Ask most people what Elkhart is known for and you'll get one answer: RVs. It's the right answer, but it's an incomplete one.
The RV Capital of the World
Elkhart has held this nickname since the late 1940s, and it's earned it — the Elkhart–Middlebury–Goshen corridor is commonly cited as producing the great majority of North America's recreational vehicles. Most of the industry's leading brands are headquartered here or within a short drive, and the RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum documents the industry's full history.
What most people don't know
Elkhart was also once known as the "Band Instrument Capital of the World." Charles G. Conn began manufacturing band instruments here in 1874, and the city became a genuine national center for the industry. Separately, Miles Medical Company, founded in Elkhart in 1884, invented both Alka-Seltzer and Flintstones Vitamins before the operation was absorbed into Bayer — an odd but real piece of pharmaceutical history tucked into a manufacturing city's past.
The rail city underneath it all
Elkhart's rail yards — now operated by Norfolk Southern — are among the largest freight classification yards in the world, and the National New York Central Railroad Museum tells that side of the city's story. Railroads shaped Elkhart's early growth just as much as any single industry that followed.
Downtown and the historic district
Elkhart's downtown commercial district and the State and Division Streets area are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the city earned Preserve America Community status in 2008 — recognition for the same downtown revitalization that makes the area worth visiting today.
For more on what that downtown actually looks like now, see Downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Elkhart called the RV Capital of the World?
It's held the nickname since the late 1940s — the Elkhart–Middlebury–Goshen corridor is commonly cited as producing the great majority of North America's recreational vehicles, and most of the industry's leading brands are headquartered here or within a short drive.
What is Elkhart known for besides RVs?
It was also once called the "Band Instrument Capital of the World" — Charles G. Conn began manufacturing band instruments here in 1874. Separately, Miles Medical Company, founded in Elkhart in 1884, invented Alka-Seltzer and Flintstones Vitamins before being absorbed into Bayer.
Is Elkhart's downtown historically recognized?
Yes — the downtown commercial district and the State and Division Streets area are both on the National Register of Historic Places, and the city earned Preserve America Community status in 2008.
