Small Town Breakdown No. 57: Elwood, Indiana
For this week’s small town breakdown we’re going from Mooresville in Morgan County and returning to Madison County, this time to the town of Elwood. Elwood is one hour north of downtown Indianapolis and one hour and 20 minutes south of Fort Wayne.What’s it like in Mooresville, Indiana?
Mooresville, Indiana is a historic small town in Morgan County that blends Hoosier charm with steady growth. It’s home to Pioneer Park and proudly claims the title “Home of the Indiana State Flag.”
What’s it like in Elwood, Indiana?
Elwood, Indiana is home to the best tenderloin sandwich in Madison County. It comes with a bit of fame, too, as the hometown of 1940 Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie and 2013-14 Gatorade Indiana Football Player of the Year Sammy Mireles.
The History of Madison County and Elwood, Indiana
Madison County was organized in 1823, and Anderson was selected as the county seat. It was named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States.
The town of Elwood was initially named Quincy in 1853, and the first post office was established in 1855 and named Duck Creek. In 1869, the town was renamed Elwood because locals learned there was already an Indiana town named Quincy. The name Elwood was the name of a son of one of the town’s founders. It became incorporated in 1872.
Originally an agricultural community, the natural gas boom in the area in the late 1880s led to rapid growth. In 1890, Elwood’s first glass factory MacBeth-Evans brought 365 glass craftsmen from Pittsburgh. That heritage is still celebrated today with the annual Glass Festival. Elwood also manufactured the first tinplate in the United States in 1892. But by the early 1900s, natural gas started to dissipate and agriculture again took center stage.
In 1942, Grover Hutcherson and his daughter Fran purchased and reopened a cannery in Orestes, Indiana, to supply food for World War II troops. Originally named Orestes Canning Company, Inc., the name “Red Gold” was purchased in 1970 from a cannery in Trafalgar, Indiana. Operations for America’s largest privately owned tomato and canned tomato food processor then expanded to Elwood.
As of the 2024 census, Elwood’s population is 8,495, making it the second-largest incorporated town/city in Madison County behind Anderson (55,851). It is the 93rd-largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Elwood, Indiana
The Elwood Glass Festival has occurred annually since 1971, celebrating the town’s unique hand-blown art-glass produced in town since the gas boom more than 125 years ago. The 55th annual Glass Festival is Aug. 14-16, 2026, and includes a parade, carnival rides, arts and crafts, food vendors, and the Rod Run featuring more than 300 classic and antique cars.
Most of the Glass Festival is held in Callaway Park. When the festival isn’t going on, the park hosts summer concerts at the Jim Knoop Amphitheater. It’s also home to walking paths and trails, ball diamonds, a playground and a festive Christmas lights display every winter.
For the active bunch, Elwood Golf Links offers 18 holes of affordable play. The front nine was originally designed by William Diddel and opened in 1924. The back nine was designed in 2005, closed in 2011, and re-opened in 2017.
If traditional golf isn’t your game, maybe disc golf is? The Elwood Disc Golf Course is a highly rated course with 27 challenging holes to play.
Moving to fun indoors, Lucky Strike Elwood has 12 lanes open seven days a week. There is regular bowling, Cosmic bowling, six leagues, and it’s a great spot to host birthday parties, school outings, and fundraisers.
Places to Eat and Shop in Elwood, Indiana
We’re not starting with breakfast this time around because all roads lead to The Tin Plate. Standing as a tribute to the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, once the world’s largest plating factory founded in the 1890s, the restaurant today is located near the original mill site. Nate went with its award-winning breaded pork tenderloin, and needless to say, it lived up to the hype. If you aren’t feeling a tenderloin for lunch or dinner, go with the beef manhattan, onion rings or pulled pork sandwich. Tin Plate has 4.4 stars on Google among nearly 1,300 reviews.
Moving back to breakfast, Friendly’s Restaurant on Main Street serves up breakfast, including its popular biscuits and gravy, seven days a week. Continuing with breakfast (and lunch and dinner), Lincoln Square Family Restaurant is open seven days a week. The all-day breakfast brings guests back frequently, and the salad bar cannot be overlooked. For a quick coffee, latte, panini, or donut, stop by Call Leader Cafe, open Wednesday through Sunday.
For a great local dinner option, check out Andy’s Diner, where they specialize in steaks, pork chops, tenderloins, hamburgers, and more.
1940 Republican Presidential Candidate
Elwood is recognized as the hometown of Wendell Willkie, the 1940 Republican presidential candidate. On Aug. 17, 1940, his nomination acceptance speech in Elwood drew an estimated 150,000 people to Callaway Park, one of the largest political crowds in American history at the time.
High School Mascot and Gatorade Indiana Football Player of the Year
Elwood Community Junior-Senior High School’s teams are known as the Panthers.
They have never won an IHSAA state title in any sport, but they can stake claim to having the 2013-14 Gatorade Indiana Football Player of the Year, running back Sammy Mireles.
(Photo by The Herald Bulletin)
In his four seasons at Elwood from 2010-13, Mireles rushed for an IHSAA record 8,110 yards and became the first player in Indiana history to eclipse 2,000 yards in three different seasons.
His record held for six years until it was later broken by New Palestine’s Charlie Spegal in 2019 (10,867 rushing yards) and the latest record holder, Knox’s Myles McLaughlin in 2025 (11,839).
Today, Mireles’ jersey is retired by the school. His dad, Sammy Sr., also completed his second season as head coach of the varsity football team in fall 2025.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 57. Where should we head next?