The Community Foundation of Elkhart County celebrates the work of the Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition—an essential partner in the countywide effort to connect and expand trails throughout Elkhart County. Their ongoing commitment helps link communities and encourages people to experience the outdoors together. Find out more at pumpkinvine.org
Dear Members and Community,
Middlebury Chamber & Visitors Center
Website: www.middleburyinchamber.com 118 S. Main, Middlebury, IN 46540
Phone: (574) 825-4300
Carmen Carpenter, Executive Directorcarmencarpenter@middleburyinchamber.com
I am happy to report that I completed my first year as the new Executive Director of the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. I am honored to continue to serve as a bridge between our vibrant community and the incredible network of local businesses that form the backbone of our hometown. Our Board of Directors and staff are dedicated to their leadership roles and serving our members and community.
I continue to believe in the power of collaboration and collective action. Middlebury is home to remarkable residents and businesses that hold traditional values and are committed to making our hometown a premier place to live, work, and prosper. Together, we can foster a sense of unity and fellowship that transcends individual interest and propels us towards shared prosperity.
I am blessed to have served as the Chamber Executive Director for the past year. I am honored to work with our dedicated board members, chamber staff, ambassadors, Town Manager, and businesses. Together, let us harness the power of community and unleash our potential to create positive change that resonates far beyond the confines of our town. Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility, and I am excited to continue this journey with each of you.
I encourage you to utilize the Chamber Member Directory and support our chamber members by doing business with them at every opportunity. Commit to supporting local entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and promoting economic growth that benefits us all.
With warm regards,
Carmen Carpenter
Executive Director, Middlebury Chamber of Commerce
2025 CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS
JIM HANSEN, President
JON SCHLABACH, Vice President
JIM NEFF, Past President
KENT YODER, Treasurer
CARRIE BOYER, Member
JEREMY MILLER, Member
DANNY HOSTETLER, Member
DR. JAYSON SNYDER, Member
JASON BONTRAGER, Ambassador
AMANDA SCHUTZ, Ambassador
Sheri Howland Small Business Development Director
Amanda Scrogham Membership Coordinator Middlebury Chamber of Commerce
Carmen Carpenter Executive Director Middlebury Chamber of Commerce
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 LEGACY SPONSORS
Bronze
BND Trailers
Bright Star Auctions
Bright Star Real Estate Services
Dutch Country Organics
Edward Jones of Middlebury
Elkhart General Hospital
Everence Financial
Forks County Line Stores
Goshen Health Systems
Hawkins Water Tech
Jimbo & Company
Legacy Home Furniture
Living in Yellow
Royal Auto Center
Royal RV Center
Legacy members are committed businesses and organizations that take a leadership role in our efforts to accelerate business growth and prosperity in the community. Legacy members represent a higher level of membership and include those companies with the desire to be among the top leaders in the business community. Gold, Silver and Bronze levels are available.
Legacy members receive additional benefits and recognition beyond standard membership, as well as place themselves with leading decision makers.
Contact Carmen Carpenter at 574.825.4300, carmencarpenter@middleburyin chamber.com for more information and benefits.
You were made to make a difference! If you are interested in volunteering at the Middlebury Chamber & Visitors Center, please stop by, email us or call Carmen today. 118 S. Main Street; 574.825.4300; carmencarpenter@middleburyinchamber.com
Gold Silver L & W Engineering
Kent & Gaye Yoder
Nancy Gleim
Rosie Long Carmen Carpenter Rex Gleim
AFFILIATED PARTNERS
Community Foundation of Elkhart County
Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County
Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Friends of the Library - Middlebury Community Public Library
Friends of the Middlebury Parks
Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
LaGrange County CVB.org
Middlebury Art Council
Middlebury Fall Festival Committee
Middlebury Summer Festival Committee
Middlebury Town Center
Northern Indiana Coalition of Chambers
Northridge Dollars for Scholars
Town of Middlebury
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
HOW THE CHAMBER HELPS YOU
BUILD A NETWORK of people who think of and recommend you first. Membership gives you access to connect and engage with hundreds of business and community leaders with a shared vision that supports, recommends and does business with each other.
DEMONSTRATE CREDIBILITY to potential partners, vendors and customers. Consumers and business decision makers are significantly more likely to think positively of a company’s reputation and do business with them when they are a chamber member.
