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76-528: 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. Several hundred years ago, the indigenous Mound Builders built their settlements in an area to the north of the city's marshes. Pottawatomi arrived in

152-410: A County Assessor to handle the remaining townships. Elkhart County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district ; Indiana Senate districts 9, 11, and 12; and Indiana House of Representatives districts 21, 22, 48, 49, and 82. 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

228-754: A drawing of the school principal as Satan, Blosser described the suspension as "the best break I ever had." While attending Blue Ridge College in Union Bridge, Maryland , in 1911, Blosser sold drawings to the Frederick News in Frederick, Maryland . When he was 20, he quit school after selling a cartoon to the Baltimore American in 1912. Blosser studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts . He did cartoons for Chicago's Motor-Cycling magazine and magazines at

304-464: A free lending library. Until train service ceased on March 7, 2005, Nappanee station was a stop on Amtrak's Three Rivers train with service to Chicago and New York. Nappanee is a regional center for both the recreational vehicle manufacturing industry and the Amish craft and tourism industry. Many Amish and Mennonite families live in the area, employed in the farming industry as well as working in

380-492: 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 . In addition to the public schools, there are nine private schools in the county. Kessington Christian School (grades PK-12)

456-456: A horse-drawn carriage ride. Amish Acres is home to Nappanee's Arts and Crafts Festival. The Nappanee Apple Festival is held annually on the third week of September, lasting 3½ days. It consists of 100 craft booths, 50 commercial booths, 20 food vendors, two stages for entertainment, a large parade and an airplane flyover on Saturday morning. Nappanee annually bakes a seven-foot-wide apple pie that weighs 600 pounds. Every year an Apple Blossom Queen

532-509: A male householder with no wife present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age in the city was 34.8 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

608-440: A one-column daily gag panel on August 16, expanding into a full comic strip on September 20 when it was retitled Freckles and His Friends . One by one, each of the other panels were dropped. In July 1916, Blosser started another strip, Miniature Movies , which evolved into Chestnut Charlie , continuing until early in 1918 when Blosser concentrated exclusively on Freckles and His Friends . Blosser married shortly after he drew

684-587: A preserved barn and Amish house that help to "Embrace the Pace" as Nappanee's slogan implies. Amish Acres celebrates the Amish and shows features of their lifestyle. Amish Acre's original preserved Round Barn was relocated to its current location, and within it was constructed a theater in order to present shows. In addition to viewing plays at Amish Acres, tourists can also experience authentic Amish-style cooking. Amish Acres offers other activities such as tours of an Amish house and

760-619: A public library in 1925 after sufficient building funds were amassed to purchase an existing house, although a dedicated building wasn't opened until 1937. In 1895, some tried to establish a college in Nappanee, but unlike various fellowships and fraternal and literary societies, the proposal never was implemented. In 1925 Nappanee incorporated as a city. Early in the 20th century, various Nappanee natives became noted cartoonists, including Merrill Blosser , Max Gwin , Bill Holman , Fred Neher and Henry Maust, and political cartoonist Francis (Mike) Parks

836-558: 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

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912-508: A scholarship pageant. Richard Pletcher, founder of the festival and Amish Acres, remains CEO and Jennifer Pletcher Wysong is the festival director. The festival and marketplace takes place around Amish Acre's pond. Amish Acres has received many awards, making its way onto The American Bus Association's list of TOP 100 Events in North America in 2012. This achievement was awarded four times in seven years. Readers of Sunshine Artist magazine rank

988-491: A schoolhouse in 1867 and also used it for services for several years (as did other denominations with their permission). The first permanent building was erected in 1878, two years after the United Brethren Church moved from the schoolhouse into its own building (only to sell it and build a new building in 1888 and remodel it in 1928). Nappanee is still surrounded by family farms of conservative Anabaptists , including

1064-496: 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

1140-477: 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. Bonneyville Mill Park consists of 223 acres (0.90 km ) 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

1216-483: 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. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the area now within Elkhart County boundaries

1292-495: Is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana . As of 2020 , the county's population was 207,047. The county seat is Goshen . 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

1368-650: Is chosen from NorthWood High School. The Nappanee Apple Festival attracted over 76,000 people in 2011 and is one of the largest festivals in the State of Indiana. Over 200 people from Nappanee volunteer to help with the Apple Festival each year. Other events include an apple peeling contest, 5K road run, half marathon, apple pie eating contests, goldfish races, wings & wheels show (cars and airplanes), tractor pull, farm tractor and antique farm equipment show, apple baking contest, kids and adult pedal pull contests, talent show, and

1444-769: 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. Elkhart County has six institutions for higher learning, two of which are solely located in

