Marcus Yoder is the Executive Director the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center, a great place to immerse yourself in the culture and history of Ohio's Amish Country and the Amish & Mennonite people.
The Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center was established more than 30 years ago to preserve the history of the Amish & Mennonite people, including housing and preserving one of the largest collections of their books and publications and the giant 265-foot circular mural called Behalt.
Mr. Yoder is an expert on Amish & Mennonite history and traditions, and works daily with community members & leaders to preserve those and educate those from outside the community on the unique and rich history of Ohio's Amish Country. Under his direction, the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center educates members of the Amish and non-Amish community alike, including local students from Amish schools as well as area public schools.The Heritage Center also receives thousands of visitors from around the world every year, many of whom personally meet Mr Yoder.
Mr Yoder grew up here, having attended school only to the eight grade before entering the work force, something common in Amish communities. His love of history began when his parents purchased a set of encyclopedias, which Mr Yoder proceeded to read nearly in their entirety. Later in life Mr Yoder attended The Ohio State University then Yale university before returning to the area to take over as Director.
Mr Yoder's dedication to the preservation of area Amish and Mennonite culture stems from deep roots and an abiding respect and admiration for the local community, and the bonds that form within it.
We'll feature more about Mr Yoder, the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center and more of the Best of Ohio's Amish Country in upcoming videos and blog posts. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and watch this page for further stories.