57-615: Mishawaka ( / ˌ m ɪ ʃ ə ˈ w ɑː k ə / ) is a city on the St. Joseph River , in Penn Township , St. Joseph County , in the U.S. state of Indiana . The population was 51,063 as of the 2020 census . Its nickname is "the Princess City." Mishawaka is a principal city of the South Bend -Mishawaka, Indiana — Michigan, Metropolitan Statistical Area . Mishawaka's recorded history began with
114-827: A public library , a branch of the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library system. One major daily newspaper serving the South Bend and Mishawaka metro area, the South Bend Tribune . It is distributed in north central Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Mishawaka has a wide variety of local radio broadcast available in the area. Stations' programming content contains a wide variety including public radio , classical music , religious , country , and urban contemporary among others. For more information, see List of Radio Stations in Mishawaka, Indiana . As of 2013,
171-493: A Michigan author, politician and judge, who published a collection of stories in 1875; in Littlejohn's account, the woman's name was "Mishawaha".The story later became popular and help foster the legend that is known to this day. According to the 2010 census, Mishawaka has a total area of 17.348 square miles (44.93 km), of which 17 square miles (44.03 km) (or 97.99%) is land and 0.348 square miles (0.90 km) (or 2.01%)
228-508: A bridge carrying a train, which had over 150 people on board, collapsed, killing 60. In September 1872, a fire destroyed three quarters of Mishawaka's business district. However, the citizens rebuilt and attracted new industry. The Dodge Manufacturing Company, Perkins Windmills and the Mishawaka Woolen and Rubber Company (later Ball Band, then Uniroyal ) all helped the town to prosper. Mishawaka grew through both industry and agriculture. In
285-685: A variety of paddling and fishing environments. Historically, the river served as an important canoe transportation route for various Native American tribes, and for French Canadian Voyageurs . The St. Joseph River watershed drains 4,685 square miles (12,130 km ) from 15 counties: Berrien , Branch , Calhoun , Cass , Hillsdale , Kalamazoo , St. Joseph and Van Buren in Michigan and DeKalb , Elkhart , Kosciusko , LaGrange , Noble , St. Joseph and Steuben in Indiana. The watershed includes 3,742 river miles (6,022 km) and flows through and near
342-418: A vital habitat for resident species as well, such as wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ), coyote ( Canis latrans ), fox, beaver ( Castor canadensis ), mink ( Neogale vison ), Indiana bat ( Myotis sodalis ), eastern box turtle ( Terrapene carolina carolina ), and the rare spotted turtle ( Clemmys guttata ) and northern redbelly snake ( Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata ), both protected by
399-496: A wall of water, 3 to 5 feet (0.91 to 1.52 m) high, up the river at St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. This raised the level of the river by 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m). The cause of the seiche was unknown, but has been attributed to a sudden squall or change in atmospheric pressure. Factories located in South Bend because of access to the river and hydro-power created in the East and West Races. The water rights to what would become
456-634: A wide meandering route generally northwest through Niles and past Berrien Springs . Just North of Niles it receives the Dowagiac River . It divides St. Joseph and Benton Harbor , receiving the Paw Paw River from the north approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from its mouth in St. Joseph on Lake Michigan. There are 190 dams in the St. Joseph River watershed, and 17 on the river mainstem. Most of these dams block fish passage, although fish ladders constructed on
513-486: Is also mentioned by The History Museum of South Bend, and other sources. The nickname "Princess City", however, derives from a different account of the name's origin. According to this story, "Mishawaka" or something similar was the name of the daughter of a Shawnee chief named "Elkhart". A love triangle between Mishawaka, a white trader named "Dead Shot", and a Shawnee warrior named "Grey Wolf" led to various adventures. This story originated with Flavius J. Littlejohn ,
570-866: Is building a hydroelectric dam on the waterway. The project was funded by the University of Notre Dame . Two sites in the river basin, Moccasin Bluff and Fort St. Joseph , are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . Carey Mission , Fort Miami , and Burnett Trading Post are listed as State Registered Historic Sites . Before European settlement, the watershed was dominated by deciduous forests consisting of maple, ash, oak, elm, walnut, and beech species, along with pockets of white, red and jack pine species. There were also prairies up to several miles across, which were grazed by elk ( Cervus canadensis ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), moose ( Alces alces ), and bison ( Bison bison ). By 1900