1520-752: 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

1596-513: Is land and 4.80 square miles (12.4 km ) (or 1.03%) is water. 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. 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

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1672-510: 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. 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. There are Township Assessors for Baugo, Cleveland, Concord, Elkhart, Middlebury, and Osolo townships and

1748-584: Is still used to produce flour. Ox Bow Park sits on 113 acres (0.46 km ) 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 km ) located between Benton and the Goshen Dam also on the Elkhart River. The park also offers several trails and shelters and provides insight into

1824-748: Is the second largest county fair in the United States. 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. The county

1900-420: Is the sixth largest of all Amish settlements with 5,910 people (in 43 congregations) in 2017. The Wa-nee group of schools is the combination of Wakarusa , a neighboring town, and Nappanee area schools. Over 375 teachers and staff are employed with Wa-nee Community Schools. Throughout the state, Wa-nee is known for its strong academic, extracurricular, and athletic programs. The Nappanee Public Library serves as

1976-747: 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

2052-640: 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

2128-575: The Midwest , such as Ohio . The name Elkhart is a euphemization of "Elks-heart", which refers to the now extinct Eastern elk . 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. The place name in Miami-Illinois is mihšiiwiateehi ("elk's heart"). Later in

2204-594: 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". The name may reflect a prehistoric association of the Elkhart area with the Kaskaskia people , whom the Miami called "elk hearts". Other explanations have been suggested. According to an account by two Miami leaders ( Jean Baptiste Richardville and Le Gros ) recorded in 1824,

2280-506: The 1940s: Blosser, who said he aimed for "simply good humor," was influenced by cartoonist Walter Hoban ( Jerry on the Job ). After his first few decades of doing the strip, Blosser shared the work with Henry Formhals , who began as Blosser's assistant in 1935. Eventually, Blosser drew the Sunday strips , while Formhals, beginning in 1938, drew the daily strips . The last daily strip signed by Blosser

2356-640: The Amish, Mennonites , and the Schwarzenau Brethren . According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 4.15 square miles (10.7 km) of land. Nappanee is now surrounded by fertile farmland as the headwaters of the Wabash River in northern Indiana, but initially was one of the least desirable areas of what became Elkhart County , due to dense woods and widespread swamps, particularly tamarack marshes. The water drains into two watersheds—precipitation south of what became Market Street drains into

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2432-669: The Art and Crafts Festival as the third-best Classic and Contemporary Craft Show in America. The Art festival was also listed at the number one in the category of "best attractions for group travel in Indiana" in Travel Trade Magazine. Senior Group Traveler selected the Arts and Craft Festival as one of only seventy "Editor's Choice of Outstanding Festivals and Major Events"; the Art and Craft Festival being

2508-750: The Denton Publishing Company in Cleveland, and he also drew political cartoons for the Wheeling Register and The Plain Dealer . Landon was also an editor at Newspaper Enterprise Association , and in May 1915, he hired Blosser to work at NEA. Blosser was 23 when he began in the NEA art department, initially doing cartoons based on news events and then drawing five daily panels. One of these, titled Freckles , began as

2584-710: 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

2660-609: The Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr. In New York in May, 1965, the National Cartoonists Society held a testimonial dinner honoring Blosser. The NCS gave him an award "in recognition of the wholesome entertainment he has brought his myriad readers" and for the creation of "the oldest regular comic strip still piloted by its creator." The following year, Blosser retired, and Formhals then worked alone on Freckles and His Friends from 1966 to 1971. The strip

2736-845: The Wabash River, thence to the Ohio River , Mississippi River , and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico . Precipitation north of Market Street drains into the Great Lakes , and ultimately the St. Lawrence River and the Atlantic Ocean . As of the census of 2010, there were 6,648 people, 2,545 households, and 1,792 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,601.9 inhabitants per square mile (618.5/km). There were 2,852 housing units at an average density of 687.2 per square mile (265.3/km). The racial makeup of

2812-463: The actual platting of the village of Locke Town, approximately six miles from Nappanee, took place in December 1867. It would receive its last addition in 1874, the year that Nappanee was platted (on December 12, 1874). The B&O Railroad sought a route westward from Sandusky, Ohio to the booming inland port of Chicago, Illinois in 1872. While the land around what became Nappanee and nearby Bremen

2888-487: The area from near Green Bay, Wisconsin in the 1700s, partially displacing the previous Miami inhabitants. The Pottawatomis had settlements on the Elkhart River at Elkhart, Goshen, and Waterford, and at Monoquet between Leesburg and Warsaw in what became Kosciusko County, Indiana . Thus, the Plymouth-Goshen Road near Nappanee probably follows the course of an old Indian Trail. The first European settlers came to

