Elkhart

Elkhart is a manufacturing center in northern Indiana, United States, situated within the county of the same name. The settlement spreads along the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers, with residential blocks alternating between factory sites and wooded parcels.

Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomi peoples inhabited the region before European settlers founded a permanent community in 1832. Railroads arrived in the mid-1800s and transformed the location into a hub for musical instruments and later for motorhome assembly.

Residents often call their home the RV Capital of the World, and motorhomes sit on private lots or outside factories throughout the area. Along the riverbanks, parks host families grilling and children playing while factory chimneys rise in the background.

The Indiana Toll Road and US Route 33 link the area to larger cities in the region, while Amtrak runs daily trains to Chicago and Detroit. During winter, snow and ice can make roads slippery, so check weather forecasts when traveling between November and March.

Factories here assemble roughly four out of every five motorhomes sold across North America, employing thousands of skilled workers in the trade. Many companies offer plant tours where visitors can watch these large vehicles take shape from bare chassis to finished product.