Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Horse-drawn Amish buggies share the roads with bicycles around Goshen, the county seat of Elkhart County in northern Indiana, where Mennonite and Amish communities have farmed the surrounding countryside since the 1800s. The town grew along the Elkhart River, and a hydraulic canal dug in the 1860s, the Millrace, once powered its mills and factories.
That canal now anchors a ribbon of trails and parks that leads to the Old Bag Factory, a brick industrial complex turned into shops and artisan studios. Downtown Goshen's Main Street is lined with restored nineteenth century buildings, independent shops, galleries and restaurants, gathered around the Elkhart County Courthouse and a curious bulletproof police booth from the 1930s. First Fridays street festivals and the restored Goshen Theater keep the center lively, and Goshen College gives the town a strong music and arts scene.
In late July the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, one of the biggest county fairs in the country, fills the fairgrounds. The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail rolls through Amish farmland toward Middlebury and Shipshewana.
The Elkhart County Courthouse, completed around 1870, stands at the center of downtown Goshen on a tree-shaded square ringed by historic storefronts. It is still in use for county business, so admire it from outside. Its lawn hosts memorials and seasonal events, and it is the natural starting point for a downtown walk.
A Mennonite liberal arts college founded in 1894, with a leafy campus on the south side of town. Its music center hosts concerts in an acclaimed recital hall, and the campus is home to the Mennonite Historical Library. Visitors are welcome to stroll the grounds and attend public performances.
A small booth on the courthouse lawn at Main and Lincoln, built in 1939 after a wave of gangster-era bank robberies. It was fitted with bulletproof glass and gun ports so officers could watch the main intersection in safety. It is a quick, quirky photo stop with a historical marker explaining its story.
Several blocks of restored nineteenth and early twentieth century brick buildings along Main Street, home to independent bookshops, galleries, cafes, bakeries and restaurants. Public art and flower baskets brighten the sidewalks in summer. Come on the first Friday of the month, when the streets fill with music and vendors.
A large brick factory built in the 1890s, once a soap works and later a maker of paper and cloth bags, now home to artisan studios, furniture makers, gift shops and a cafe. Wander the creaky wooden floors to watch craftspeople at work. It sits beside the Millrace Trail, so it pairs well with a walk.
A paved path that follows the Millrace, a hydraulic canal dug in the 1860s to power Goshen's mills, between the Elkhart River dam and the south side of town. It passes the Old Bag Factory, wetlands and parks, and links to the wider city trail network. Look for herons and turtles along the water in summer.
A rail trail of about 17 miles that runs from Goshen through Middlebury to Shipshewana along the route of an old railroad, nicknamed the Pumpkinvine for its winding curves. It crosses farmland where Amish families work the fields with horses. Some short sections follow quiet roads; watch for buggies.
A historic downtown theater from the early 1900s that a nonprofit group has been restoring as a community performing arts space. It hosts concerts, films, comedy, dance and local productions, and its marquee lights up Main Street on show nights. Check the calendar before visiting, since events are not held every day.
Held each year in late July at the fairgrounds on the edge of Goshen, this is one of the largest county fairs in the United States, with livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, a parade, grandstand concerts, rides and plenty of fair food. It runs for about nine days; weekday mornings are calmer for families.
On the first Friday evening of most months, downtown Goshen turns into a street festival with live music on corners, sidewalk artists, food vendors, gallery openings and themed activities for children. Shops stay open late. Summer editions are the biggest, and side streets near Main Street are best for parking.
A long-running market a block off Main Street where local growers, bakers and craftspeople sell produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, flowers and crafts, including goods from Amish and Mennonite farms. Saturday mornings are the busiest; arrive early for the best selection and bring cash for smaller stalls.
No reviews yet. Been to Goshen? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Goshen? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: Jon Konrath from Oakland, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Indiana Landmarks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jon Konrath from Oakland, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Hochstetler51 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hochstetler51 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Indiana Landmarks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bbeachy2001, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Hochstetler51 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hochstetler51 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
