Elkhart County, Indiana

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Elkhart County
Goshen-indiana-courthouse.jpg
Elkhart County courthouse in Goshen, Indiana
Map of Indiana highlighting Elkhart County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana in United States.svg
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°36′N85°52′W / 41.6°N 85.86°W / 41.6; -85.86
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Indiana.svg  Indiana
FoundedApril 1, 1830
Seat Goshen
Largest city Elkhart
Area
  Total467.97 sq mi (1,212.0 km2)
  Land463.17 sq mi (1,199.6 km2)
  Water4.80 sq mi (12.4 km2)  1.03%
Population
 (2020)
  Total207,047
  Estimate 
(2021)
206,921
  Density440/sq mi (170/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.elkhartcountyindiana.com
Indiana county number 20

Elkhart County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the county's population was 207,047. [1] The county seat is Goshen. [2] Elkhart County is part of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area. It is also considered part of the broader region of Northern Indiana known as Michiana, and is 20 miles (32 km) east of South Bend, Indiana, 110 miles (180 km) east of Chicago, Illinois, and 150 miles (240 km) north of Indianapolis, Indiana. The area is referred to by locals as the recreation vehicle (RV) capital of the world and is known for its sizable Amish and Old Order Mennonite population. [3]

Contents

History

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the area now within Elkhart County boundaries was mainly inhabited by the Potawatomi tribe. Pioneers began settling in the Elkhart Prairie in 1829 and in April 1830, Elkhart County was officially established with its original county seat in Dunlap. After reorganizing the county borders, the seat was moved to Goshen near the county's geographical center. [4]

Elkhart County was founded by immigrants from New England. These were old-stock "Yankee" immigrants, descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. The completion of the Erie Canal in 1821 sparked a surge in immigration from New England to northern Indiana, which had become a state five years earlier. The end of the Black Hawk War in 1832 increased the immigration surge of immigration, again coming from New England as a result of overpopulation combined with land shortages in that region. Some of these later settlers were from upstate New York, whose relatives had moved to that region from New England shortly after the American Revolutionary War. New Englanders and New England transplants from upstate New York were the vast majority of Elkhart County's inhabitants during the first several decades of its history. These settlers were primarily members of the Congregational Church though due to the Second Great Awakening many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before moving west. The Congregational Church subsequently has gone through many divisions, and some factions, including those in Elkhart County, are now known as the Church of Christ and the United Church of Christ. As a result of this heritage, most of Elkhart County supported the abolitionist movement before the American Civil War. Elkhart County provided substantial recruits for the Union Army. During the end of the nineteenth century, Irish and German migrants came to Elkhart County, although most did not come directly from Europe, but had stopped in other areas in the Midwest, such as Ohio. [5] [6]

Name

The name Elkhart is a euphemization of "Elks-heart", which refers to the now extinct Eastern elk. [7] The name has been attached to the Elkhart River and surrounding area since at least 1749, when it was recorded in French as Coeur de cerf ("elk's heart") as the name of a Miami village there. [8] The place name in Miami-Illinois is mihšiiwiateehi ("elk's heart"). Later in the 18th century the area was inhabited by the Potawatomi; in the Potawatomi language, the place is likewise known as mzewəodeʔig, "at the elk heart". [9] The name may reflect a prehistoric association of the Elkhart area with the Kaskaskia people, whom the Miami called "elk hearts". [8]

Other explanations have been suggested. According to an account by two Miami leaders (Jean Baptiste Richardville and Le Gros) recorded in 1824, the name arose from two women fighting over an elk's heart that had been hung up to dry. [10] Alternatively, some historians including Jacob Piatt Dunn have associated the name with the shape of an island in the Elkhart River that is stated to resemble an elk's heart. [8] This theory has been carried on the city's website. [11]

A popular but non-historical account claims that the county was named after a Shawnee Indian chief named "Elkhart", who was ostensibly a cousin of the famous Chief Tecumseh, and father of "princess Mishawaka" (for whom, according to the story, neighboring Mishawaka is named). [12] [13] This story originated in Legends of Michigan and the Old North West, an 1875 collection of historical fiction by Michigan politician Flavius J. Littlejohn. [14] [15]

