Mishawaka

City of Mishawaka, Indiana
—  City  —
Nickname(s): The Princess City
Location in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 41°40′3″N 86°10′17″W / 41.6675°N 86.17139°W / 41.6675; -86.17139
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	St. Joseph
Township	Penn
Government
- Mayor	Jeffrey L. Rea (R)
Area
- Total	16.0 sq mi (41.6 km2)
- Land	15.7 sq mi (40.7 km2)
- Water	0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2)
Elevation	719 ft (219 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	46,557
- Density	2,963.5/sq mi (1,144.2/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	46544-46546
Area code(s)	574
FIPS code	18-49932[1]
GNIS feature ID	0452691[2]
Website	http://www.mishawakacity.com

Mishawaka (pronounced /ˌmɪʃəˈwɑːkə/) is a city on the St. Joseph River and a twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 46,557 at the 2000 census. Its nickname is "the Princess City."

Mishawaka is a principal city of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Historic Mishawaka High School.

Mishawaka, Indiana, is a growing commercial city in Northern Indiana, located next to South Bend. Mishawaka, the Princess City, lies nestled along the meandering path of the St. Joseph River. The city is named after Mishawaka, daughter of Shawnee Chief Elkhart. According to legend, the Shawnee were permitted to settle on Potawatomi lands in the late 1700s, and Potawatomi Chief Grey Wolf soon fell in love with Mishawaka. She rejected his advances and pledged her love to a white trapper, known only as Deadshot. A war between the two tribes ensued, and Grey Wolf captured Mishawaka and threatened to kill her unless she married him. Deadshot followed him, however, and the two men fought to the death. Grey Wolf died, but not before stabbing Mishawaka in the breast. She recovered, but died in 1818 at age 32. She was buried near Lincoln Park, and a bronze marker there retells her story. The legend characterizes the mixture of romance and history still found in Mishawaka today. ^[3]

The city’s history began with the discovery of bog iron deposits in the early 1830’s. Settlers arriving to mine these deposits founded the town of St. Joseph Iron Works in 1831. Within a couple 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 plus three other small towns nearby were incorporated into one— Mishawaka.

In September 1872, a fire destroyed three quarters of Mishawaka’s business district. However, the persevering 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 industrially. The town also grew agriculturally. In the late 1800’s, the city gained the title as the "Peppermint Capital of the World" due to the rich black loam found in the area that yield great quantities of mint. Ball Band made rubber garments and was hit by a major strike in 1931, but flourished in the 1940s, finally closing in 1997 in the face of cheaper imports. Manufacturing in Mishawaka peaked in the 1940s and began a slow decline as the economic base shifted to retail services and small industry.

In 1979, University Park Mall opened north of Mishawaka. In 1990, AM General began producing the Hummer in its Mishawaka plant. Although much of the rest of the city's heavy industry was gone by the turn of the 21st century, Mishawaka retains a thriving commercial district that is home to one of the largest retail centers in the Midwest, the Grape Road/N Main St shopping corridor, which serves all of Michiana. Mishawaka's population is still ethnically diverse, with large Belgian, German and Italian settlements dating from the late 19th century.

Neighborhoods and Leisure

Old fashioned neighborhoods still exist all over the city, and many of the newer residential subdivisions that have been developed within the city in recent years have attempted to replicate the community spirit and "hometown" neighborhood feel. Because neighborhoods are such a vital resource to the success of Mishawaka, the city continually upgrades and develops new neighborhood park and recreation facilities. Presently, a total of 27 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.^[4] On the south side, Mishawaka's George Wilson Park is home to the city's most popular winter toboggan spot,^[5] as well as an 18-hole frisbee golf course. While some of the city's Italian immigrants play games like bocce, and some Belgian immigrants continue to raise and race homing pigeons, the city also hosts the nation's oldest and largest wiffleball tournament, the World Whiffleball Championship,^[6] held at Rose Park’s 22-field wiffleball complex. The city is also renowned statewide for its high school football and wrestling excellence, its three schools having won a combined 11 state championships since 1920.

