About GC

City of Goshen

Goshen, Ind., is known as the Maple City because of its many maple trees. The city offers many diverse cultural, educational, employment and recreational opportunities. Most notably, we maintain our small town values and charm while offering a multitude of activities and experiences often found in nearby larger cities. The roots of Goshen are traced back to the Amish and Mennonite heritage that settled this area in 1831. While you can still see Amish with horses and buggies on our streets, Goshen is a dynamic and growing community.

Travel instructions & local accommodations (.PDF)
Campus map (.PDF)

A growing and ethnically diverse community

Today, Goshen is a city of over 29,000 residents nestled in the center of the northern Indiana county of Elkhart. The community is growing quickly, with the city gaining over 6,000 residents during the1990s. Through our growth over the past 25 years, we have become an ethnically diverse community providing residents an opportunity to interact with people from many different cultures.

View photos of downtown Goshen
Outdoor sports and leisure activities
Dining and entertainment
Tourism and visitor links

For more information about the Goshen area, stop by or call the Goshen College Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mail: joannp@goshen.edu.

The text above was excerpted from the Goshen Chamber of Commerce Web site, Living & Working: Community Profile.


Outdoor sports and leisure activities

Biking and walking trails - the Maple City Greenway is a separated bicycle and pedestrian network throughout the City of Goshen. Connecting residential areas to city parks, schools, downtown area, the college and town library. A large portion of this trail runs along the scenic and historic Mill Race and by the Powerhouse which once generated the town's electricity. The City of Goshen was awarded Indiana Bicycle Coalition's "Bicycle Friendly Community" in 1999. For more info - visit Indiana Cycling Coalition. Maps of local trails are also available from the student life office. In addition to the many local parks the South Bend River Walk is a modern walkway that runs along the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend.

Beaches - Warren Dunes State Park and beaches along the Lake Michigan shoreline are northwest of GC about a 1-1.5 hour drive depending upon which beach is your destination.

Boating/Sailing - on Lake Michigan and other nearby lakes.

Camping - Michigan private campgrounds directory

Canoeing - rentals are available at the College Cabin to paddle on the Elkhart River ... just a few minutes from campus. Also, both private and public canoe rentals are located throughout the northern Indiana area for canoeing on the St. Joseph River and local lakes.
Hiking - Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center Hiking Indiana's long distance trails

Kayaking - both private and public kayak rentals are available for paddling on the St. Joseph River, local lakes and on the East Race Waterway.

Snowmobiling - Michigan snowmobiling information

Snow Skiing - Ski Michigan snow ski links. Michiganskier.com
Great Lakes Nordic Ski Council

Tennis - courts are available on campus as well as at several local parks.

Ultimate Frisbee / Frisbee Football - on campus intramural team, Marcel Yoder Frisbee Football and the Michiana Ultimate Summer League.

Volleyball - on campus intramural teams include: All-Dorm Volleyball, Coed Volleyball and 4-4 Sand Volleyball.

Whitewater Rafting - East Race Waterway is the first artificial whitewater course in North America and one of only six in the world. Within a 45 min. drive to South Bend, Ind.
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Dining and entertainment

What would a college town be without the local brewery... of coffee, that is. Goshen has its charming Electric Brew, which serves as a meeting-place, study area, hangout and weekend musical venue. 136 South Main Street, (574) 533-5990.

If you like to shop or enjoy artwork, the Old Bag Factory has 19 unique shops and cafe. This is a nice spot to look for gifts or just to hang out. One of the shops is Dick Lehman's gallery. You could see how he works. 1100 Chicago Avenue, (574) 534-2502.
And of course, there is Goshen's home of cutting-edge theater and music, the Creative Enterprise Center. This versatile space is used as the home of the New World Players (the local alternative theater company), as well as hosting artwork, concerts, coffeehouses and Goshen's favorite ambient-funk-trance band, Lotus. 211 South Main Street, (574) 535-7777.

There is the nearby Linway Plaza Cinema that shows first-run releases on multiple screens. 514 West Lincoln Avenue, (574) 534-8728.

Many more dining options exist within a 20-40 minute drive from campus.
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Tourism and visitor information

AmishCountry.org - tourism information for northern Indiana

EnjoyIndiana.com - tourism information

Menno-Hof - Mennonite Anabaptist Interpretive Center in Shipshewana.





Complete listing of area attractions can be found at michiana.com

Potawatomi Zoo - located in a beautiful wooded park and houses 500 animals from all corners of the globe.

Web sites for smaller, nearby towns: Elkhart - Middlebury - Nappanee - Shipshewana - Wakarusa

Access Indiana - Indiana State government
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