Named for the Rivers That Shaped It
Elkhart owes both its name and its location to water. Laid out in 1832 at the junction of Indian trails near where the St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers converge, the town takes its name from a Potawatomi word describing the shape of an island at that confluence.
Flood Planning at a River Confluence
A town built at the meeting point of two rivers has always had to plan around water, and Elkhart's location at the St. Joseph and Elkhart river confluence means storm and snowmelt water damage response has to account for that river geography directly, especially in the older neighborhoods closest to where the rivers meet.