Elkhart Downtown Commercial Historic District

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

From the record

“Elkhart Downtown Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Elkhart, Indiana. The district encompasses 59 contributing buildings in the central business district of Elkhart.”
Wikipedia article Elkhart Downtown Commercial Historic District, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 39 National Register listings published here for Elkhart County · listed in 1997 · category: District.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

Address. Roughly along Main St., roughly bounded by E. Jackson, and Second Sts., Waterfall Dr., and Tyler Ave., Elkhart, 46516
When was it listed? September 1997
Category. district
Township. Concord township
National Register reference number. 97001178 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Mines and quarries near this property

3 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Elkhart Downtown Commercial Historic District: 2 unknowns, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Hunterlake Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown
Pit No. 3	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Riegsecker Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown

Every working recorded in Elkhart County

Storms near this property

60 of 105 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Elkhart, the town this property stands in, in 105 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 68 thunderstorm wind, 29 hail, 3 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 5 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
October 2001	Tornado (F0)	Elkhart	3 hurt, $936,000	Tornado touched down southeast of Mishawaka and traveled northeast through the west side of Osceola before moving into Elkhart county northeast of Osceola. F2 damage occurred between Mishawaka and Osceola. The tornado then skipped as it went into Elkhart county causing F0 damage in the Cobus Green mobile home park before lifting.
June 2017	Lightning	Elkhart	1 hurt	Local media reported lightning struck a tree, injuring a person standing next to it.
August 2001	Lightning	Elkhart	1 hurt	A 24-year old male was struck by lightning at Flexco Products at 2415 Bryant Street in Elkhart.
July 2024	Tornado (EF1)	Elkhart	$500,000	A survey of damage confirmed a brief tornado, embedded within an area of straight line wind damage. The tornado touched down southeast of Hawthorne Elementary School and proceeded quickly east-southeast. Numerous trees were uprooted, partially due to the wet ground conditions, as well as several snapped tree limbs and trunks. The greatest damage occurred in the area of Mather Ave, between Carlton Ave and Naomi St.
March 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$300,000	There were 30 homes with trees down on them around the city of Elkhart.
August 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$250,000	EXTENSIVE TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE OCCURRED ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SEVERAL BUILDINGS AND CARS IN DOWNTOWN GOSHEN SUSTAINED MINOR TO MODERATE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE DUE TO LARGE TREES AND LIMBS CRASHING DOWN. BUSINESSES ON THE EAST SIDE OF GOSHEN ALONG HIGHWAY 33 SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE HOLIDAY INN HAD PART OF ITS ROOF BLOWN OFF. LOCAL BANK HAD ITS STEEL BANK SIGN FLATTENED.
March 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$25,000	Trees and power lines were reported down throughout the county.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$15,000	A local newspaper reported a large tree fell into the center of a home in Penton Court. Damage is estimated at $15,000.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$15,000	Newspaper reported a large tree fell onto a SUV occupied by a mother and son, near the intersection of Johnson St and Sunset Ave. The driver's side of the vehicle was damaged but no serious injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at $15,000.
June 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$10,000	Numerous reports of trees down and large limbs down in and around Elkhart. One tree was reportedly struck by lightning.
July 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$10,000	A very large tree uprooted onto a house.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$10,000	A local newspaper reported that at least 10 trees were snapped or uprooted at a residence. One of these fell onto a home causing some roof damage, estimated at $10,000.
July 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$7,500	Damage to roof of city of Elkhart street department building.
March 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$5,000	Estimated 70 mph wind gusts at the corner of Wolf St and Frances Ave. Uprooted trees and broken branches in the area.
May 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$5,000	Roof damage. Tree fell on car. Many trees and power lines down.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$5,000	Power lines down on Beardsley Rd. between Main and Cassopolis. Several trees blown down in Sturdy Oaks subdivision.
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$3,000	The public reports numerous trees and large branches down.
August 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$3,000	Amateur radio reported some windows blown out and power lines down in Elkhart.
March 2023	Hail	Elkhart	$2,000	Half dollar size hail reported.
March 2023	Hail	Elkhart	$2,000	Quarter sized hail reported.
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	$2,000	The public reports trees and powerlines down.
July 2023	Hail	Elkhart	$1,000	no account filed
July 2023	Hail	Elkhart	$1,000	no account filed
June 2022	Hail	Elkhart	-	Report of quarter size hail through social media.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Large trees have fallen down blocking east Blvd from Lexington. Blocking traffic to Elkhart General ER.
June 2021	Flood	Elkhart	-	Heavy rain reported from MPing.
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The media reports a large tree down, and estimated 60 mph wind.
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Tree limb downed.
July 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public reported large tree limbs and power lines down south of the intersection of Goshen Ave and Toledo Rd.
August 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A trained spotter reported several smaller tree branches down.
May 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public estimated wind gusts to 60 mph as well as dime size hail.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A trained spotter estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
July 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public reported a tree was blown down onto a house.
June 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	County dispatch reported trees down in the city.
June 2015	Flood	Elkhart	-	Street flooding of 6 to 8 inches in Elkhart.
June 2015	Hail	Elkhart	-	Dime to penny sized hail.
June 2015	Hail	Elkhart	-	Pea to penny sized hail with winds estimated at 35 mph.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Eighteen inch diameter tree down at the intersection of Bristol Street and Osolo Road.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Tree limbs and power lines downed.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public reported a tree was blown down onto a home.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Local newspapers reported trees and power lines were blown down across Elkhart.
July 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Reports of estimated wind gusts to 60 mph were received.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Multiple power lines, some arcing, were reported down near Francis and Blaine Street.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public reported multiple trees down in the city.
August 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	The public reported large branches down near County Road 1.
August 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A trained spotter estimated a wind gust to 65 mph.
June 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A trained spotter reported numerous four inch diameter tree limbs down in the area of State Route 15 and U.S. 20.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Law enforcement officials reported widespread tree and power line damage across the county.
June 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down throughout the northwestern part of the county, including portion of the city of Elkhart.
July 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A trained spotter recorded a 72 mph wind gust on the west side of Elkhart.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Amateur radio operator estimates wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	A 24 inch diameter tree was down on 1700 block of S Main Street.
April 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Local law enforcement reported a tree down blocking the road near the intersections of County Roads 9 and 32.
June 2008	Hail	Elkhart	-	Amateur radio operators reported quarter size hail on the north side of town.
July 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Law enforcement officials reported several trees down in Elkhart.
May 2006	Hail	Elkhart	-	The Great Lakes RV Center had several trailers that were struck by hail up the size of quarters. Many of them had reinforced metal on the sides, which kept damage very limited. However, 3 of the RV's has thinner metal, resulting is damage along the sides where the hail struck.
May 2006	Hail	Elkhart	-	Golf ball size hail reported on the southside of Elkhart.
June 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Law enforcement reported several trees down in Elkhart.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Amateur radio reported an estimated wind gust to around 70 MPH north of Elkhart.
August 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Elkhart	-	Amateur radio reported trees down northwest of Elkhart.

Every storm recorded in Elkhart County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Lerner Theatre	under 500 feet	1980
Green Block	0.1 miles	1980
Young Women's Christian Association	0.2 miles	1991
State Street-Division Street Historic District	0.3 miles	1999
Beardsley Avenue Historic District	0.6 miles	2003
Albert R. Beardsley House	0.6 miles	1978

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 97001178 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Elkhart County	All 39 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.