Hutterite Colonies and the Cultural Landscape: An Inventory of Selected Site Characteristics

Abstract

Hutterite colonies are a growing and sustainable element in the cultural landscape of the Canadian Prairies and Northern Great Plains of the United States. Their increasing numbers do something to offset the disappearance of the smallest service centers on the plains. While the diffusion of these communities has been well documented, the morphology of the settlements has been less well studied. New technology makes it possible to remotely evaluate selected characteristics of almost all Hutterite colonies. This paper describes the differences, with respect to orientation, layout and housing types, both between the four clan groups and within the Dariusleut and Schmiedeleut. Here as in many other aspects of Hutterite culture, there are signs of change and increasing diversity.

Keywords

• hutterite colonies
• cultural landscape
• google earth
• orientation
• layout
• housing types
• dariusleut
• lehrerleut
• schmiedeleut
• great plains