Their Own Words.

Other popular features of Amish Country News are also online, including information on events, hex signs, history, and our ever-popular town pages, each with its own map. Since space is not a problem, we have expanded many of our town sections with more background information. Links to attractions and shops open up even more doors for you.

Whether you just want to read about the area, explore as an "armchair traveler," or plan a visit, www.amishnews.com is a good place to begin. We are not selling anything, so you just get the information you need to know.

We have already had some interesting encounters in "cyberspace." Three students from Germany sent us an e-mail. They were working on a school project and needed some questions about the Amish answered. Another lady was trying to track down her ancestors and wanted to know what resources were available here. And we sometimes get requests from people who want to buy a particular item, be it a marble roller, a shoofly pie or an Amish carriage.

As our new website grows, we will be adding and expanding, so feel free to offer your suggestions and comments. Our home on the worldwide web is, of course, open 24 hours, so feel free to drop in anytime!

Amish Country News Publisher's Message by Brad Igou & Carla Wolfe (June 2000)