FIND QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES for your business through networking, Chamber Master and the Chamber’s website jobs board.
GENERATE VISIBILITY for your business in the community and with potential customers. Local chambers are the number one place consumers and business owners go to when looking for information in a community. Membership provides tremendous exposure, along with a multitude of opportunities to market your business and showcase your products and services to potential customers.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS by connecting with the right people at the right time. Access business resources, including market data, economic profile and demographic information.
HAVE A VOICE. The Middlebury Chamber provides a vocal, unified voice for local business monitoring legislation, evaluating elected officials and political candidates, setting priorities and advocating on important issues affecting your business and the local business community.
MAKE AN IMPACT on the community. Your support allows the Middlebury Chamber to address critical business and community priorities and move the community forward. The Middlebury Chamber is vital in creating a climate where businesses can grow and thrive, a skilled workforce is available and where people want to live, worship, work and play.
WORK SMARTER. The Middlebury Chamber provides educational programming, training, communications and resources focused on timely business topics offering strategies, solutions and best practices, in addition to a multitude of marketing and economic resources and publications.
Business 101
AUCTIONEERS/REALTORS
Middlebury
Middlebury Community Schools
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS & INVESTMENT SCHEDULE
Number of Employees Annual (full time equivalents) Dues
Annual investment for general chamber membership is determined by the number of active full-time employees working in the business. Businesses which employ substantial percentages of part-time employees should count one employee for each 40 hours worked in a week by part-time employees.
Note: Dues will renew 1 year from the month of initial dues payment. Chamber dues are tax deductible up to 97% as a necessary business expense.
FitStop
Dogtown
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2025-2026 CHAMBER EVENTS
Teachers
Appreciation Day
August 8, 2025 & August 7, 2026
Annual Golf Classic
August 8, 2025 (23rd) & August 14, 2026 (24th)
Annual Fall Festival
September 5 & 6, 2025 (24th) & September 11 & 12, 2026 (25th)
2025-2026 CHAMBER EVENTS
Annual
Small Business Saturday
November 22, 2025 (6th) & November 28, 2026 (7th)
SponsoredbyJayco
23rd Annual Member Dinner & Business Expo
June 9, 2026
57th Annual Summer Festival Family Fun Music, Food, Arts & Crafts
June 26 & 27, 2026
BEAUTIFICATION AWARD
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY
Geography & History
Middlebury is a quiet and charming small town that sits on the banks of the Little Elkhart River in the middle of a mix of rolling hills and rural farmland. Here you will find a plethora of locally-owned stores that have been in the same families for generations along with pictureperfect Queen Anne and Gothic Revival homes.
Before the Europeans came to the region, the Miami and later the Potawatomi ruled the area. That changed in 1832, when the first settlers came from Middlebury, Vt. They chose this specific area because the rolling hills reminded them of Vermont.
Later, in 1841, the first Amish families came from Somerset County, Pa., and settled in the
countryside surrounding the town. The Town of Middlebury was chartered in 1834, and was finally incorporated in 1868. In 1888, the railroad came to Middlebury and began to diversify the town’s economy to include manufacturing as well as farming.
Today Middlebury is a town of 3,721 located in Elkhart County approximately 35 miles east of South Bend, 130 miles east of Chicago and 165 miles north of Indianapolis. Middlebury is nestled in Indiana’s Amish Country.
Conveniently close to major highways, railways and airports, where residents can have access to nearby urban centers of culture, entertainment and higher education without giving up the sense of belonging and the ability to unwind in a peaceful setting.
The Spruce House
Meadows Inn Bed & Breakfast
Essenhaus Inn & Conference Center
EDUCATION
Middlebury offers two private preschools and a full-service, year-round Boys & Girls Club, alongside the community school district which serves three townships in northeastern Elkhart County, covering 100 square miles.
Little Saints Child Care & Preschool Ministry
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 708 Wayne Avenue 825-2280
www.stpaulsmiddlebury.org
Joyful Journey
First United Methodist Church of Middlebury
720 S. Main Street 825-2585
www.fumcmiddlebury.org
Little Lites Daycare Ministry
Middlebury Church of the Brethren 507 Bristol Avenue (CR 8) 312-5369
Boys & Girls Club of Middlebury 56805 Northridge Drive 825-0873
www.bgcmiddlebury.org
Middlebury Community Schools
Administration Center 56853 Northridge Drive 825-9425
www.mcsin-k12.org
Enrollment: 4,367
The Middlebury Community School Corporation (MCS) serves three townships in northeastern Elkhart County, Indiana, covering 100 square miles in a beautiful semi-rural environment. The landscape ranges from hilly to gently rolling to flat plains, including woods, rivers, and a couple of small lakes. Quality housing developments and a thriving manufacturing economy have been major factors in the steady growth of the Middlebury school system over the past decades.
