The Secret Language of the Road: A Guide to Amish Buggies
When you visit Amish country, the rhythmic clop-clop of hooves on pavement is the first sign that you have entered a different world. While the horse-drawn carriage is the universal symbol of the Amish refusal to be “yoked” with the modern world, not all buggies are created equal.1
To the untrained eye, they may all look like simple black boxes. However, the shape, style, and specifically the color of the buggy top act as a subtle code. These differences tell a story about where the driver is from, which specific church affiliation they belong to, and how conservative their community is.
Here is a detailed guide to the different kinds and colors of Amish buggies.
The Anatomy of a Buggy
Before diving into colors, it is important to understand the three main physical styles of carriages you will see on the road:
- The Family Buggy (Market Wagon): This is the standard enclosed carriage. It usually features a boxy shape, a roof, and four wheels. It is designed to carry parents and children, or groceries and supplies.2
- The Courting Buggy: Often open-fronted and single-seated (no roof or a convertible top), these are lighter and faster. They are driven by young, unmarried Amish men.
- The Spring Wagon (Hack): These are open vehicles with two or three bench seats, resembling a pickup truck bed. They are used for short trips, hauling light loads, or transporting larger groups to church.
Decoding the Colors
The color of the buggy “top” (the fabric covering the roof and sides) is the primary identifier of a specific Amish group…