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Mishawaka (IPA: ) is a city on the St. Joseph river adjacent to South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 46,557 at the 2000 census. Its nickname is "the Princess City."
History
Mishawaka, Indiana, is a growing commercial twin city of South Bend. The name comes from a Shawnee Indian princess.
In the 1820s, bog iron deposits were discovered in the area. Several small towns arose to exploit these deposits, including one called St. Joseph Iron Works, where a blast furnace was built. In 1833, St. Joseph Iron Works was incorporated with three other small towns as the town of Mishawaka. In 1839, the Kamm & Schellinger Brewery was built, now the 100 Center shopping plaza. Mint was grown all around Mishawaka and by 1900, the city became known as "the peppermint capital of the world." In 1872, fire ravaged most of Mishawaka’s business district. When the city was rebuilt, the Dodge Manufacturing Company, Perkins Windmills, and the Mishawaka Woolen and Rubber Company set up manufacturing plants. The large "Ball Band" plant of U.S. Rubber Company (later Uniroyal) made rubber garments and was hit by a major strike in 1931, but flourished in the 1940s; it closed in 1997 in the face of cheap imports. Manufacturing peaked in the 1940s and began a slow decline as the economic base shifted to services, such as medicine. The population is ethnically diverse, with large Italian, German and Belgian settlements dating from the late 19th century. Its income is below the national average ($18,434 per capita in 2000, compared with $21,587 nationally).
In 1979, University Park Mall opened north of Mishawaka, beginning a move toward retail business. 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 Indiana, the Grape Road/N Main St shopping corridor, which serves all of Michiana.
Points of interest
- The centerpiece of Mishawaka’s downtown revitalization is the ever-evolving new Beutter Park. The 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.
- The city is home to 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.
- Mishawaka is home to local historical attractions such as the Battell Park Band Shelter and terraced Rock Garden.
- Shiojiri Garden, located at Merrifield Park, is a Japanese strolling garden that symbolizes the Sister-City relationship between Mishawaka, Indiana and Shiojiri City, Japan.
Geography
Mishawaka is located at (41.667498, -86.171253). The city has a total area of 41.6 km² (16.0 mi²).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,557 people, 20,248 households, and 11,642 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,144.2/km² (2,963.3/mi²). There were 21,572 housing units at an average density of 530.2/km² (1,373.0/mi²). 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.
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
Public schools in Mishawaka are operated by the School City of Mishawaka and parts of the city by the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. Bethel College (Indiana) is a historically Missionary school with 1700 students. Davenport College is located in northern Mishawaka. Four Catholic elementary schools are located within the city, St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Monica's Catholic School, St. Bavo Catholic School and Queen of Peace Catholic School. Mishawaka Marian High School is the city's lone Catholic High School.
Neighborhoods and Leisure
Old fashioned neighborhoods still exist all over the city, where neighbors are willing to help each other with yard chores, share desert recipes or offer friendship. Many of the newer residential subdivisions that have been developed within the city in recent years have replicated 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. While the city's Italian immigrants play games like bocce ball, and its Belgian immigrants raise and race homing pigeons, the city also hosts the nation's oldest known wiffleball tournament, the World Whiffleball Championship, at Rose Park’s 22-field wiffleball complex. The city is also renowned statewide for its high school football excellence, its three schools having won a combined 13 state championships since 1920.
Notable residents - past and present
- John Brademas, an American politician and educator
- Conte and Pete Candoli, American jazz trumpeters
- Nick Catanzarite, alphine skier and member of the 2006 U.S. Paralympic Team
- Norman Eddy, the late American politician and military officer
- Freddie Fitzsimmons, the late American baseball player and coach
- Lisa Germano, American folk, rock musician and composer
- Irene Vernon, the late American film actress
- Joy Lynn White, American country music musician and composer
Sources
- 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
"Mishawaka, Indiana"