MCS thrives in a progressive, yet conservative environment. The influence of the large Amish and Mennonite settlement in the area makes MCS attractive to those seeking to raise a family in a place where traditional values and a sense of community remain very strong. Even though this small community is out of the fast track, it is still conveniently close to major highways, railways, and airports, where residents can have access to nearby urban centers of culture, entertainment, and higher education.
In terms of academics, we have exceptional teaching and learning taking place in all of our classrooms every day. Our Academic, Co-Curricular, and Athletic programs are some of the best in the state of Indiana. Our students spend enormous amounts of hours working in sports, music, science and math to compete with honors across the state. For a school district of our size, we have formidable students when it comes to competition. Because of our staff, programs, students, parents, school community and facilities, our schools draw over 400 students from surrounding school districts.
For academic success, we offer AP, ACP and Dual Credit Courses. We have a cohort of Early College students who will have enough college credits to receive an Associates Degree along with their high school diplomas. We have over 100 Career Center students who are also receiving certifications in the fields of welding, graphic design, computer technicians and CNA’s. We are changing the way we deliver an education that has to prepare students for future jobs that have not yet been created.
2024-2025 Recap –Northridge High School Athletics
Over half of the students at Northridge High School played a sport or were involved in an athletic event at some point in the school year. Nearly 50 percent of the student-athletes achieve a 3.8 GPA or higher
EDUCATION
during their competition season. NHS continues to feature one of the most successful athletic programs in northern Indiana, with many teams competing well among some of the best teams in the state.
The recently completed 2024-2025 school year was highlighted by the opening of the Middlebury Activity Center on the Northridge High School campus. For Raider athletics, the state-of-the-art competition gymnasium hosted a few dozen basketball games, weekday wrestling matches and two Saturday multi-team tournaments, and then a few boys volleyball matches after spring break. It is an incredible facility for our student-athletes, coaches, school staff, and community – a wonderful resource that will be used for decades! Other facility upgrades are underway. This fall, the Robert Weed Soccer Complex will re-open with a new artificial turf field, new permanent team dugouts, among other improvements. The school district’s tennis courts have been deconstructed and will re-open later in 2025 with new surfaces, additional court lighting, and a new naming rights partner, Elevation Park Model Company.
Our Raider teams are very visible in the community, volunteering in a variety of ways. If someone needs helping hands (and strong muscles!), contact the Northridge High School Athletic Department with requests. We will do our best to give you our time.
Our coaches commit endless hours pursuing the highest possible amount of success. We always have a few new faces each season, but overall a majority of our coaches have spent several years, if not many more, pouring themselves into our studentathletes. We are so thankful for our coaches and their families who make huge sacrifices to do what they do.
Boys Cross Country: Baylor Miller broke the school record at the state meet. This team dominated the NLC this season, winning each round robin and the NLC cham-
pionship. This season, they won a sectional and a regional title, punctuated by an incredible 4th place finish in the state meet. The girls squad finished a respectable 2nd place in the sectional, advancing as a team to the New Prairie Regional. Girls Soccer’s season was highlighted by beating last year’s Regional champion, Crown Point. They also beat Chesterton for the first time. In the month of September they allowed 0 goals and went undefeated at 9-0. This team also won its 2nd straight conference championship by going undefeated at 7-0. Boys Soccer again had another year of being very competitive, finishing 2nd in the NLC. They finished the year strong with earning 5 shutouts in their last 5 regular season games, which is never an easy task with the schedule that we play. Girls Volleyball won two invitationals and 19 total matches for the second straight year, continuing a 5-year streak of win total increases. Our Cheerleading team worked extremely hard this fall season, and we are proud of them. Thank you for being a Raider. Girls Golf had an amazing season. They finished undefeated for the 2nd straight season in the regular season; they won 6 invitationals overall; they won a hard-fought NLC title, including Alex Reschly winning the individual NLC medalist; the team won a sectional title at home, won their first ever regional championship; and finished tied for 12th in the state in the IHSAA state finals. Boys Tennis went through a major overhaul, returning very little experience from last year’s sectional championship team. They also competed in the NLC tourney very well to finish out the year. Sophomore Seth Lomas was a standout this year, winning the #1 singles title in the NLC tourney. Football had a tough season with injuries and a strong schedule, but persisted and earned some victories. The senior class had a great four-year run with multiple postseason victories the previous 3 years, including the State Finals run in 2021.
