Make the most of your home state.
Always stay IN the know.
Make the most of your home state.
Always stay IN the know.
Every week we highlight new and exciting things happening across Indiana.
Every week we highlight new and exciting things happening across Indiana.
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In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 22nd small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from the county seat of Winamac in Pulaski County to Nappanee in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties. Most of Nappanee sits in the southwest corner of Elkhart County, with a small portion bleeding over the southern border into Kosciusko County. Nappanee is 2 hours and 20 minutes north of Indianapolis, 40 minutes southeast of South Bend, and 1 hour and 20 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne.
The History of Elkhart County and Nappanee, Indiana
Elkhart County was established in 1830 with Dunlap as its original county seat. The county borders were later shifted, and Goshen became the seat. There is no certainty as to why it was named Elkhart County, but one of the most common beliefs is it was named after the Shawnee Indian Chief Elkhart, who was a cousin of the famous Chief Tecumseh. Nappanee was established in 1874 thanks to the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. As of the 2023 census Nappanee’s population was 6,872, making it the third-largest of seven incorporated cities/towns in Elkhart County. Nappanee is the 102nd largest city in Indiana.
RV Capital of the World
Elkhart County is commonly known as the RV capital of the world. Why? Because one out of every two RVs on the road today are manufactured in the county. It dates back to 1931, when Milo Miller built a travel trailer for his family when he was on business trips. He eventually sold that trailer and began making them in mass quantities. Miller sold his company in 1936 to Wilbur Schult, who turned it into the largest trailer manufacturer in the world. Today, there are dozens of RV manufacturers in the area.
Things to Do In or Near Nappanee, Indiana
Step into any of the shops or eateries at Coppes Commons, which was originally the factory home of Coppes Kitchen Cabinets that made the famous “Hoosier Cabinet.” There are antiques, boutiques, and bookstores to shop, and you can enjoy Coppes Coffee Co. & Lounge, Rocket Science Ice Cream, Deysi’s Tacos, and Dutch Kernel Gourmet Popcorn, where over 40 flavors of popcorn are available.
Mark your calendar for September 18th through the 21st, when the 49th Annual Nappanee Apple Festival takes place. It attracts more than 80,000 people annually and includes over 150 exhibitors for shopping, games, carnival rides, parade, Miss Apple Blossom scholarship pageant, apple peeling and pie-eating contests, and more. Best of all, Indiana’s largest baked apple pie comes out of the oven to kick off the festival – it’s 7 feet in diameter!
The Nappanee Arts Center is another place worth exploring. Hop on the Art Path and observe close to 150 sculptures.
For golfers of all levels, McCormick Creek Golf Course is a fun 18-hole course to play. It opened in 1973 and was designed by Gary Kern.
Places to Eat in Nappanee, Indiana
Originally established as Main Street Coffee House in 2003, Main Street Roasters is locally owned and the perfect place to sit back, relax, work remotely or catch up with family and friends. Their menu has something for everyone, and the restaurant has a 4.8-star rating from nearly 1,000 Google reviews. Not near Nappanee? You can order your favorite coffee flavor from them online, with over 40 options available.
Ruhe152 Italian Bistro is a bistro, brewery and distillery all in one. Guests can enjoy traditional Italian cuisine like lasagna, fettucini, chicken marsala and gnocchi dishes from its made-from-scratch kitchen. The menu also includes seafood, flatbreads and steak, among many other savory options. The brewery side of the business features 14 beers on tap at any given time, and the distillery became fully operational in April to add to the bar experience.
The go-to spot to watch your favorite teams play is Hunter’s Hideaway Inc., where 23 TVs are scattered to ensure you don’t miss the action. Sit on the covered patio area in the spring or summer, and enjoy its menu filled with bar-and-grill favorites like steak, wings, burgers and pizza.
NorthWood High School IHSAA Championships
NorthWood High School has claimed four state championships in school history, three coming on the hardwood and one on the gridiron. Girls basketball won the school’s first state title in 1999 in the final year of Market Square Arena in a thriller, surviving previously unbeaten Indianapolis Cathedral 72-71 in the highest-scoring 3A championship game on record to date. Natalie Will hit a tiebreaking free throw with 5.6 seconds left and the Irish narrowly missed a shot that went in and out at the buzzer. The Panthers’ girls hoops squad also won the 3A championship in 2020, defeating Salem 37-29. The 29 points allowed is the current record for fewest points surrendered in the 3A title game.
NorthWood’s football program reached the 2A state championship in 1980, 3A championship games in 1986, 1993, 1998 and 2003, and 4A championships in 2016 and 2023, coming up short each time. But in 2005, the Panthers broke through and won the 3A title 7-0 over Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. You know what they say… you never forget your first.
