Nappanee, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nappanee, Indiana
City
Downtown Nappanee
Location of Nappanee in Elkhart County and Kosciusko County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Counties	Elkhart, Kosciusko
Area
• Total	4.78 sq mi (12.37 km2)
• Land	4.78 sq mi (12.37 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	863 ft (263 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,949
• Density	1,455.29/sq mi (561.91/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	46550
Area code(s)	574
FIPS code	18-52020
GNIS feature ID	2395150

Nappanee is a city located in Indiana, USA. It's found in both Elkhart and Kosciusko counties. In 2020, about 6,949 people lived here. The name Nappanee might mean "flour" in the old Algonquian language.

Nappanee's Story

Long ago, Mound Builders, who were early Native American groups, built settlements north of Nappanee's marshy areas. Later, in the 1700s, the Pottawatomi people arrived from near Green Bay, Wisconsin. They settled in areas along the Elkhart River. A road near Nappanee likely follows an old Native American trail.

The first European settlers came to this area around 1830. This happened after treaties and a difficult journey, known by the Pottawatomi as the "Trail of Death," moved Native Americans away from their traditional lands.

A Town Built by the Railroad

By 1870, Nappanee was home to about forty people and seven farms. The nearby area of Locke Township was founded in 1836.

In 1872, the B&O Railroad wanted to build a railway from Sandusky, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois. The land around Nappanee was flat but also marshy, which made building the tracks tricky. The railway through Nappanee was finished in late 1874. Farmers sold land so the tracks could run right next to the new town.

On December 6, 1874, the railroad started service to what they called Locke's Station. Soon after, Daniel Metzler, Henry Stahly, and John Culp Jr. officially planned the town of Nappanee. Culp gave the railroad land for a station. By 1875, trains were bringing goods and people to the new depot almost every day. The name Nappanee might have come from Napanee, Ontario, or from its Native American meaning. The B&O Railroad later became CSX.

How Nappanee Grew

Nappanee's first business was a sawmill. Later, companies making boxes, charcoal, and furniture opened. A brickyard, using local materials, started before 1879. A canning company began in 1894.

After World War II, companies like Walco and Franklin Coach Company started building mobile homes in Nappanee. Farming has always been important here, with corn and wheat being major crops. In the early 1900s, onions became a big crop, leading to an autumn festival. Farmers also grew hemp, spearmint, and peppermint.

Nappanee was governed as a township until 1889 when it became an official town. It then elected a town marshal and started a fire company and waterworks. A town library began in 1895 and became a public library in 1925. In 1925, Nappanee officially became a city.

In the early 1900s, several people from Nappanee became famous cartoonists. These included Merrill Blosser, Max Gwin, Bill Holman, Fred Neher, and Henry Maust. A marker outside the public library celebrates Nappanee's cartooning history.

Several historic buildings and areas in Nappanee are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Frank and Katharine Coppes House and the Downtown Nappanee Historic District.

In October 2007, a tornado hit Nappanee, injuring at least five people. It damaged many buildings, including three recreational vehicle factories that were major employers. The town has since recovered.

The Amish Community in Nappanee

The Amish are a religious group that started in Switzerland in 1525. They were part of the Radical Reformation, which was a movement against some Catholic practices. The Amish were often treated unfairly because of their beliefs. In the late 1600s, a group led by Jakob Ammann separated to form the Amish group, named after him.

In the 1700s, the Amish moved to Pennsylvania because William Penn promised religious freedom there. Later, in 1841, Amish families from Holmes County, Ohio, moved to Middlebury. Nappanee's Amish community started with early Amish immigrants from Germany who came to Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s.

Amish families, who became Old Order Amish, first arrived in southwest Elkhart County in the early 1840s. Other religious groups also followed. The first Mennonite Church in the area was founded in 1854. Nappanee is still surrounded by farms belonging to conservative Anabaptist groups, including the Amish, Mennonites, and the Schwarzenau Brethren.

Historic Places to See

Several places in Nappanee are listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of their importance:

• Arthur Miller House
• Frank and Katharine Coppes House
• Downtown Nappanee Historic District
• Nappanee Eastside Historic District
• Nappanee West Park and Pavilion
• Stahly–Nissley–Kuhns Farm

Nappanee's Geography

Nappanee covers about 4.15 square miles of land.

Today, Nappanee is surrounded by good farmland. However, it was once a difficult area to settle because of dense woods and many swamps. The water in Nappanee drains into two different systems. Water south of Market Street flows into the Wabash River, then to the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and finally the Gulf of Mexico. Water north of Market Street drains into the Great Lakes, and then to the St. Lawrence River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Population and People

Nappanee from above.