The wrestling program, now both boys and girls, had quite a season. Lily Lovely and Kylynn Boody were part of the first official
EDUCATION
girls wrestling team at NHS. The boys team competed very well at our annual Raider Duals and defeated rival Goshen. They had a runner-up finish at the Elkhart Sectional and captured the regional championship, only the 4th regional title in the history of Northridge Wrestling. Two seniors, Travis Henke and Austin Parks, advanced to the IHSAA State Finals. Henke finished off an outstanding career by placing 4th overall in the state in his weight class. Our boys swim and dive team had an outstanding season, capped off with a win in the NLC championship meet and a Sectional title. This program advanced numerous swimmers to the IHSAA state finals where multiple swimmers earned PR’s and finished 16th in the team scoring. Senior Sawyer Lehman made the final heat in 2 different events. Our girls swim and dive team had another solid year. They still competed very well in the NLC despite the lack of experience and swam to a 2nd place finish overall. Led by 6 seniors and some talented underclassmen, the boys basketball program tied a school record with 21 wins on the season. They finished the year with an average margin of victory of just over 24 points per game, good for 5th in the state. Although a very difficult loss in the sectional championship, this group made their mark, and the program will remain solid as the JV and CTeam combined for a 38-4 record this winter. The varsity girls basketball team had a great mix of proven upperclassmen and some talented younger players as they entered this season. This program, similar to the boys, had great success at all 3 levels. The frosh/C-team finished the season with a record of 15-0 and won the NLC Tourney to finish out the season. The JV squad had another solid year and was 18-4 on the year. The varsity team went 21-5 on the year, marking the 3rd straight 20+ win season for this program. The varsity team won the Interra Classic that is hosted by Northridge each year which probably included one of the best tourney fields in the state. The winter cheerleading season was solid. Head coach Angie Marshall has worked extremely hard to build a culture of positivity.
The Spring season extends beyond the end of the school year. Raider Softball tallied 13 wins and finished second in the conference standings. The Baseball team also was second in the NLC. The Northridge track and field squads had competitive regular seasons, with the boys team winning the home invitational, Carmon Cripe Relays. Baylor Miller set and rebroke his school record in the 1,600 run. Jaden Fisher also topped the school record in the 400 dash. Twelve Raiders will compete in the State Finals for the second straight year. The Girls Tennis team repeated as Sectional champions. Boys Golf placed second in the NLC season standings and is looking to win its fifth straight Sectional Championship. In their first season as an official Indiana High School Athletic Associationsanctioned sport, Boys Volleyball won a Sectional match for the third straight year.
Thank you for your support of Raider Athletics!
INTERESTING FACTS
Middlebury Community Schools serves three townships in northeast Elkhart County, Indiana covering 100 square miles.
Middlebury Boys and Girls Club serves 300 kids every day.
EDUCATION
Dr. Jayson Snyder, Superintendent of Middlebury School Corporation
Jefferson Elementary School
18565 C.R. 20, Goshen K-3 Tigers 574-822-5399
Middlebury Elementary School 432 S. Main Street K-3 Middies 574-825-2158
Orchard View Elementary School 56734 Northridge Drive K-3 Eagles 574-825-5405
York Elementary School 13549 S.R. 120, Bristol K-3 Mustangs 574-825-5312
Heritage Intermediate School 56647 Northridge Drive 4-5 Knights 574-822-5396
Northridge High School** 56779 Northridge Drive 9-12 Raiders 574-825-2142
*designated by the Indiana Middle Level Educators Association and The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform as an official “School to Watch.”
**offers the Advanced Placement program.
WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS OF MIDDLEBURY
Water and Wastewater Bills:
Water and Wastewater bills are sent out around the 15th of each month and are due on the 10th of the following month. Please choose one of the following five payment options:
1. During business hours from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, pay in person at Town Hall located at 418 North Main St.