Points of interest

• Beutter Park - The centerpiece of Mishawaka's 2000s downtown revitalization, the new park includes a river race with elliptical-shaped overlook weirs and fiber-optic underwater lighting, two connecting bridges across the St. Joseph River race to the park, the Mishawaka Riverwalk, the "Shards" sculpture, and an 800 foot perennial garden.^[7]
• Battell Park's historic WPA-built band shelter and terraced rock garden.^[8]
• Shiojiri Garden, located in Merrifield Park, is a Japanese strolling garden that symbolizes the Sister-City relationship between Mishawaka, Indiana and Shiojiri City, Japan.^[9]
• The Beiger Mansion, built in 1903 and beautifully restored in 1973, was gutted by arson in 1974. The building has since been re-renovated (although not to its former state) and is home to a popular area bed and breakfast.^[10]
• Kamm & Schellinger Brewing Company and the 100 Center Complex^[11]
• AM General's manufacturing plant, where the Hummer line of vehicles are built.
• Bethel College is affiliated with the Missionary Church, and serves approximately 1,700 students.
• Bonnie Doons restaurant on Lincoln Way West and Fourth Street at Main are the last of the area's original 1950s vintage drive up soda shops.^[12]

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 46,557 people, 20,248 households, and 11,642 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,963.3 people per square mile (1,144.2/km²). There were 21,572 housing units at an average density of 1,373.0/sq mi (530.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.58% White, 3.56% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.

Mishawaka downtown, south of the St. Joe River.

There were 20,248 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. 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.

Education

Bethel College is an accredited evangelical Christian liberal arts school with 1,700 students.

Public schools in Mishawaka are operated by the School City of Mishawaka.^[13] The Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation^[14] operates schools in parts of the city. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend operates four private Catholic schools in Mishawaka.

Media

One major daily newspaper serves the Michiana Metro area, the South Bend Tribune. It is distributed throughout the Michiana region and publishes five editions including a Metro edition, Mishawaka edition, Michigan edition, Penn-Harris-Madison East edition and a Marshall edition.

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 2007, the South Bend-Mishawaka-Elkhart designated market area is the 88th largest in the United States, with 334,370 (0.3% of the US population) homes.^[15] Most of the major television networks have affiliates in the Michiana area.

Mishawaka located stations include WSBT-TV (CBS), WBND-LP (ABC), WCWW-LP (CW) and WMYS-LP (My Network TV). Stations located in nearby South Bend, IN include WNDU-TV (NBC), WNIT-TV (PBS) and WHME-TV (LeSEA). WSJV (Fox) also broadcasts in the Michiana area from Elkhart, IN.

In 2006, the City established a partnership to create a Mishawaka business directory online to serve residents and visitors to the Mishawaka area: "The Visit Mishawaka Online Business Directory." This is a manned directory listing 1,500+ area retail and service businesses as well as restaurants and fun things to do. The directory now gets an increasing number of visitors each month: over 40,000 in May 2008.

Mishawaka Common Council

• First District: Dale Emmons
• Second District: Dave Wood
• Third District: Ross Deal
• Fourth District: Marsha McClure
• Fifth District: Mike Compton
• Sixth District: Ron Banicki
• At-Large: John Gleissner
• At-Large: Gregg Hixenbaugh
• At-Large: John Roggeman
• City Clerk: Debbie Ladyga-Block

Notable residents

• John Brademas, American politician and educator (Congress' majority whip from 1977 to 1981)
• Conte Candoli, American jazz musician^[16] (played trumpet in Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show band)
• Pete Candoli, American jazz musician^[17] (played trumpet in Woody Herman's Big Band)
• Nick Catanzarite, alpine skier and member of the 2006 U.S. Paralympic Team^[18]
• Bill Crane III, former professional bowler (PBA)
• Norman Eddy, American military officer and Indiana Secretary of State
• Freddie Fitzsimmons, American professional baseball pitcher and manager (Giants, Dodgers and Phillies)
• Lisa Germano, American folk and alternative rock musician and composer
• George Gulyanics, American professional football player ^[19][20](Chicago Bears)
• Charles H. Kuhl, World War II soldier, famous for being slapped by General Patton, leading to Patton losing his command
• Achille "Chick" Maggioli, American professional football player^[21] (Bills, Lions and Colts)
• Irene Vernon, American film actress (Louise Tate in TV's Bewitched)
• Sharon Versyp, Indiana's 1984 Miss Basketball (Mishawaka High School) and current Purdue women's basketball coach
• Joy Lynn White, American country western musician and composer^[22]

References

• City of Mishawaka, Web site
• Babcock, Glenn D. History of United States Rubber Company: A Case Study in Corporate Management (1966).
• DeKever, Peter J. With Our Past: Essays on the history of Mishawaka (2003).

External links

• City of Mishawaka, Indiana website
• Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library
• School City of Mishawaka
• The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County
• South Bend/Mishawaka Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Mishawaka's Official Business Directory

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