Elkhart, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elkhart, Indiana
City
Main Street in downtown Elkhart
Flag
Nicknames:  The City with a Heart, Hart City, The RV Capital of the World
Location of Elkhart in Elkhart County, Indiana.
Elkhart, Indiana Location in Indiana Show map of Indiana Elkhart, Indiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Elkhart
Government
• Type	Mayor - council
Area
• Total	28.47 sq mi (73.74 km2)
• Land	27.51 sq mi (71.25 km2)
• Water	0.96 sq mi (2.50 km2)
Elevation	748 ft (228 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	53,923
• Density	1,960.27/sq mi (756.86/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	46514, 46515, 46516, 46517
Area code(s)	574
FIPS code	18-20728
GNIS feature ID	2394653
Website	http://www.elkhartindiana.org/

Elkhart (/ˈɛlkɑːrt/ EL-kart) is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. About 53,923 people lived there in 2020. The city is located about 15 miles (24 km) east of South Bend, Indiana. Elkhart is the largest city in its local metropolitan area. This area is part of a bigger region called Michiana.

History of Elkhart

The St. Joseph River widens as it flows west through Elkhart.

When the Northwest Territory was formed in 1787, the Elkhart area was home to the Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomi Native American tribes. In 1829, a small village called Pulaski was started. It had a post office, a mill, and a few houses.

In 1821, Dr. Havilah Beardsley bought land from Pierre Moran, a Potawatomi Chief. Dr. Beardsley wanted to build a new town called Elkhart. The town of Elkhart was first planned with 48 lots in 1832. In 1839, the Pulaski Post Office officially became the Elkhart Post Office.

Many early settlers in Elkhart County came from New England. Later, in the late 1800s, people of Irish and German backgrounds moved to Elkhart. Most came from other parts of the Midwest, like Ohio.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, factories making musical instruments and other goods opened. The Miles Medical Company also started here. In 1934, the first factory for recreational vehicles (RVs) opened in Elkhart. More RV companies followed, and by 1949, Elkhart became known as the "RV Capital of the World."

Building Elkhart's Infrastructure

In 1851, the first railroad line was built through Elkhart. This helped the city's population grow a lot. Today, Norfolk Southern is the main railroad company here. Amtrak also has two trains, the Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited, that stop at the Elkhart station.

In 1867, the Elkhart Hydraulic Company built a dam across the St. Joseph River. This dam helped power the city's machines. Today, the dam still makes electricity for the city.

In 1889, Elkhart had one of the world's first electric streetcar systems. It is no longer used today.

Many historic buildings and places in Elkhart are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Albert R. Beardsley House and the Lerner Theatre.

How Elkhart Got Its Name

The name Elkhart comes from "Elks-heart," referring to the now extinct Eastern elk. This name has been used for the Elkhart River and the area since at least 1749. At that time, a Miami village here was called Coeur de cerf in French, meaning "elk's heart."

Later, the Potawatomi lived here. In their language, the place was called mzewəodeʔig, also meaning "at the elk heart."

Some stories say the name came from two women fighting over an elk's heart. Other historians think it's because an island in the Elkhart River looks like an elk's heart.

Geography and Climate

Elkhart covers about 24.4 square miles (63.2 sq km). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The city is located where the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers meet. The Elkhart River flows into the St. Joseph River at Island Park. There are also several small lakes nearby.

Elkhart's Climate

Elkhart has a humid continental climate. This means it has cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers.

People of Elkhart

In 2020, Elkhart had a population of 53,923 people. The city is home to a diverse group of residents.

Population Details

In 2010, there were 50,949 people living in Elkhart. About 36.9% of households had children under 18. The average age in the city was 32.7 years old.

Elkhart's Economy

Downtown Elkhart from the Riverwalk.

Elkhart is famous for two main industries: recreational vehicles (RVs) and musical instruments. It is known as the "RV Capital of the World" and the "Band Instrument Capital of the World."