2. During and after business hours, Town Hall has a payment dropbox for your convenience.
3. Pay in person at the First State Bank of Middlebury, located at 111 South Main Street.
4. Mail payments to the Town of Middlebury, 418 North Main Street, Middlebury, IN 46540.
5. Online at www.middleburyin.com. If you prefer automatic withdrawal from your bank account, arrangements may be made by contacting 574-825-1499.
Note: If you decide to pay online when registering, you will need your customer number. Please enter the name exactly as it appears on the bill. When entering your address, only enter the street number, do not enter the street name.
There is a $2.95 charge to pay online.
Middlebury Parks and Trails
The Middlebury Parks and Recreation Department endeavors to maintain quality parks, trails and facilities to educate, entertain and encourage the residents of Middlebury to enjoy and support their outdoor resources, historic and cultural treasures and recreational opportunities. The Town has six parks:
• East Park - 108 North Main Street
• Krider World’s Fair Garden Park302 West Bristol Avenue
• Memorial Park - 105 North Main Street
• Olde Mill Park - 500 East Warren Street
• Riverbend Park - 511 East Warren Street
• Troyer Park - 815 Antler Drive
If you enjoy biking, walking, or running, you will find the top-rated trails in Indiana here in Middlebury. The Rails to Trails Conservancy says, “the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail steals the show in Indiana. If you want to experience genuine Midwestern Americana, this is it. Pastoral scenes of Amish life and fields of gold line the path. A must-visit trail!” Maps on pages 25, 28-31.
Fall Leaf Collection
Leaf collection for Town residents begins in Mid- to Late October. Please rake leaves to the curb, not on the roadway. The Town’s equipment cannot pick up sticks, brush, and grass clipping. Residents may drop these items off at the Middlebury Public Works Building located at 125 York Drive from April through December between 6:30am7:00pm.
Garbage Removal Services and Recycling
The Town of Middlebury contracts with HIMCO Waste-Away Service IN for garbage removal services. One free trash receptacle is provided to each resident. HIMCO Services removes the garbage weekly on either Monday or Tuesday, depending upon where you live. All garbage must be contained to the inside of the trash receptacle and placed curbside by 6:30am. Tax monies pay for garbage removal; therefore, residents do not receive an invoice for the service.
If your trash container is damaged, please contact the Town Office at 574-825-1499 for a replacement.
Spring and Fall Townwide Cleanup
In the Spring and Fall of each year, the Town conducts a townwide cleanup. During this time, the Town accepts large-item disposal at the dumpsters located at 125 York Drive. Please check the Town’s Website, Facebook Page, and your monthly utility bill for the exact dates.
Useful Information/Links
Website: www.middleburyin.com
Email: info@middleburyin.com
Facebook Town Hall Phone: 574-825-1499
Middlebury Summer Festival
GOVERNMENT
Administration — Town Hall
418 N Main Street • 825-1499
Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. www.middleburyin.com
The Town of Middlebury has five departments, a Clerk-Treasurer with two Deputy Clerks, a Town Manager and a five-member Town Council. The Town Council members are elected, and they function as the executive and legislative branches of government. The Town Council also authorizes the hiring of staff to implement the operations in our community. Public meetings on the first and third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
The Town of Middlebury’s Public Works Department is the caretaker of the cemetery.
Parks & Recreation Department
504 E Warren Street 825-3283
Manager
Tom Enright
Endeavors to maintain quality parks, trails, and facilities to educate, entertain, and encourage the citizens of Middlebury to enjoy and support their outdoor resources, historic and cultural treasures, and recreational opportunities while preserving, protecting and promoting natural areas and inhabitants in accordance with serving as good stewards of our environment.
The Park Board is the policy-making authority for the Parks & Recreation Department. The board consists of four Town of Middlebury citizens appointed by the Town Council for a four-year term. Public meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. at Town Hall.
Park Board Members
John McKee — President Elma Chapman — Vice President Monica Yoder — Secretary Barb Spice — Member
Police Department 418 N Main Street 825-9111
Middlebury Police Department is a full service, 24-hour department with eight full time officers, one administrative assistant and nine reserve officers.
GOVERNMENT
Public Works Department
125 York Drive
825-1493
Superintendent
Robert Miller
The mission of the Public Works Department is to provide the town with the most efficient and effective services possible to keep things flowing smoothly in our community.
