Elkhart County Historical Museum

The first-floor galleries are home to Crossroads of Elkhart County. These three galleries bring audiences the story of Elkhart County, often through the voices of the people who lived it. Your adventure begins with the nomadic paleo people who passed through this area thousands of years ago. Meet the Miami and Potawatomi, learn about changes wrought by the arrival of the French, explore the years of conflict and the forced removal of Native groups from the region. Enter the industrial era with the arrival of trains and discover the rise of industry, which occurred hand-in-hand with migration and the changing population. Finally, share your own memories to help us tell the rest of the story.

Crossroads of Elkhart County is complemented by changing exhibits and galleries that showcase the museum’s extensive collection. Spend time with us experiencing Elkhart County.

2026

Civics in Action is a celebration of the kind of service that the United States was founded on and a nod to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The bulk of the exhibit is in the main floor hallway, but be sure to look for the blue Civics in Action badges throughout the Museum to find real-world examples of people living out civic values.

Everyday People | Everyday Objects rotates quarterly with stories of ordinary people from Elkhart County and their belongings of daily life. Visit often to see all the profiles.

Our Waters: Past, Present, Future is an exploration of the power and beauty of one of our region’s abundant yet fragile resources. The exhibit is the result of a collaborative effort from Elkhart County Parks’ Interpretive Services division and represents the intersection of cultural and natural history.

All three 2026 exhibits are presented in both English and Spanish.

The Elkhart County Historical Society collections housed in the Elkhart County Historical Museum represent almost 12,000 years of human history in the area.  It ranges from stone tools to 21^st-century pharmaceuticals, band instruments to vehicles, textiles to commercial artwork, covering a wide range of the material culture of Elkhart County.  Caring for, exhibiting and researching this collection is one of the primary goals of the museum.  For information on the collection or to inquire about making a donation, please contact the Curator of Collections at museum@elkhartcountyhistory.org.

The research library contains a wide range of reference materials that, along with the archival collection, may be accessed by researchers.  Appointments are recommended.  The library collection is searchable through the Elkhart Public Library catalog.  The historic image collection is searchable through Indiana Memory.  For more information on available research materials or to initiate a research request, please email research@elkhartcountyhistory.org.