Geography

The St. Joseph River widens as it flows west through Elkhart. Elkhart-indiana-st-joe-river.jpg
The St. Joseph River widens as it flows west through Elkhart.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 467.97 square miles (1,212.0 km2), of which 463.17 square miles (1,199.6 km2) (or 98.97%) is land and 4.80 square miles (12.4 km2) (or 1.03%) is water. [16] The county sits in mostly rural farmland with rolling hills in its northeast corner. Those hills were formed by glaciers and are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway Continental Divide. [17]

The St. Joseph River, which flows from Michigan, across the Michigan border north of Bristol, is the main waterway in Elkhart County. The Elkhart River enters the county east of Millersburg and winds its way through Goshen and Dunlap to Island Park in Elkhart where it meets the St. Joseph. The Little Elkhart River flows into the county southeast of Middlebury and creates some scenic views in Bonneyville Mills County Park before emptying into the St. Joseph near Bristol. Numerous creeks wind their way through the countryside and several lakes, including Simonton Lake, dot the landscape.

Fifteen unincorporated communities also exist in the county. They are Benton, Bonneyville Mills, Dunlap, Foraker, Garden Village, Jimtown, Locke, Midway, New Paris, Nibbyville, Simonton Lake, Southwest, Vistula, and Waterford Mills.

Adjacent counties

Communities

Elkhart County, Indiana map.svg

Cities

Towns

Townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Economy

Elkhart County is known as "The RV Capital of the World" because of its substantial recreational vehicle-based economy. Farming also plays a big role in the local economy. Tourism boosts the county's economy. Destinations such as Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury and Amish Acres in Nappanee along with annual events such as the Elkhart Jazz Festival, the Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fair draw thousands of tourists annually. The Fair is the second largest county fair in the United States. [18]

Climate and weather

Goshen, Indiana
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Source: The Weather Channel [19]
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In recent years, average temperatures in Goshen have ranged from a low of 17 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.77 inches (45 mm) in February to 4.05 inches (103 mm) in June. [19]

Government

The county is led by a board of three elected commissioners that serve as the executive branch of county government. The board also serves as the legislative branch in that it is responsible for ordinances. [20] The county council is made of seven elected members - one from each of the four council districts and three at large. The council is in charge of all monetary issues including appropriations and taxes. [21] There are Township Assessors for Baugo, Cleveland, Concord, Elkhart, Middlebury, and Osolo townships and a County Assessor to handle the remaining townships. [22]

Elkhart County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 9, 11, and 12; [23] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 21, 22, 48, 49, and 82. [24]

Elkhart County has consistently been a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. In only three elections since 1888 has a Republican candidate failed to win the county, most recently in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Elkhart County, Indiana [25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.%No.%No.%
2020 46,97262.95%26,10834.99%1,5382.06%
2016 41,86763.21%20,74031.31%3,6295.48%
2012 42,37862.29%24,39935.87%1,2521.84%
2008 39,39655.00%31,39843.83%8401.17%
2004 42,96770.00%17,96629.27%4470.73%
2000 36,75667.46%16,40230.11%1,3242.43%
1996 28,77056.58%16,59832.64%5,48210.78%
1992 27,92053.50%14,66028.09%9,60418.40%
1988 33,79370.11%14,23629.54%1710.35%
1984 34,62171.98%13,24027.53%2360.49%
1980 30,08161.40%14,88330.38%4,0308.23%
1976 27,29160.07%17,58138.70%5571.23%
1972 31,00970.57%12,65928.81%2730.62%
1968 24,48457.90%14,22233.63%3,5838.47%
1964 19,87047.41%21,67951.72%3650.87%
1960 28,05662.77%16,26436.39%3730.83%
1956 28,08869.05%12,36330.39%2260.56%
1952 25,27766.33%12,00231.49%8292.18%
1948 18,99956.68%13,70340.88%8152.43%
1944 20,65960.39%12,99137.98%5581.63%
1940 19,73558.53%13,62040.40%3611.07%
1936 14,89649.05%14,47347.65%1,0023.30%
1932 13,82646.76%14,88550.34%8552.89%
1928 20,87674.76%6,90024.71%1480.53%
1924 13,09664.50%4,72923.29%2,47912.21%
1920 12,29760.10%5,77028.20%2,39411.70%
1916 5,85045.21%5,72344.22%1,36810.57%
1912 1,19910.38%4,30037.22%6,05452.40%
1908 6,24548.19%5,69743.96%1,0177.85%
1904 6,54855.32%4,02333.99%1,26610.70%
1900 6,27052.86%4,95041.73%6425.41%
1896 6,15054.08%4,98643.85%2352.07%
1892 3,87348.87%3,53044.54%5226.59%
1888 4,95550.62%4,46445.61%3693.77%

