History Hike For Fitness

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History Hike For Fitness

Elkhart, Indiana 46514, United States

Created By: Ruthmere

Tour Information

The History Hike For Fitness (HHFF) is a self-guided smartphone tour that represents the fusion of historical points of interest, physical fitness and high tech. The Hike accesses a 1.6 mile loop through portions of the Elkhart Riverwalk, Island Park, Beardsley Park, Lundquist Bicentennial Park and the Elkhart Health & Aquatics Center. Designed by Ruthmere and supported by a host of local sponsors, the HHFF crosses no public streets.

People can take this self-guided tour via this mobile web page, or for a much better enhanced experience and access to hundreds of other free PocketSights tours around the world, download the FREE APP via the App Store or Google Play buttons.


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What You'll See on the Tour

Watch the video by clicking on the play button. The History Hike for Fitness is a partnership between Ruthmere, Beacon Health System, and the Elkhart City Parks. ...
Philo Morehouse moved to Elkhart in 1842 and established the first bank in 1854. His house was located where the parking lot of McDonalds restaurant is today, west of the Riverwalk. This bank was known as the Bank of Elkhart, and later the ... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button. 
Elkhart was platted in 1832, encompassing about nine square blocks to the west of Main Street, which runs north and south on the west side of this History Hike. Havilah Beardsley purchased approximately 50 acres of land for $1,500 from Chie... Read more
The confluence of the Elkhart River and the St. Joseph River set the stage for Elkharts manufacturing heritage. Dr. Havilah Beardsley, the founder of Elkhart, saw the potential for water-driven power in 1831, establishing many mills includi... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button.
The U.S. Supreme Court considered discussing this monument. Now located on private property, it was presented to the City of Elkhart in May 1958 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No 395. This was one of many promotional monuments erect... Read more
The bridge you are walking on is the fifth bridge to cross the St. Joseph River at this location. This bridge was built in 1927 to honor the military soldiers and sailors who died in battle during World War I. When Havilah Beardsley platted... Read more
On the northwest corner of Main Street and Beardsley Avenue is the home of Dr. Havilah and Rachel Beardsley, the first brick residence built in Elkhart in 1848. The house underwent a major renovation in 1874 by Havilahs son James Rufus Bear... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button.
This park on the north side of the St. Joseph River was deeded to the city in 1922 by Albert R. Beardsley and his nephew Andrew Hubble Beardsley. Low-lying and prone to seasonal flooding, Beardsley Park is a favorite family picnic spot and ... Read more
On the north side of Beardsley Avenue across from Beardsley Park is the home of Albert R. and Elizabeth Beardsley, who built this Beaux Arts style home in 1908 to 1910. Albert was the nephew of Havilah and Rachel and was the founding partne... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button. The History Hike for Fitness is a partnership between Ruthmere, Beacon Health System, and the Elkhart City Parks. ...
Near the sight of this marker was the village of Pulaski, named in honor of the Polish General who aided in the Revolutionary War. The post office serving the early trade post and group of settlers homes was established in 1829. After the e... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button. The History Hike for Fitness is made possible through a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, our bridge to the future. ...
To the east of the walking bridge connecting Pulaski Park to Island Park is the Elkhart and Western Railroad Company bridge. The railroad was founded by Dr. Herbert Bucklen in 1890 with construction completed in 1893. This line of the railr... Read more
Beyond the Railroad bridge and current Johnson Street Bridge is the St. Joseph River dam known to locals as the Johnson Street Dam, built in 1912 to power the hydroelectric plant in 1913. This dam replaced an earlier dam built there in 1868... Read more
The bandstand in the park was built in 1905 and moved to the park in 1980 from its original location at the C.G. Conn Band Instrument Factory on East Beardsley Avenue. The stone drinking fountain was constructed around the original artesian... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button. The History Hike for Fitness is made possible through a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, our bridge to the future. ...
Island Park was originally owned by Havilah Beardsley and was deeded to the City for a park in 1887 by the children of Havilah and Rachel Beardsley. The folklore legend of the shape of the island resembling an elks heart has led to one of t... Read more
The picnic shelter was moved to its present location on the south side of the park by the WPA and expanded to its present day T shape. The WPA provided paid jobs to the unemployed during the Great Depression in the United States, while buil... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button.
Local troops trained and mobilized for World War I at encampments in Island Park. It was the headquarters for Battery E, Indiana State Militia. The History Hike for Fitness is made possible through a generous grant from the Community Founda... Read more
Close to Elkhart Health and Aquatics Center is the location of the original hospital to serve the residents of Elkhart. The Clark Homeopathic Hospital opened in 1899 on Clark Street. It was sold for $3,315 in 1912 to fund the Elkhart Genera... Read more
Watch the video by clicking on the play button.
WIN A CHANCE AT CASH PRIZES by filling out the feeback form after your tour.  Every month, Ruthmere randomly draws the names of CASH PRIZE WINNERS for doing nothing more than telling us what you like and where we can improve! The History H... Read more

 

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