627-528: Is built in Mishawaka at an AM General plant. AM General has begun making Mercedes vehicles at this plant since 2015. One theory for the word Mishawaka proposes that it derives from the name of a Potawatomi village at the junction of the Elkhart and St. Joseph rivers, where there were many dead trees. The village's exact name in the Potawatomi language may have been * mšwakig ("at the firewood-tree land"). In
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#1732854633629684-447: Is often difficult, since methodologies, definitions and data quality can vary greatly. Since the 1990s, the OECD has conducted regular surveys among its 38 member countries using a standardized methodology and set of questions. Per capita income is often used to measure a sector's average income and compare the wealth of different populations. Per capita income is also often used to measure
741-405: Is water. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $ 33,986, and the median income for a family was $ 41,947. Males had a median income of $ 33,878 versus $ 23,672 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 18,434. About 7.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. As of
798-521: The Illinois Country . European American settlement of the St. Joseph river basin area began to increase in earnest after southwestern Michigan was surveyed in 1829. From the early 1830s until 1846, the river bore various commodities from upstream to a busy port at St. Joseph, where they were loaded onto lake boats for shipment to Chicago and elsewhere. On April 11, 1893, a Lake Michigan seiche (a phenomenon similar to an ocean tsunami ) pushed
855-455: The Miami-Illinois language , which historically was also spoken in the area, the corresponding placename is mihswaahkwahkiki ("it is firewood-tree land"). The most probable origin of the word comes from the city's government website, where in a history of Mishawaka paper written by local historian Peter DeKever states, "The Potawatomi had numerous villages in the region, including one on
912-775: The Old Sauk Trail , a major east-west Indian trail, crossed the river. The indigenous trade and navigation networks in the area allowed for extensive trade and movement of people, which allowed early Europeans access to the area in 1675 when Père Jacques Marquette was guided up the Mississippi River via the Illinois River , then to the Kankakee River and portaged to Sakiwasipi and then down to Lake Michigan. On November 1, 1679 René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle sailed southeast across Lake Michigan and built Fort Miami at
969-549: The Potawatomi Chief Baw Beese . The river follows a zigzag route generally westward across southern Michigan, dipping into northern Indiana. From its headwaters, it flows initially northwest past Hillsdale into southeastern Calhoun County , then turns abruptly southwest to flow past Tekonsha , Union City , Sherwood , and Mendon . At Three Rivers it is joined from the north by the Rocky and Portage rivers, and by
1026-459: The Potawatomi and early settlers used spears, seines and dip nets to catch their annual supply of fish. The abundance of lake sturgeon made the area around Niles famous in the mid-to late-1800s. Fish up to 12 feet (3.7 m) long and 300 pounds (140 kg) were taken by anglers, and their roe was exported to Russia as caviar. Sturgeon used to migrate as far as Hillsdale County, Michigan , and Sturgeon Lake near Colon, Michigan , still bears
1083-722: The Prairie River from the east, after making an abrupt turn south. At Constantine it receives the Fawn River from the east. Next, after returning to a southwest course, it receives the Pigeon River from the east, near the Michigan– Indiana state line. In northern Indiana, the river flows west-southwest through Elkhart , Mishawaka , and South Bend , where it turns abruptly to north to re-enter southwestern Michigan in southeastern Berrien County . In southwestern Michigan, it follows
1140-628: The South Bend Community School Corporation . Mishawaka High School is the sole high school of the Mishawaka school district. School City of Mishawaka (School District of Mishawaka) contains a total of 9 Schools including 2 secondary Schools: Mishawaka High and John Young Middle School, and 7 Elementary Schools which includes the following: Battell, Beiger, Emmons, Hums, LaSalle, Liberty, and Twin Branch. Penn-Harris elementary schools serving sections of Mishawaka include Walt Disney (in
1197-454: The St. Joe ) is a 210-mile-long (340 km) river that flows in a generally westerly direction through southern Michigan and northern Indiana , United States , before emptying into Lake Michigan . The St. Joseph River drainage basin covers 4,685 square miles (12,130 km ), and is the third largest watershed draining to Lake Michigan. The land within its bounds is primarily used for agriculture . The river and its tributaries provide
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#17328546336291254-523: The census of 2010, there were 48,252 people, 21,343 households, and 11,730 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,838.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,095.9/km). There were 24,088 housing units at an average density of 1,416.9 per square mile (547.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White , 6.9% African American , 0.4% Native American , 1.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.6% from other races , and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of