Key Industries

Many companies that make musical instruments and accessories have a long history in Elkhart. Other important industries include medicines, electronic parts, and manufactured housing. Elkhart is also home to the Robert Young Rail Yards, one of the largest freight train yards in the world.

In 1884, Franklin Miles started the Miles Medical Co. in Elkhart. This company later made famous products like Alka-Seltzer and Flintstones Vitamins. A German company, Bayer, bought Miles Medical Co. in 1978. By 2006, Bayer had stopped all manufacturing in Elkhart.

Some RV manufacturers in Elkhart today include Forest River Inc, Hy-Line, Keystone, and Thor Motor Coach.

NIBCO INC. (Northern Indiana Brass Company) has been in Elkhart for over 100 years. It is a family business that makes products for controlling liquid flow. Elkhart Brass Manufacturing also makes equipment for firefighters.

In 2009, Elkhart faced economic challenges, and its unemployment rate was high. However, the economy has improved, and the unemployment rate has been lower than the national average since 2013.

Arts and Culture

Theater and Shows

The front of the Lerner Theater, then named the ELCO, in downtown Elkhart.

The Bucklen Opera House opened in 1884 and could seat 1200 people. It was a popular stop for shows traveling between New York and Chicago. The first movie was shown there in 1896. The Bucklen Opera House was torn down in 1986.

The Lerner Theatre, once called the ELCO Performing Arts Center, is a smaller theater downtown. It was built in 1924. After its owner died in 1987, the city bought the theater in 1990 to save it. Locals helped raise money for its restoration.

The ELCO was renamed The Lerner after an $18 million renovation. It reopened in June 2011. Today, it hosts many concerts, special events, and local plays.

Museums to Explore

Elkhart has several interesting museums:

• Woodlawn Nature Center is a small natural history museum with 10 acres of woods.
• The Midwest Museum of American Art has over 6,000 artworks. It also features 8-10 temporary exhibits each year.
• The National New York Central Railroad Museum shares the history of several railroads, including the New York Central and Amtrak.
• The RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum, which celebrates Elkhart's role as the RV Capital, has moved to a new building.
• The Ruthmere Museum was once the home of Albert R. and Elizabeth Baldwin Beardsley, descendants of the city's founder. It shows a collection of fine arts and how the home looked in the 1910s and 1920s.
• The Havilah Beardsley House is also part of the Ruthmere Museum Campus. Built in 1848, it belonged to Elkhart's founder, Havilah Beardsley. It has been restored to look like it did in the 1870s.

Fun Events in Elkhart

• The Elkhart Jazz Festival is a three-day event in late June. It takes place by the Elkhart River and is known as one of the best jazz festivals in the country.
• Each June, the Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department holds the Rhapsody Arts & Music Festival. This event at Island Park features live music and food.
• The Elkhart Air Show used to be an annual event at the Elkhart Municipal Airport. It showed many different airplanes. The show was canceled in 2007.

Elkhart Public Library

The city has the Elkhart Public Library, which has four different locations.

Sports and Recreation

Sports Teams

The Elkhart County Miracle is a proposed minor league baseball team. They were supposed to start playing in 2015. As of 2023, the team plays out of NorthWood Field of Dreams in Nappanee, IN.

The Elkhart Express was a semi-professional men's basketball team. They played their home games at North Side Gymnasium. The team won championships in 2006 and 2007 but stopped playing in 2009.

Parks and Fun Places

Elkhart's downtown riverwalk on a wintry evening.

Elkhart has 35 different parks and facilities. These include parks, pavilions, a waterpark, a public pool, a softball complex, two skateparks, and greenways. The downtown riverwalk now has a path for ice-skating in winter and roller-blading in summer.

The NIBCO Water and Ice Park in downtown Elkhart opened in 2007. It is a year-round park with an ice skating path in winter and a splash pad in summer. A spray park was also built at McNaughton Park in 2007.

