Goshen, Indiana

Goshen ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. It is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Elkhart–Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend–Elkhart–Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the northern part of Indiana near the Michigan border, in a region known as Michiana. Goshen is located 10 miles southeast of Elkhart, 25 miles southeast of South Bend, 120 miles east of Chicago, and 150 miles north of Indianapolis. The population of Goshen was 34,517 at the 2020 census.

The city is known as a prominent recreational vehicle and accessories manufacturing center, the home of Goshen College, a small Mennonite liberal arts college, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, one of the largest county fairs in the United States.

History Before the arrival of white colonists, the land that is today Goshen, Indiana, had been populated by Native Americans, specifically the Miami people, the Peoria people, and Potawatomi peoples, for thousands of years. In 1830, the US Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, requiring all indigenous people to relocate west of the Mississippi River.

Goshen was platted in 1831. It was named after the Land of Goshen. The initial settlers consisted entirely of old stock "Yankee" immigrants, who were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. The New England Yankee population that founded towns such as Goshen considered themselves the "chosen people", and identified with the Israelites of the Old Testament and they thought of North America as their Canaan. They founded a large number of towns and counties across what is known as the Northern Tier of the upper midwest. It was in this context that Goshen was named.The Yankee Exodus: An Account of Migration from New England by Stewart Hall Holbrook University of Washington Press, 1968American Zion: The Old Testament as a Political Text from the Revolution to ... By Eran Shalev, Yale University Press, March 26, 2013 page 70–71

The Yankee migration to Indiana was a result of several factors, one of which was the overpopulation of New England. The old-stock Yankee population had large families, often bearing up to ten children in one household. Most people were expected to have their own piece of land to farm, and due to the massive and nonstop population boom, land in New England became scarce as every son claimed his own farmstead. As a result, there was not enough land for every family to have a self-sustaining farm, and Yankee settlers began leaving New England for the Midwestern United States.A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Elkhart County, Indiana, edited by Anthony Deahl, Lewis Publishing Company, 1905

They were aided in this effort by the construction and completion of the Erie Canal which made traveling to the region much easier, causing an additional surge in migrants coming from New England. Added to this was the end of the Black Hawk War, which made the region much safer for white settlers to travel through and settle in. However, the Black Hawk War also forced the native people who called Goshen home for so long to leave. The 1833 Treaty of Chicago ultimately set the conditions that would force the Potawatomi in particular to leave the Midwest, Goshen included, in 1837. This forced exile is known today as the Potawatomi Trail of Death.

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 coming to what is now Indiana. The Congregational Church has subsequently gone through many divisions, and some factions, including those in Goshen, are now known as the Church of Christ and the United Church of Christ. When the New Englanders arrived in what is now Elkhart County there was nothing but a dense virgin forest and wild prairie. They laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings, and established post routes.

On Palm Sunday, April 11, 1965, a large outbreak of tornadoes struck the Midwest. The most famous pair of tornadoes devastated the Midway Trailer Park (now inside the city limits of Goshen), and the Sunnyside Housing Addition in Dunlap, Indiana. Another, smaller F4 tornado also struck neighborhoods on the southeast side of Goshen on the same day. Statewide, 137 Hoosiers died in the storms—55 of them in Elkhart County. Days later, President Lyndon B. Johnson visited the Dunlap site.

The Goshen Historic District, added in 1983 to the National Register of Historic Places is bounded by Pike, RR, Cottage, Plymouth, Main, Purl, the Canal, and Second Sts. with the Elkhart County Courthouse at its center.

In April 2006, Goshen was the site of an immigration march. Officials estimated that from 2,000 to 3,000 people marched from Linway Plaza to the County Courthouse.

Goshen has been called a "sundown town", and African Americans were allegedly prevented from living in, or entering, the town, under threat of violence. While there was never a city ordinance or official policy to enforce such a restriction, the city issued a formal apology in March 2015 for racial discrimination in the past. A documentary made at Goshen College, Goshen: A Sundown Town's Transformation, tells the story of why Goshen has been called a sundown town.

The Elkhart County Courthouse, Fort Wayne Street Bridge, Goshen Carnegie Public Library, Goshen Historic District, William N. Violett House, and Violett-Martin House and Gardens are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography Goshen is located at . The Elkhart River winds its way through the city and through a dam on the south side making the Goshen Dam Pond. Rock Run Creek also runs through town. The city is divided east–west by Main Street and north–south by Lincoln Avenue.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Environmental leadership In February 2018, the Elkhart River flooded as a result of heavy rain and snowmelt. The river rose to a record 13.2 feet, damaging more than 300 structures and prompting evacuations. City government has responded to the increase in severe weather such as flooding, hail, and heavy rains with measures including stormwater management, and "an initiative to grow the town's tree canopy by 45%". Goshen completed 92 solar projects and produced 116 watts of solar power per capita in 2019.

Climate

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Goshen city, Indiana – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2010% 2010White alone (NH)21,14020,05766.65%58.11%Black or African American alone (NH)7401,0792.33%3.13%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)72450.23%0.13%Asian alone (NH)3764711.19%1.36%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)9130.03%0.04%Other race alone (NH)381200.12%0.35%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)4411,0831.39%3.14%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8,90311,64928.07%33.75%Total31,71934,517100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Goshen had a population of 34,517. The median age was 35.2 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.7 males age 18 and over.

99.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 12,720 households in Goshen, of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.6% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 13,577 housing units, of which 6.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 22,021 63.8% Black or African American 1,136 3.3% American Indian and Alaska Native 394 1.1% Asian 485 1.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 15 0.0% Some other race 6,336 18.4% Two or more races 4,130 12.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 11,649 33.7%

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 31,719 people, 11,344 households, and 7,580 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 12,631 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.2% White, 2.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 14.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.1% of the population.

There were 11,344 households, of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone who was 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.67, and the average family size was 3.23.

The median age in the city was 32.4 years. 27.4% of residents were under 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 20% were from 45 to 64, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 29,383 people, 10,675 households, and 7,088 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,264 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.15% White, 1.53% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 12.00% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. 19.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,675 households, of which 32.6% had children under 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,383, and the median income for a family was $46,877. Males had a median income of $32,159 versus $23,290 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,899. About 6.0% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those aged 65 or over.

Economy Industry in Goshen centers around the automotive and recreational vehicle business. There are automotive component manufacturers such as Benteler; firms that build custom bodies onto chassis such as Supreme, Independent Protection, and Showhauler Trucks. RV manufacturing companies include Dutchmen, Forest River, and Keystone.

Government The government consists of a mayor, a clerk-treasurer, a city council, and a youth advisor. The mayor and clerk are elected in a citywide vote. The city council consists of seven members. Five are elected from individual districts. Two are elected at large. The youth advisor position was added in 2016 and is elected by the students of Goshen High School.