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1830 935
1840 6,660612.3%
1850 12,69090.5%
1860 20,98665.4%
1870 26,02624.0%
1880 33,45428.5%
1890 39,20117.2%
1900 45,05214.9%
1910 49,0088.8%
1920 56,38415.1%
1930 68,87522.2%
1940 72,6345.5%
1950 84,51216.4%
1960 106,79026.4%
1970 126,52918.5%
1980 137,3308.5%
1990 156,19813.7%
2000 182,79117.0%
2010 197,5598.1%
2020 207,0474.8%
2023 (est.)206,409 [26] −0.3%
1830 Census. Elkhart County. [27]
1840 Census. Elkhart County. [28]
U.S. Decennial Censuses: [29]
1790-1960 [30] 1900-1990, [31]
1990-2000, [32] 2010-2019, [33] 2020 [1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 197,559 people, 70,244 households, and 50,542 families residing in the county. [34] The population density was 426.5 inhabitants per square mile (164.7/km2). There were 77,767 housing units at an average density of 167.9 per square mile (64.8/km2). [16] The racial makeup of the county was 82.9% white, 5.7% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 7.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.1% of the population. [34] In terms of ancestry, 28.4% were German, 10.2% were Irish, 7.6% were English, and 7.6% were American. [35]

Of the 70,244 households, 38.1% had children under 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.0% were non-families, and 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.23. The median age was 34.9 years. [34]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697, and the median income for a family was $53,742. Males had a median income of $41,891 versus $29,496 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,187. About 10.2% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over. [36]

2020 census

Elkhart County Racial Composition [37]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (NH)145,03970%
Black or African American (NH)11,0515.3%
Native American (NH)3730.18%
Asian (NH)2,2361%
Pacific Islander (NH)540.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)8,7004.2%
Hispanic or Latino 39,59419.1%

Amish and Mennonite communities

In 2020,the Amish and Mennonite population was 11,006 or 5.3 % of the total population. [38]

Transportation

The Indiana Avenue Bridge over the Elkhart River on Goshen's north side GoshenBridge.JPG
The Indiana Avenue Bridge over the Elkhart River on Goshen's north side

Roads

The Indiana Toll Road (Interstates 80/90) runs through the northern fringes of the county. Elkhart has two interchanges (exits 92 & 96) while Bristol (exit 101) and Middlebury (exit 107) have one apiece. U.S. Route 20 skirts the southern edges of Elkhart as the St. Joseph Valley Parkway until the freeway ends at the County Road 17 interchange. U.S. 20 continues eastward as a regular surface highway. County Road 17 is known as the "Michiana Parkway" and provides a connection between Goshen, U.S. 20, S.R. 120, the Elkhart East interchange (Exit 96) on the Toll Road, and US 12 in Michigan via M-217.

U.S. Highways 6, 33, and 131 also run through the county along with Indiana State Highways 4, 13, 15, 19, 119, and 120. U.S. 33 was once part of the original Lincoln Highway.

Other forms

A bus system known as the Interurban Trolley serves several municipalities throughout Elkhart County, connecting Elkhart and Goshen, as well as Osceola, Dunlap and Mishawaka, using buses that look like trolley cars. These buses are manufactured at government expense in RV facilities of Elkhart County. The county's only Amtrak and Greyhound bus stations are in Elkhart.

Elkhart, Nappanee, and Goshen all have municipal airports. Amtrak makes four daily stops in Elkhart.

