| Barton Creek | |
| Pushpin Map: | Belize |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of mouth |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Belize |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cayo District |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 17.2167°N -145°W |
| River System: | Belize River |
Barton Creek is the name of a small river and the area it flows through in Cayo District, Belize. The river is a right tributary of Belize River. In the area with this name there are two Mennonite settlements: Lower and Upper Barton Creek. Both are settlements of very conservative Mennonites in Belize. Barton Creek Cave can also be found here.
See main article: Upper Barton Creek. Upper Barton Creek is a unique settlement of reformers from different Anabaptist backgrounds, who wanted to create a Mennonite community free of modernistic trends and in nonconformity to the world to live a simple Christian life. It was established in 1969 by Plautdietsch speaking "Russian" Mennonites.[1] Following their Ordnung the Mennonites of Upper Barton Creek do not own any equipment with motors, including cars, nor do they use electricity. They farm with horses and both men and women wear plain dress similar to Old Order Mennonites and Amish with men wearing beards. The Mennonites of Upper Barton Creek are counted to the Noah Hoover group, which originally is from central Pennsylvania.[2] In 2010 it had a population of 380.[3]
Lower Barton Creek is a small village, that was founded in 1970 by Mennonites from Shipyard in Belize. It is home of the most conservative German speaking "Russian Mennonites" in Belize. It is similar to conservative Mennonite settlements in Bolivia.[4] It had a population of about 150 in 1980, about 200 in 1985 and only about 100 in 1989, after many inhabitants left for Mennonite colonies in Paraguay, Bolivia and elsewhere. Its population stood at 193 in 2010.[3]
See main article: Barton Creek Cave.
Barton Creek Cave is a natural cave, known as both an archaeological site and as a tourist destination.