By Michael Swanger

 

“Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes … Or perhaps you don’t want to see Iowa’s Largest Walnut Rocking Chair, which is only two short hours away?” I said to my wife and son, mimicking Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” as we loaded up the family truckster for a summer road trip to the Amana Colonies.

 

It got a few laughs … mostly at my self-deprecating expense. After all, our day trip was scheduled during the week of my 50th birthday and with each advancing year — or so I’m told — I increasingly reveal my inner Clark Griswold.

 

Tourism is key to the economy of the Amana Colonies which proudly promotes its traditions. As we discovered, the Amana Heritage Museum offers exhibits about communal kitchens, town baseball and veterans; the Amana Community Church in Homestead tells the story of the religious practices of the area’s early German immigrants; the Ox Yoke Inn and Amana Colonies Bakery & Cafe serve delicious tastes of local culinary history (the chicken schnitzel and strudel, respectively, were scrumptious); small German and U.S. flags staked together in front yards act as invitations to peruse the homeowner’s flower garden during select dates; and a variety of small shops sell all-things-Iowa, from handmade soap and wooden toys, to locally produced spirits and artwork.

 

The Amana Colonies are also renowned for their quality, handmade brooms, baskets and wooden furniture, including their traditional caned walnut rocking chairs that haven’t changed since the 1850s.

 

They are not known, however, for being kitsch, though the German word appropriately applies to a solely ornamental and knowingly humorous free roadside attraction billed as “Iowa’s Largest Walnut Rocking Chair” in West Amana. It is a must-see for any traveler who covets some light-hearted fun during their road trip.

 

Located at the Broom & Basket Shop, the giant rocker is a happy-go-lucky photo opportunity for visitors of all ages. For adults, it’s a moment to feel like a kid again as you climb onto the large footstool to hoist yourself up to the 11-feet-tall, 670-pound oversized rocker (think Lily Tomlin’s Edith Ann character from TV’s sketch comedy “Laugh-In”).

 

Iowa’s Largest Walnut Rocking Chair was handmade by Norman Schanz and three other men from the Schanz Furniture & Refinishing Shop in South Amana in 1983. It took them 75 hours to build, 48 hours to cane and 10 hours to finish. The large web backing was hand-caned by four women. The men needed 300 feet of walnut wood to complete the rocker, which is three times bigger than a normal rocking chair.

 

The rocking chair was built to promote the store’s wares when it toured fairs, festivals and other community events. Eventually, it’s owners stopped hauling it around Iowa and discovered that the public would seek it for themselves. The building that houses the giant rocker is also home to rockers of all sizes, including one that is allegedly the smallest in the world. It relies on freewill donations to keep the lights on, which is a small price to pay for a fun memory.

 

The next time you visit the Amana Colonies, don’t miss Iowa’s Largest Walnut Rocking Chair. The traditional handmade craftsmanship is something to behold and the smiles last for miles.

 

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