1311-590: The salmonid runs were extended to the Twin Branch Dam in Indiana, a distance of 63 miles (101 km) from Lake Michigan. This enabled the trout and salmon to spawn in coldwater tributaries such as McCoy Creek . Although completion of fish ladders on the lowest five mainstem dams in 1992 allowed salmonine passage as far as Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka, Indiana , 94% of the fish that pass are salmon and trout, as
1368-582: The salmonids to run an additional 10 miles (16 km) upstream to the Buchanan Dam. In 1980 the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and United States Fish and Wildlife Service signed the "St. Joseph River Interstate Cooperative Salmonid Management Plan", which led to construction of fish ladders at the Buchanan, Niles, South Bend and Mishawaka dams. By 1992
1425-481: The 1940s and began a slow decline due to industrial restructuring. The economic base shifted to retail services and small industry. In 1979, University Park Mall opened in the far northern portion of Mishawaka. In 1990, AM General began producing the Hummer in its Mishawaka plant. The MV-1 is a purpose-built taxicab and replaces the planned Standard Taxi ; it was developed in collaboration with AM General . The car
1482-586: The East and West Races were claimed by Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop Taylor in 1831, when the city of South Bend was founded. Although the idea of digging a mill race (man-made canal) was put forth in 1835, a dam and the East and West Races were not constructed until 1843. The construction was done by the South Bend Manufacturing Company, incorporated in December 1842 for this very purpose. The South Bend Manufacturing Company thus became owner of
1539-540: The Kalamazoo-Portage, Elkhart-Goshen, Mishawaka-South Bend, and St. Joseph/Benton Harbor metropolitan areas. The St. Joseph River main stem is 206 miles (332 km) long, rising in southern Michigan in Hillsdale County flowing from Baw Beese Lake , within 5 miles (8 km) of the headwaters of the other St. Joseph River of the eastward-flowing Maumee River watershed. Baw Beese Lake was historically named for
1596-593: The Mishawaka city limits), Elm Road, Meadow's Edge, Prairie Vista, and Elsie Rogers; the middle schools respectively are Schmucker and Grissom. Penn High School , outside of the city limits, is the sole public high school of the Penn-Harris-Madison school district. Aside from Walt Disney Elementary, none of the other respective schools are in the Mishawaka city limits. The school zonings for the South Bend School Corporation area are as follows (none of
1653-600: The Oliver Chilled Plow Works constructed a hydro-electric power plant on the waterway to supply electricity for light, heat, and power to the Oliver Opera House, Oliver Hotel, South Bend factories, and other Oliver buildings. Other sources of energy and changes in technology resulted in the canals no longer being used for industrial purposes. In the late 1940s the Indiana and Michigan Electric Company purchased
1710-772: The South Bend-Mishawaka-Elkhart designated market area was the 95th largest in the United States, with 319,860 (0.3% of the US population) homes. Most of the major television networks have affiliates in the Michiana area. Mishawaka located stations include WSBT-TV ( CBS ), WBND-LD ( ABC ), WCWW-LD ( CW ) and WMYS-LD ( My Network TV ). Stations located in nearby South Bend, IN include WNDU-TV ( NBC ), WNIT-TV ( PBS ) and WHME-TV ( LeSEA ). St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan) The St. Joseph River (known locally as
1767-489: The average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such as the American Community Survey . This allows the calculation of per capita income for both the country as a whole and specific regions or demographic groups. However, comparing per capita income across different countries
Mishawaka, Indiana - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-574: The city of Elkhart and the town of Osceola . The closest Amtrak station and the closest commercial airport are both located in western South Bend. Amtrak also has a stop in Elkhart which is a bit closer. Public schools in Mishawaka and/or serving Mishawaka are operated by several school districts. School City of Mishawaka serves the central part of the city. Other sections are within the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and
1881-494: The discovery of bog iron deposits at the beginning of the 1830s. Settlers arriving to mine the deposits founded the town of St. Joseph Iron Works in 1831. Within a few years, the town had a blast furnace, a general store, a tavern, and about 200 residents. Business prospered, and in 1833 St. Joseph Iron Works, Indiana City, and two other adjacent small towns were incorporated to form the city of Mishawaka. The Mishawaka post office has been in operation since 1833. On June 27, 1859,