Education

The county has seven public school districts, seven private schools, and one college. Several other colleges have satellite campuses in the city of Elkhart.

Public schools

The Elkhart Community Schools, the largest district, serves the populated northwest side of the county. The system includes fourteen elementary schools (Beardsley, Bristol, Cleveland, Eastwood, Hawthorne, Mary Beck, Mary Daly, Mary Feeser, Monger, Osolo, Pinewood, Riverview, Roosevelt STEAM Academy, and Woodland), three middle schools (North Side, Pierre Moran, and West Side), two high schools (Central and Memorial), which in 2020 merged into a singular Elkhart High School, one alternative school (Tipton Street Center), and the Elkhart Area Career Center.

The Middlebury Community Schools serve the northeast side of the county. This system includes four elementary schools (Jefferson, Middlebury, Orchard View, and York), one intermediate school (Heritage), one middle school, and one high school both named Northridge.

The Fairfield Community Schools serve the county's southeast corner. This system includes three elementary schools (Benton, Millersburg, and New Paris) and a junior-senior high school named Fairfield.

The Wa-Nee Community Schools serve the southwest portion of the county. This system consists of three elementary schools (Nappanee, Wakarusa, and Woodview), a middle school, and a high school both named NorthWood.

The Baugo Community Schools serve the west-central part of the county. This system is made up of an elementary, an intermediate, a junior high, and a high school each named Jimtown.

The Concord Community Schools serve the southeast side of the city of Elkhart and northwest Goshen. This system consists of four elementary schools (East Side, Ox Bow, South Side, and West Side), an intermediate school, a junior high school, and a high school; all named Concord.

Finally, the Goshen Community Schools serve the central part of Elkhart County. This system is made up of seven elementary schools (Chamberlain, Chandler, Model, Parkside, Prairieview, Waterford, and West Goshen), a middle and a high school all named Goshen.

Private schools

In addition to the public schools, there are nine private schools in the county. Kessington Christian School (grades PK-12) is in Bristol; Elkhart Christian Academy (grades K-12), Trinity Lutheran School (grades K-8), St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (grades PK-8), and St. Thomas the Apostle School (grades K-8) are in Elkhart; while Bethany Christian (grades 4–12), Bashor Alternative School (grades 4–10), St. John the Evangelist Catholic School (grades PK-6), and Clinton Christian School (grades K-12) are in Goshen.

Higher education

Elkhart County has six institutions for higher learning, two of which are solely located in the county: Goshen College, a small Mennonite liberal arts college of 1000 students in Goshen; and the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, which has been operating on Elkhart's south side since 1958.

The city of Elkhart has four satellite campuses within its city limits. Bethel College of Mishawaka has a small satellite campus on the south side, Indiana Institute of Technology has a small operation on Middlebury Street, Indiana University South Bend has its "Elkhart Center" downtown, and Ivy Tech Community College has a campus as well.

Recreation

County parks and lands

A view of the mill at Bonneyville Mill County Park Bonneyville.jpg
A view of the mill at Bonneyville Mill County Park

Bonneyville Mill Park consists of 223 acres (0.90 km2) of rolling hills, marshes, and woodlands on the Little Elkhart River east of Bristol. The park offers hiking trails, fishing spots, shelters, and guided tours of Bonneyville Mill. The mill is still used to produce flour.

Ox Bow Park sits on 113 acres (0.46 km2) overlooking the Elkhart River midway between Elkhart and Goshen. The park offers hiking trails, shelters, disc golf, and an archery range.

River Preserve Park is 1,050 acres (4.2 km2) located between Benton and the Goshen Dam also on the Elkhart River. The park also offers several trails and shelters and provides insight into the history of Indiana's waterways.

Treasure Island Park offers fishing and canoe access to the St. Joseph River west of Elkhart while the Turkey Creek (two miles south of Goshen) and Wolf Lake (two miles north of Goshen) sites have no public access but are described as "future parks."

The cities and towns of Elkhart County also have numerous parks and greenways. [39]

Museums

Sports team

Elkhart's North Side Gymnasium was home to the Elkhart Express International Basketball League team. However, after (2) winning seasons, the Express ceased to exist in 2009.