Most recently, NorthWood’s boys basketball program brought home the 3A championship in 2023, with the top-ranked Panthers holding off Guerin Catholic 66-63 in overtime.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 22 of 2025. Where should we head next?
In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 22nd small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from the county seat of Winamac in Pulaski County to Nappanee in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties. Most of Nappanee sits in the southwest corner of Elkhart County, with a small portion bleeding over the southern border into Kosciusko County. Nappanee is 2 hours and 20 minutes north of Indianapolis, 40 minutes southeast of South Bend, and 1 hour and 20 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne.
The History of Elkhart County and Nappanee, Indiana
Elkhart County was established in 1830 with Dunlap as its original county seat. The county borders were later shifted, and Goshen became the seat. There is no certainty as to why it was named Elkhart County, but one of the most common beliefs is it was named after the Shawnee Indian Chief Elkhart, who was a cousin of the famous Chief Tecumseh. Nappanee was established in 1874 thanks to the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. As of the 2023 census Nappanee’s population was 6,872, making it the third-largest of seven incorporated cities/towns in Elkhart County. Nappanee is the 102nd largest city in Indiana.
RV Capital of the World
Elkhart County is commonly known as the RV capital of the world. Why? Because one out of every two RVs on the road today are manufactured in the county. It dates back to 1931, when Milo Miller built a travel trailer for his family when he was on business trips. He eventually sold that trailer and began making them in mass quantities. Miller sold his company in 1936 to Wilbur Schult, who turned it into the largest trailer manufacturer in the world. Today, there are dozens of RV manufacturers in the area.
Things to Do In or Near Nappanee, Indiana
Step into any of the shops or eateries at Coppes Commons, which was originally the factory home of Coppes Kitchen Cabinets that made the famous “Hoosier Cabinet.” There are antiques, boutiques, and bookstores to shop, and you can enjoy Coppes Coffee Co. & Lounge, Rocket Science Ice Cream, Deysi’s Tacos, and Dutch Kernel Gourmet Popcorn, where over 40 flavors of popcorn are available.
Mark your calendar for September 18th through the 21st, when the 49th Annual Nappanee Apple Festival takes place. It attracts more than 80,000 people annually and includes over 150 exhibitors for shopping, games, carnival rides, parade, Miss Apple Blossom scholarship pageant, apple peeling and pie-eating contests, and more. Best of all, Indiana’s largest baked apple pie comes out of the oven to kick off the festival – it’s 7 feet in diameter!
The Nappanee Arts Center is another place worth exploring. Hop on the Art Path and observe close to 150 sculptures.
For golfers of all levels, McCormick Creek Golf Course is a fun 18-hole course to play. It opened in 1973 and was designed by Gary Kern.
Places to Eat in Nappanee, Indiana
Originally established as Main Street Coffee House in 2003, Main Street Roasters is locally owned and the perfect place to sit back, relax, work remotely or catch up with family and friends. Their menu has something for everyone, and the restaurant has a 4.8-star rating from nearly 1,000 Google reviews. Not near Nappanee? You can order your favorite coffee flavor from them online, with over 40 options available.
Ruhe152 Italian Bistro is a bistro, brewery and distillery all in one. Guests can enjoy traditional Italian cuisine like lasagna, fettucini, chicken marsala and gnocchi dishes from its made-from-scratch kitchen. The menu also includes seafood, flatbreads and steak, among many other savory options. The brewery side of the business features 14 beers on tap at any given time, and the distillery became fully operational in April to add to the bar experience.
The go-to spot to watch your favorite teams play is Hunter’s Hideaway Inc., where 23 TVs are scattered to ensure you don’t miss the action. Sit on the covered patio area in the spring or summer, and enjoy its menu filled with bar-and-grill favorites like steak, wings, burgers and pizza.
NorthWood High School IHSAA Championships
NorthWood High School has claimed four state championships in school history, three coming on the hardwood and one on the gridiron. Girls basketball won the school’s first state title in 1999 in the final year of Market Square Arena in a thriller, surviving previously unbeaten Indianapolis Cathedral 72-71 in the highest-scoring 3A championship game on record to date. Natalie Will hit a tiebreaking free throw with 5.6 seconds left and the Irish narrowly missed a shot that went in and out at the buzzer. The Panthers’ girls hoops squad also won the 3A championship in 2020, defeating Salem 37-29. The 29 points allowed is the current record for fewest points surrendered in the 3A title game.
NorthWood’s football program reached the 2A state championship in 1980, 3A championship games in 1986, 1993, 1998 and 2003, and 4A championships in 2016 and 2023, coming up short each time. But in 2005, the Panthers broke through and won the 3A title 7-0 over Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. You know what they say… you never forget your first.
Most recently, NorthWood’s boys basketball program brought home the 3A championship in 2023, with the top-ranked Panthers holding off Guerin Catholic 66-63 in overtime.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 22 of 2025. Where should we head next?
