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 Mishawaka, the Princess City, lies nestled along the meandering
path of the St. Joseph River. The city is named after Princess Mishawaka,
daughter of Shawnee Chief Elkhart. The legend of her romance with white
trapper Deadshot, and abduction by her jealous Indian suitor Grey Wolf,
characterizes the mixture of romance and history still found in Mishawaka
today.
The city’s history began with the discovery of bog
iron deposits in the early 1830’s. Settlers arriving to mine these
deposits founded the town of St. Joseph Iron Works in 1831. Within a couple
years, the town had a blast furnace, a general store, a tavern, and about
200 residents. Business prospered, and in 1833, St. Joseph Iron Works
and three other small towns nearby were incorporated into one—
Mishawaka.
In September of 1872, a fire destroyed three quarters of
Mishawaka’s business district. However, the persevering citizens
rebuilt and attracted new industry. The Dodge Manufacturing Company, Perkins
Windmills and the Mishawaka Woolen and Rubber Company (later Ball Band
then Uniroyal) all helped the town to prosper industrially. The town also
grew agriculturally. In the late 1800’s, the city gained the title
as the "Peppermint Capital of the World" due to the rich black
loam found in the area that yield great quantities of mint.
History of Mishawaka,
cont...
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