Though the church remained, the local industries were now set up as a private firm called Amana Society Inc. The following year, Prohibition was repealed, and spotting an opportunity, a man called George C. Foerstner started making beverage coolers in the corner of one of the local furniture shops. The Amana Society purchased his company, and he built it into one of America’s most successful appliance manufacturers. In 1965 it was purchased by Raytheon, and today it is part of the Whirlpool Corporation.
