Elkhart County History

How Our Story Began

Back in the early nineteenth century, our area was one of the first settled in northern Indiana. With the convenient waterway of the St. Joesph River, Elkhart County experienced a boom of immigrants from New York and other areas of New England. Learn more about how we settled, the origin of the county's name, and how our county has grown into one of the most desirable places to live in Indiana.

Learn our history

The Heritage Trail

A tour with something for everyone.

Be sure to take the time to discover Elkhart County in a unique perspective. Take a driving audio tour of Elkhart County and explore the county's vibrant communities as well as observe Amish life. This tour takes you through Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Bristol, Wakarusa (as well as Shipshewana.) This FREE tour takes you off the beaten path and shows you the true beauty of Elkhart County.

Walk the Heritage Trail

The Story of our Railroads

Although the St. Joesph River and the roads from Fort Wayne and Michigan City were already in use to bring supplies, residents in the southern part of the county and neighboring cities were still in need of getting supplies faster and in greater quantities than a horse and wagon or boat could provide. Around October of 1851, the first train stopped in our county and the rail expansion began soon after. From lines running to Goshen, to Nappanee as well as Elkhart, the county became a hub for many rail lines due to its close proximity to the larger cities of Fort Wayne, Chicago, Kalamazoo, and Detroit. Learn more about how the success of rail allowed Elkhart County to grow.

National New York City Railroad Museum