2964-455: The area in 1830, as various treaties and a process the Pottawatomi call the " Trail of Death " led to the relocation of Native Americans away from their traditional territories. By 1870, seven farms had been established and forty people were settled around Nappanee. Locke Township had been founded in 1836 and named after Samuel Lockwood, and by 1863 a settlement called Wisler Town existed, but

3040-425: The area. By the early 20th century, onions had become a major crop (inspiring an autumn festival), and other farmer-entrepreneurs grew hemp, spearmint and peppermint. Nappanee was governed as a township from 1874 until 1889 when it incorporated as a town (then electing a town marshal and establishing a fire company and soon a waterworks). The town library was started as a ladies' subscription service in 1895 and became

3116-403: The average family size was 3.15. In the city the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males. The median income for a household in the city

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3192-477: The city of Elkhart . 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

3268-545: The city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,710 people, 2,521 households, and 1,792 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,818.9 inhabitants per square mile (702.3/km). There were 2,647 housing units at an average density of 717.5 per square mile (277.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 95.48% White , 0.28% African American , 0.22% Native American , 0.34% Asian , 2.52% from other races , and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.98% of

3344-445: The city was 94.8% White , 0.7% African American , 0.3% Native American , 0.2% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.4% from other races , and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.2% of the population. There were 2,545 households, of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had

3420-490: 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

3496-422: 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

3572-570: The county, most recently in 1964. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 197,559 people, 70,244 households, and 50,542 families residing in the county. The population density was 426.5 inhabitants per square mile (164.7/km ). There were 77,767 housing units at an average density of 167.9 per square mile (64.8/km ). 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

3648-479: 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

3724-639: The earliest Freckles and His Friends strips. For years, the couple lived in Cleveland, where the NEA office was located, until they moved in 1927 to Los Angeles. During the early 1940s, they lived at 751 Masselin Avenue before moving to the Los Angeles suburb of Arcadia . Asked about his activities away from his drawing table, Blosser responded that he "travels, swims, and lives a simple life." A 1945 syndicated newspaper profile of Blosser described his life in Arcadia during

3800-497: The early Amish immigrants from southwest Germany, notably the Palatinate , to Pennsylvania in the middle of the 18th century. Amish families who became Old Order Amish in the second half of the 19th century first arrived in southwest Elkhart County in the early 1840s, and various other religious conservative denominations followed them. The First Mennonite Church in the area was founded in 1854, but members worshiped in homes, then built

3876-455: The five acres needed to build a side track to the existing town of Locke. Nonetheless, on December 6, 1874, about three weeks after the railroad reached the outskirts of Chicago, it commenced service to what it first called Locke's Station. By the month's end, Daniel Metzler, Henry Stahly, and John Culp Jr. had platted the town of Nappanee; Culp gave the railroad three acres for a station and Metzler two acres. By 1875, trains arrived almost daily at

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3952-459: 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. Elkhart's North Side Gymnasium

4028-494: 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 . Elkhart County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (St. Joseph County in Indiana and Michigan). Elkhart County

4104-444: The name arose from two women fighting over an elk's heart that had been hung up to dry. 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. This theory has been carried on the city's website. A popular but non-historical account claims that the county was named after a Shawnee Indian chief named "Elkhart", who

4180-576: The new depot and discharged freight and passengers. The Eby brothers of Locke said they suggested the name because they came from Napanee, Ontario ; one of the Metzlers said their father selected the name in part because of its native American connotations. Over time the B&;O Railroad eventually became CSX . The town's first industry was a sawmill , and later additions were box-making, charcoal, and furniture businesses. The first brickyard (using local resources)

4256-455: The only one chosen from Indiana. Amish Acre's Art and Craft Festival attracts people from areas as far as Chicago, Indianapolis, Toledo, and Detroit. Amish Acre's grounds can support up to 300 booths which consist of 250 different cities from all 50 states, as well as over 40 different countries. There are nine parks in the City of Nappanee. They are: Elkhart County, Indiana Elkhart County

4332-766: The original Lincoln Highway . 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. The county has seven public school districts, seven private schools, and one college. Several other colleges have satellite campuses in

4408-407: The population. There were 2,521 households, out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and

4484-415: The population. In terms of ancestry, 28.4% were German , 10.2% were Irish , 7.6% were English , and 7.6% were American . 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

4560-443: The recreational vehicle industry or woodworking trade. Following a devastating tornado in 2007, Nappanee suffered a sluggish economy and slow recovery, resulting in significant job losses for the city. It has since recovered. Since 2014, the town has been home to a major bus assembly plant owned by British maker Alexander Dennis . Amish Acres was founded by Richard Pletcher. It is a historic farm and heritage resort which embodies