1938-632: The early 1980s, the East Race canal was re-excavated. It was converted to a man-made whitewater kayaking course, now known as the East Race Waterway. 41°40′34″N 86°14′42″W / 41.676°N 86.245°W / 41.676; -86.245 In 1984, the abandoned East Race canal in South Bend, whose outlets were both at the river, was converted into the East Race Waterway , North America's first artificial whitewater waterway and
1995-451: The entire length of the main stem, if they are prepared to portage. Many of the larger tributaries offer opportunities for paddling, hiking, hunting, and fishing. A list of dams on the St. Joseph River. AKA Niles Dam Jack Mosley AKA Fairbanks Morse Dam St. Joseph River crossings are located in towns or cities within seven counties of two states . Per capita income Per capita income ( PCI ) or average income measures
2052-511: The first of four in the United States. Locals first proposed in 1973 that the 19th-century waterway be reopened; construction began in August 1982 and the East Race reopened on June 29, 1984. Through the use of movable barriers and obstacles, the East Race can be configured to provide a whitewater course for recreational and competitive canoeing, kayaking and rafting. In 2021, the East Race was temporarily closed for construction. The City of South Bend
2109-533: The headwaters in southwestern Michigan, where travelers could make a portage to the St. Joseph River of the Maumee River watershed, which drained into Lake Erie . The second major transfer point was at South Bend, Indiana, where a short portage to the nearby Kankakee River allowed access to the Illinois River and subsequently to the Mississippi. Another major access point along river was at Niles, Michigan, where
2166-496: The ladders were not designed to permit passage of migrating native fish. Historically, the migrating native species included lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ), bass (smallmouth and largemouth), redhorse (silver, golden, shorthead, river, and greater) ( Moxostoma ssp. ), walleye ( Sander vitreus ), lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ), lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ), northern pike ( Esox lucius ) and American pickerel ( E. americanus vermiculatus ). Every spring
2223-489: The late 19th century, Mishawaka became known as the "Peppermint Capital of the World", as its rich black loam produced great quantities of mint. From 1906 to 1915, Mishawaka was the manufacturing home of the luxurious American Simplex motor car. Ball Band made rubber garments and was hit by a major strike in 1931. It flourished in the 1940s, finally closing in 1997 in the face of cheaper imports. Manufacturing in Mishawaka peaked in
2280-401: The lower dams allow salmonine passage as far as the Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka, Indiana . But, the fish ladders are not adequate for many native species, such as sturgeon , and the dams tend to be built on the higher gradient portions of the river, which are the most critical river habitats for fish spawning. saakiiweesiipiiwi (Outlet River, also historically spelt Sakiwasipi ), as it
2337-576: The mouth of the river. La Salle named the river La Rivière des Miamis (River of the Miamis). At the end of 1679, La Salle followed indigenous trade routes in the opposite direction of that taken by Marquette; heading up the St. Joseph River and portaging to the Kankakee River, getting as far west on the Illinois River as modern-day Peoria, Illinois , before returning to Fort Miami. After giving up on
Mishawaka, Indiana - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-527: The name of this mighty fish. Now the spawning sturgeon rarely reach Niles, as they are impeded by the dam at Berrien Springs , reducing the length of the river used by them for spawning by 155 miles (249 km). Historically, ninety-seven species of fish were native to the St. Joseph River Basin. In 1994, the Friends of the St. Joe River (FotSJR), a non-profit conservation organization, was founded by Athens, Michigan , residents Al and Margaret Smith, to organize
2451-706: The nation's oldest and largest wiffleball tournament, the World Wiffle Ball Championship, from 1980 to 2012 and again in 2020. The city's three high schools ( Mishawaka High School , Penn High School , and Marian High School ) have won a combined 11 state championships in football since 1920. Mishawaka is served by TRANSPO municipal bus system, which also serves South Bend and several smaller suburbs in South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan region. The Interurban Trolley 's Bittersweet/Mishawaka route stops at Martin's Supermarket, connecting riders to
2508-498: The newer residential subdivisions that have been developed within the city in recent years have adopted design guidelines to produce the "hometown" neighborhood feel and encourage community spirit. The city continually upgrades and develops new neighborhood park and recreation facilities. A total of 29 parks allow Mishawaka residents to golf, play ball, fish and exercise. In 1968, the city opened an outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool and an adjacent ice skating rink at Merrifield Park. On