In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 22nd small town breakdown of the year, we’re going from the county seat of Winamac in Pulaski County to Nappanee in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties. Most of Nappanee sits in the southwest corner of Elkhart County, with a small portion bleeding over the southern border into Kosciusko County. Nappanee is 2 hours and 20 minutes north of Indianapolis, 40 minutes southeast of South Bend, and 1 hour and 20 minutes northwest of Fort Wayne.
The History of Elkhart County and Nappanee, Indiana
Elkhart County was established in 1830 with Dunlap as its original county seat. The county borders were later shifted, and Goshen became the seat. There is no certainty as to why it was named Elkhart County, but one of the most common beliefs is it was named after the Shawnee Indian Chief Elkhart, who was a cousin of the famous Chief Tecumseh. Nappanee was established in 1874 thanks to the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. As of the 2023 census Nappanee’s population was 6,872, making it the third-largest of seven incorporated cities/towns in Elkhart County. Nappanee is the 102nd largest city in Indiana.
RV Capital of the World
Elkhart County is commonly known as the RV capital of the world. Why? Because one out of every two RVs on the road today are manufactured in the county. It dates back to 1931, when Milo Miller built a travel trailer for his family when he was on business trips. He eventually sold that trailer and began making them in mass quantities. Miller sold his company in 1936 to Wilbur Schult, who turned it into the largest trailer manufacturer in the world. Today, there are dozens of RV manufacturers in the area.
Things to Do In or Near Nappanee, Indiana
Step into any of the shops or eateries at Coppes Commons, which was originally the factory home of Coppes Kitchen Cabinets that made the famous “Hoosier Cabinet.” There are antiques, boutiques, and bookstores to shop, and you can enjoy Coppes Coffee Co. & Lounge, Rocket Science Ice Cream, Deysi’s Tacos, and Dutch Kernel Gourmet Popcorn, where over 40 flavors of popcorn are available.
Mark your calendar for September 18th through the 21st, when the 49th Annual Nappanee Apple Festival takes place. It attracts more than 80,000 people annually and includes over 150 exhibitors for shopping, games, carnival rides, parade, Miss Apple Blossom scholarship pageant, apple peeling and pie-eating contests, and more. Best of all, Indiana’s largest baked apple pie comes out of the oven to kick off the festival – it’s 7 feet in diameter!
The Nappanee Arts Center is another place worth exploring. Hop on the Art Path and observe close to 150 sculptures.
For golfers of all levels, McCormick Creek Golf Course is a fun 18-hole course to play. It opened in 1973 and was designed by Gary Kern.
Places to Eat in Nappanee, Indiana
Originally established as Main Street Coffee House in 2003, Main Street Roasters is locally owned and the perfect place to sit back, relax, work remotely or catch up with family and friends. Their menu has something for everyone, and the restaurant has a 4.8-star rating from nearly 1,000 Google reviews. Not near Nappanee? You can order your favorite coffee flavor from them online, with over 40 options available.
Ruhe152 Italian Bistro is a bistro, brewery and distillery all in one. Guests can enjoy traditional Italian cuisine like lasagna, fettucini, chicken marsala and gnocchi dishes from its made-from-scratch kitchen. The menu also includes seafood, flatbreads and steak, among many other savory options. The brewery side of the business features 14 beers on tap at any given time, and the distillery became fully operational in April to add to the bar experience.
The go-to spot to watch your favorite teams play is Hunter’s Hideaway Inc., where 23 TVs are scattered to ensure you don’t miss the action. Sit on the covered patio area in the spring or summer, and enjoy its menu filled with bar-and-grill favorites like steak, wings, burgers and pizza.
NorthWood High School IHSAA Championships
NorthWood High School has claimed four state championships in school history, three coming on the hardwood and one on the gridiron. Girls basketball won the school’s first state title in 1999 in the final year of Market Square Arena in a thriller, surviving previously unbeaten Indianapolis Cathedral 72-71 in the highest-scoring 3A championship game on record to date. Natalie Will hit a tiebreaking free throw with 5.6 seconds left and the Irish narrowly missed a shot that went in and out at the buzzer. The Panthers’ girls hoops squad also won the 3A championship in 2020, defeating Salem 37-29. The 29 points allowed is the current record for fewest points surrendered in the 3A title game.
NorthWood’s football program reached the 2A state championship in 1980, 3A championship games in 1986, 1993, 1998 and 2003, and 4A championships in 2016 and 2023, coming up short each time. But in 2005, the Panthers broke through and won the 3A title 7-0 over Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. You know what they say… you never forget your first.
Most recently, NorthWood’s boys basketball program brought home the 3A championship in 2023, with the top-ranked Panthers holding off Guerin Catholic 66-63 in overtime.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 22 of 2025. Where should we head next?
Written By:
Nate Spangle
Nate Spangle