Nappanee's Population in 2010

In 2010, Nappanee had 6,648 people living in 2,545 households. About 94.8% of the people were White. Around 6.2% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 37.8% of households had children under 18. The average age in the city was 34.8 years old.

The Amish Community Today

Nappanee is home to a large Amish community that started in 1842. It is the sixth largest Amish settlement, with about 5,910 people in 43 congregations as of 2017.

Education in Nappanee

The Wa-nee Community Schools group includes schools from both Wakarusa and Nappanee. Over 375 teachers and staff work for these schools. Wa-nee schools are known for their strong academic, sports, and other programs.

• NorthWood High School - This high school is recognized for providing quality education.
• NorthWood Middle School and Wakarusa Elementary - These schools are part of the Wa-nee Community Schools and are located in Wakarusa.
• Nappanee Elementary - This school is located within Nappanee.
• Woodview Elementary - This school is on the edge of Nappanee.

The Nappanee Public Library offers free books and resources to the community.

Transportation

Until March 7, 2005, the Nappanee station was a stop for Amtrak's Three Rivers train. This train connected Nappanee to Chicago and New York.

Nappanee's Economy

Nappanee is an important center for two main industries:

• Recreational Vehicle (RV) Manufacturing: Many RVs are made here.
• Amish Crafts and Tourism: The local Amish community contributes to a thriving craft and tourism industry.

Many Amish and Mennonite families live in the area. They work in farming, the RV industry, or in woodworking trades. After a damaging tornado in 2007, Nappanee's economy faced challenges but has since recovered. Since 2014, a major bus assembly plant owned by the British company Alexander Dennis has been located in the town.

Fun Things to Do

Amish Acres

Amish Acres is a historic farm and resort. It has a preserved barn and an Amish house that show what Amish life is like. Amish Acres celebrates the Amish culture. Its old Round Barn was moved and now has a theater inside where shows are performed. Visitors can also enjoy real Amish-style food. Amish Acres offers tours of an Amish house and horse-drawn carriage rides. It is also the home of Nappanee's Arts and Crafts Festival.

Festivals

The Nappanee Apple Festival

The Nappanee Apple Festival happens every year in the third week of September. It lasts for three and a half days. The festival features:

• Over 100 craft booths
• 50 commercial booths
• 20 food vendors
• Two stages for entertainment
• A big parade and an airplane flyover on Saturday morning

Every year, Nappanee bakes a giant seven-foot-wide apple pie that weighs 600 pounds! An Apple Blossom Queen is chosen from NorthWood High School each year. In 2011, over 76,000 people visited the Nappanee Apple Festival, making it one of Indiana's largest festivals. More than 200 Nappanee volunteers help with the festival every year. Other activities include:

• Apple peeling contests
• A 5K road run and half marathon
• Apple pie eating contests
• Goldfish races
• A wings & wheels show (cars and airplanes)
• Tractor pulls and antique farm equipment shows
• Apple baking contests
• Kids' and adult pedal pull contests
• A talent show and a scholarship pageant

Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival

The Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival takes place around the pond at Amish Acres. It has won many awards, including being named one of the TOP 100 Events in North America by The American Bus Association multiple times. Readers of Sunshine Artist magazine have ranked it as one of the best craft shows in America. The festival has also been recognized as a top attraction for group travel in Indiana.

The festival attracts visitors from far away cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, Toledo, and Detroit. The grounds at Amish Acres can hold up to 300 booths, featuring artists from many different cities and countries.

Parks in Nappanee

Nappanee has nine parks for everyone to enjoy:

• Borkholder Nature Center & Wetlands
• Callander Sportsplex
• McCormick Creek Golf Course
• Nappanee Dog Park
• Recovery Park
• South Park
• Stauffer Park
• Wellfield Park
• West Park

Famous People from Nappanee

Amish Acres, a popular tourist attraction in Nappanee.

• Merrill Blosser, who created the comic strip Freckles and His Friends
• David Crane, who created the video game Pitfall! and helped start Activision
• Vance George, a conductor for the San Francisco Symphony Chorus
• Bill Holman, who created the comic strip Smokey Stover
• Fred Neher, who created the comic strip Life’s Like That
• Bob Rensberger, a professional basketball player for the Chicago Stags
• Diane Meyer Simon, an environmental activist

Twin City

Nappanee has a "twin city" in Canada:

• Greater Napanee, Ontario

See also

In Spanish: Nappanee (Indiana) para niños