Mapping an Ethnic Isolate: The Diff usion of Hutterite Colonies across the Prairies and Northern Great Plains

The Hutterites are a religious sect, an ethnic group, and a communal brotherhood. Their Anabaptist origins group them with the Mennonites and the Amish, but their adherence to the principle of holding all things in common sets them apart. The original three Hutterite colonies, established along the James River in Dakota Territory in 1874, had grown to number 520 in 2015. These agricultural villages are distributed across four Canadian provinces and six states in the United States. The purpose of this article is to “unpack” this rather complex pattern; to grapple with the processes generating the diffusion of colonies; and to describe the ever-changing settlement pattern of Hutterites in each major jurisdiction. The primary focus is on developments that have taken place during the past thirty years. However, the present is rooted firmly in the past, and it is often necessary to explain contemporary trends by delving into history.