4636-671: 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 . 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. 41°36′N 85°52′W  /  41.60°N 85.86°W  / 41.60; -85.86 Merrill Blosser Growing up in Nappanee, where he

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4712-399: 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

4788-792: The wider Protestant Reformation against Catholic practices, the Mennonites were vigorously persecuted by religious and worldly authorities. During the last decade of the 17th century a group from the Mennonites led by Jakob Ammann separated to form the Amish group which was named after its leader. During the 18th century, the Amish were attracted to the promise of religious freedom in William Penn 's colony and thus settled in Pennsylvania . Amish then migrated to Middlebury in 1841 coming from Holmes County, Ohio , where they had migrated to from Pennsylvania, starting in 1809. Nappanee's Amish originate from

4864-412: Was $ 45,988, and the median income for a family was $ 53,329. Males had a median income of $ 36,200 versus $ 21,733 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,229. About 4.5% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. There is a large Amish community founded in 1842, centered around the Nappanee. It

4940-438: Was 11,006 or 5.3% of the total population. 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

5016-506: Was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.23. The median age was 34.9 years. 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. In 2020,the Amish and Mennonite population

5092-426: Was a trip to Washington, D.C. Touring the city, the prizewinners were taken to the White House to meet President Theodore Roosevelt . Lagging behind, Blosser drew a sketch of Roosevelt which prompted the President to exclaim, "Bully!" He then kept Blosser with him for half a day, advising him to continue in the field of art. Expelled from high school after he displayed caricatures of the high school faculty, including

5168-438: Was born, Blosser was encouraged by his parents to take drawing lessons, and he signed up for Charles N. Landon 's correspondence course. Six successful cartoonists lived in Nappanee as children, including Fred Neher ( Life’s Like That ) and Bill Holman ( Smokey Stover ). When Blosser was 12 years old, National Magazine held a writing competition, and he was a winner with his essay, "The Best Way to Spend $ 300." The prize

5244-410: Was classified as an EF3 . The damage included three recreational vehicle factories that are among the community's largest employers: Fairmont Homes, Franklin Coach, and Gulf Stream Coach. The Amish religious group that broke off from the Mennonites was formed in 1525 in Switzerland as part of the Radical Reformation and quickly spread to Germany and the Netherlands . As a more radical branch of

5320-611: Was educated in Nappanee before working for New York , Omaha and San Francisco newspapers. A marker outside the public library notes Nappanee's cartooning history. The Frank and Katharine Coppes House , Downtown Nappanee Historic District , Arthur Miller House , Nappanee Eastside Historic District , Nappanee West Park and Pavilion , and Stahly-Nissley-Kuhns Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . A tornado touched down in Nappanee around 10:30 PM on 18 October 2007, injuring at least five people and damaging 200 to 250 buildings, half of them severely. The tornado

5396-465: Was established before 1879. The first canning company was established in 1894, and a hemp factory was built by 1913. The hemp factory never reached full capacity, and was burned down in 1920, not rebuilt. Mobile home construction had started in Elkhart and Goshen by World War II , and the Walco and Franklin Coach Company were built in Nappanee after the war. Once the land was cleared, corn and wheat were planted, and agriculture has long been important in

5472-410: Was flat, permitting a straight crossing from Walkerton , it was also marshy, which led to various engineering challenges. The section through Nappanee was finally completed as a single track in the late summer of 1874 and replaced by steel rails in 1882. Farmers sold the railroad land so that its tracks would run right next to Nappanee on its route to Chicago , although the railroad was unable to acquire

5548-548: Was home to the Elkhart Express International Basketball League team. However, after (2) winning seasons, the Express ceased to exist in 2009. 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. The Elkhart Truth and The Goshen News are

5624-590: 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. Elkhart County was founded by immigrants from New England . These were old-stock " Yankee " immigrants, descended from

5700-405: Was on February 12, 1966. Daily strips between February 14 and March 19 have Formhals' signature covered with opaque white. The March 21, 1966, daily strip is the first to carry Formhals' signature. Although the characters in the strip never joined up with the military during World War II , Blosser's use of the strip to promote the sale of War Bonds brought him a personal citation from Secretary of

5776-593: Was ostensibly a cousin of the famous Chief Tecumseh , and father of "princess Mishawaka" (for whom, according to the story, neighboring Mishawaka is named). This story originated in Legends of Michigan and the Old North West , an 1875 collection of historical fiction by Michigan politician Flavius J. Littlejohn . According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 467.97 square miles (1,212.0 km ), of which 463.17 square miles (1,199.6 km ) (or 98.97%)

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