Annual events

A typical scene at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair ECFair.jpg
A typical scene at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair

All of these events draw in many people every year, but the biggest event, by far, in the county is the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. This nine-day event is one of the largest county fairs in the United States. [42]

Media

The Elkhart Truth and The Goshen News are the two daily newspapers that serve the county while Bristol, Middlebury, and Nappanee all have weekly newspapers.

Elkhart County lies in the South Bend-Elkhart television market, the 89th largest in the United States as of 2008. [43] One television station, WSJV-TV (Fox), is located in Elkhart along with several radio stations including WTRC, WLEG, WFRN and WVPE (NPR). Radio Stations WKAM and Goshen College's WGCS are located in Goshen.

Notable media mentions

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goshen, Indiana</span> City in Indiana, United States

Goshen is a city in and the county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. It is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Elkhart–Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend–Elkhart–Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the northern part of Indiana near the Michigan border, in a region known as Michiana. Goshen is located 10 miles southeast of Elkhart, 25 miles southeast of South Bend, 120 miles east of Chicago, and 150 miles north of Indianapolis. The population of Goshen was 34,517 at the 2020 census.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunlap, Indiana</span> Census-designated place in Indiana, United States

Dunlap is a census-designated place (CDP) in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,235 at the 2010 census. Once a small farming community, by the 1980s it had become a suburb of Elkhart and Goshen, Indiana. Most of the town was destroyed by two violent F4 tornadoes during the Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak on April 11, 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elkhart, Indiana</span> City in Indiana, United States

Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located 15 miles (24 km) east of South Bend, Indiana. Elkhart has the larger population of the two principal cities of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area, in a region commonly known as Michiana. The population was 53,923 at the 2020 census. Despite the shared name and being the most populous city in the county, it is not the county seat of Elkhart County; that position is held by the city of Goshen, located about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Elkhart.

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Middlebury is a town in Middlebury Township, Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. It is located approximately 35 miles east of South Bend, 130 miles east of Chicago, Illinois and 165 miles north of Indianapolis. Middlebury is nestled in Northern Indiana's Amish country. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 3,420.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nappanee, Indiana</span> City in Indiana, United States

Nappanee is a city in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 6,648 as of the 2010 U.S. Census and had grown to 6,913 by the 2020 U.S. Census. The name Nappanee is thought to mean "flour" in the Algonquian language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakarusa, Indiana</span> Town in Indiana, United States

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The Barns at Nappanee, Home of Amish Acres, formerly known solely as Amish Acres, is a tourist attraction in Nappanee, Indiana, created from an eighty-acre (thirty-two-hectare) Old Order Amish farm. The farm was purchased in October 1968 at auction from the Manasses Kuhns’ estate. The farm was homesteaded by Moses Stahly in 1873. Moses was the son of pioneer Christian Stahly who emigrated from Germany with his widowed mother Barbara and three brothers to the southwest corner of Elkhart County in 1839; making them, perhaps, the earliest Amish settlers in Indiana.

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Jamestown is an unincorporated community in Baugo Township, Elkhart County, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bend–Mishawaka metropolitan area</span> Combined Statistical Area in the United States

The South Bend–Mishawaka Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Michiana, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in northern Indiana and one in southwest Michigan (Cass), anchored by the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka in Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 319,224.

Interurban Trolley is an Elkhart County regional public bus service operated by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). It was originally known as the BUS system. The system serves the city of Elkhart and neighboring Goshen, Osceola, Dunlap and Mishawaka. It is made up of five fixed routes that radiate from downtown Elkhart and an on-demand para-transit service that covers the same territory as the fixed routes. The name refers to the fact that the system serves several communities using vintage-trolley-style buses, evoking interurban trains that were common in United States during the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stahly–Nissley–Kuhns Farm</span> United States historic place

The Stahly–Nissley–Kuhns Farm is a historic farm located at Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana. Nappanee was established in 1874. The Farm is part of Amish Acres, which includes the old farmstead and additional structures brought in to show Amish life.

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41°36′N85°52′W / 41.60°N 85.86°W / 41.60; -85.86