Hutterites of South Dakota: The Schmiedleut

Joanita Kent

An unprecedented pictorial review of their lifestyle in 44 of 53 colonies in the state during the last four seasons of 2004. Three branches of Hutterites came to southeastern Dakota Territory (today South Dakota) in the 1870s from Ukraine, Russia. As always, since their founding in central Europe in 1528, they were escaping religious persecution. Although there are three divisions of ethnic Hutterites, namely, the Smithy, the Dariusleut, and the Teacher, the only Smithy in South Dakota, which has more Hutterites than any state in the USA.