2565-517: The plan was developed, the river carried the greatest portion of atrazine into Lake Michigan. It is an agricultural herbicide associated with cancer even at low levels and is a very common contaminant of drinking water. The St. Joseph River is a trout and salmon sport fishery, encompassing 47 miles (76 km) of river in Michigan and 16 miles (26 km) in Indiana. The economic benefits to local Michigan and Indiana communities are estimated at several million dollars annually. Canoeists can travel
2622-443: The population. There were 21,343 households, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.0% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
2679-589: The return of his ship, Le Griffon , in April 1680, he became the first European to walk the well traveled indigenous routes east across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan back to the Detroit River and Canada. The French established Fort St. Joseph at the crossroads of Old Sauk Trail and this well-established east–west trail in 1691. The watershed was later used as canoe route by early French fur trappers in
2736-489: The rights along the East Race canal. They began filling it in around 1954 for re-use for other purposes. In 1973 the Oliver Chilled Plow Works hydro-electric plant was demolished to make room for construction of the Century Center , which was completed in 1977. The West Race still exists as a canal North of Jefferson Boulevard and South of Colfax Avenue on the banks of Century Center, between Pier Park and Island Park. In
2793-470: The river communities to clean and restore the river. In 2002 FotSJR developed the St. Joseph River Watershed Management Plan, with grant support from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality . The river delivers significant pollutants to Lake Michigan - including sewage overflows from riverside communities, sediments and toxic substances such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). When
2850-538: The schools are in Mishawaka): Darden Elementary School Edison Middle School and Adams High School . The section was in 2020 zoned to Tarkington Elementary, which closed in 2021. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend operates four private Catholic schools in Mishawaka, including Marian High School . Bethel University is an accredited evangelical Christian liberal arts school with 1,700 students. Mishawaka has
2907-401: The south bank of the St. Joseph River located in the area bounded today by Lincolnway West and North Main and West Streets. The Potawatomi were drawn to this location by the ease of transport the river provided, a ford near a natural rapids, abundant fish and game, and access to timber. Their term for the area, M’Shehwahkeek, translates as swift flowing water or heavy timbered rapids.” This theory
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#17328546336292964-416: The south side, Mishawaka's George Wilson Park is home to the city's most popular winter toboggan spot, as well as an 18-hole frisbee golf course. Some of the city's Italian immigrants and their descendants still play traditional games such as bocce . A number of residents of Belgian descent play traditional Rolle Bolle and a few ethnic Belgians continue to raise and race homing pigeons . The city also hosted
3021-493: The state of Michigan. The lower Pigeon River is home to the federally endangered Indiana Bat. In 1969, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began stocking the lower 23 miles (37 km) of the river for steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ). In 1975, Michigan constructed a fish ladder at the Berrien Springs Dam to enable
3078-545: The virgin forests were mostly logged, and the prairies largely converted to agricultural use, as were many drained wetlands. Among the unique natural features that remain in the watershed are prairie fens , coastal plain marshes, bogs , floodplain forests, hardwood swamps, and moist hardwood forests. Rare plants include prairie dropseed ( Sporobolus heterolepis ), rosinweed, tall beak rush, and umbrella grass. The wetlands and floodplain forests provide habitat to nearly half of all migratory birds in Indiana and Michigan and are
3135-605: The water power rights on the West Race canal, while Samuel L. Cottrell purchased the water rights along the East Race canal. In 1867 the South Bend Hydraulic Company purchased the rights to the East Race canal for $ 100. In 1903 the ownership of stock, property rights, and property of the South Bend Manufacturing Company on the West Race canal passed to the Oliver Chilled Plow Works . Over the next two years
3192-399: Was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 34.7 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female. Old-fashioned neighborhoods are found across the city. Many of
3249-554: Was called by the Miami people, was inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous tribes as it served an essential trade avenue in the Great Lakes region. The most recent indigenous inhabitants of the area were the Miami and Potawatomi peoples. Two different portages allowed nearly continuous travel by canoe among different watersheds of the region. The first major transfer point was at
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