Wellfield Botanic Gardens is a 36-acre "living museum" with over 20 themed gardens. It hosts public events throughout the year.

Education in Elkhart

Public Schools

Three school districts serve different parts of Elkhart:

• The Baugo Community Schools serve the southwest side of the city. They have one elementary school, an intermediate school, a junior high, and a high school, all named Jimtown.
• The Concord Community Schools serve the southeast side of Elkhart. This system has four elementary schools, an intermediate school, a junior high, and a high school, all named Concord.
• The Elkhart Community Schools is the largest district. It serves most of the city. It includes fourteen elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school (Elkhart High School). It also has an alternative school and a career center.

Private Schools

Elkhart also has several private religious schools:

• Elkhart Christian Academy (grades K-12)
• Trinity Lutheran School (K-8)
• St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (K-8)
• St. Thomas the Apostle School (K-8)

Two private non-religious schools are:

• The Montessori School of Elkhart (pre-K through Grade 6)
• Cornerstone Christian Montessori School (K-6)

Colleges and Universities

Several colleges and universities have locations in Elkhart:

• Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
• Bethel College (a small location)
• Beulah Bible College & Seminary
• Indiana Institute of Technology (a small operation)
• Indiana University South Bend (has an Elkhart Center downtown)
• Ivy Tech Community College (has a campus near County Road 17)

Media and News

The Elkhart Truth is the main newspaper for Elkhart and the county.

Elkhart is part of the South Bend-Elkhart television market. One TV station, WSJV-TV, is located in Elkhart. There are also several radio stations, including WTRC and WVPE (NPR). Other TV stations from nearby cities also serve Elkhart.

Transportation

Major Roads

Elkhart is located on the Indiana Toll Road (Interstates 80/90). It is also on the eastern part of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway (U.S. Route 20). State Road 19 runs through the city.

Train Travel

Amtrak, the national passenger train system, serves the Elkhart Train Station. Two routes, the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited, stop here. These trains connect Elkhart to major cities like Chicago, Washington, DC, New York City, and Boston.

Airports Near Elkhart

Elkhart Municipal Airport (EKM) is on the city's northwest side. It offers charter flights, but no commercial flights. The closest airport with commercial airlines is South Bend International Airport (SBN).

The Mishawaka Pilots Club Airport is a private airport near Elkhart.

Interurban Trolley Bus Service

Elkhart is a main stop for the Interurban Trolley bus service. This service connects Elkhart to nearby towns like Goshen, Osceola, Dunlap, and Mishawaka. The buses look like old-fashioned trolleys. The Interurban Trolley runs every day except Sundays and major holidays.

Connecting to Other Transit

The Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route connects with TRANSPO's bus service in Mishawaka. This allows riders to travel to downtown South Bend. The North Pointe Route stops at Elkhart's Greyhound bus station. The Elkhart-Goshen and Concord routes stop near the Elkhart Train Station.

Famous People from Elkhart

• Erich Barnes, football player
• Lindsay Benko, Olympic swimmer (gold medalist)
• Charles G. Conn, founder of Conn Musical Instruments
• David Darling, classical cellist
• Andrea Drews, United States women's national volleyball team player
• Jean Hagen, actress (starred in Singin' in the Rain)
• Thomas Hampson, opera singer
• Shawn Kemp, former NBA basketball player
• Paul W. Klipsch, founder of Klipsch Audio Technologies
• Deirdre Lovejoy, actress
• Philip Myers, principal horn player with the New York Philharmonic
• Carrie Newcomer, musician and songwriter
• Peter Reckell, actor
• Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears football player
• Connie Smith, country musician and singer
• Robert Spano, music director

Sister Cities

Elkhart has four sister cities around the world:

• Burton upon Trent, England, United Kingdom
• Kardzhali, Bulgaria
• Tongxiang, China
• Apan, México

Images for kids

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  Flag of Elkhart, Indiana

See also

In Spanish: Elkhart (Indiana) para niños