The Department consists of five employees that do the following for our community:
• Streets and sidewalk inspection, maintenance and repair.
• Snow removal, leaf pickup and street sweeping.
• Inspection, maintenance and repair of public water lines and sewer pipes.
• Fire hydrant maintenance, repair and flushing.
• Street lamp maintenance and repair.
• Grave openings, closings and cemetery grounds maintenance.
Redevelopment Commission
418 N Main Street
825-1499
Promotes and encourages business growth and expansion, while appropriating land use and improvements within the town. Public meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month at 3:15 p.m. at Town Hall.
Redevelopment Commission
Chuck Teall — President
Gary Cripe — Vice President
Don Shuler — Secretary
Don Anderson — Member
Scott Miller — Member
John Mansfield — Member
Tree Board
418 N Main Street
825-1499
A volunteer board appointed by the Town Council that participates in the care, preservation, pruning, planting and removal of trees in the public right of way and on Town owned property. Under the guidance of the Tree Board, Middlebury has been certified as a Tree City USA community for over 20 years. Public meeting on the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
Tree Board
Mike Miller – President
Larry Carlson – Member
Melody Ellis – Member
Jordan Haarer – Member
Eric Risser – Member
Al Spice – Member
Wastewater Department
121 York Drive
825-1496
Foreman
Derrick Otto
Responsible for operating and maintaining the wastewater treatment facility along with 11 wastewater lift stations. Wastewater from homes and businesses in our community flows through more than 28 miles of sewer mains, eventually discharging into the town’s wastewater treatment plant.
Water Department
516 Eugene Drive
825-1497
Water Operator
Steve Cripe
Focused on providing quality water to your tap for worry-free use. Besides operating and maintaining the water treatment plant and four water towers, the department installs and repairs water meters and backflow prevention devices, reads the water meters monthly, inspects for leaks, responds to complaints regarding high water usage and inspects new water connections.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
To date, Middlebury’s economy has been largely based on farming and manufacturing. Located within minutes of the I-80/I-90 turnpike connection, Middlebury is an ideal location for any distribution route.
A comprehensive plan for economic development was released in 2020, which took into account infrastructure needs, land use planning and downtown redevelopment while balancing the needs of the large Amish population with that of the broader community.
While maintaining a strong and vibrant manufacturing sector, Middlebury is expanding its public-private partnerships in order to recruit and support three areas of focus: sustainable agriculture and food production, alternative sources of energy and advanced manufacturing automation.
In 2021, the Chamber was awarded a United States Department of Agriculture Grant to incubate rural businesses. The grant provided for the creation of the Middlebury Makers Rural Business Incubator. The effort for a rural business incubator is born out of the need for a unique, specialized, and supportive physical environment and structural and technical assistance to encourage and grow small businesses in the rural context. Five start-up businesses completed the program; three are now opening their small businesses in the Town of Middlebury. Let the Chamber support your vision of being a business owner. The Chamber has affordable space, co-working areas, business 101 workshops, and private business counseling. Also, free access to WIFI, meeting room, shared office equipment, copier, printer, and projector. Contact the Chamber to discuss your business start-up possibilities. Carmen Carpenter at carmencarpenter@middleburyinchamber.com or 574-825-4300.
2025 marks nine years since the launch of the Vibrant Communities Action Agenda for Elkhart County – a development of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County and the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Vibrant Communities initiative is an opportunity to strengthen Elkhart County’s great communities. Together, citizens continue efforts to implement community Vibrant Communities Action Agenda items to ensure everyone has a great place to live, work and raise a family.
INTERESTING FACTS ECONOMY
Middlebury’s economy is based on farming, manufacturing, and tourism.
INDUSTRY
This small town with only 3,721 residents grows to 12,000 to 15,000 people daily through RV manufacturing, schools, and other industries. It has been said, “When it comes to business, this small town can out manufacture cities twice its size.”
PARKS & TRAILS
Great trails and beautiful parks are the gems you will find in Middlebury. From elaborate and carefully manicured gardens to playgrounds and natural settings, our parks have it all. And our growing trail system connects us with neighboring towns and cities.
Krider World’s Fair Garden
This garden just celebrated 91 years and consists of several individual gardens including the Quilt Garden, the Memorial Garden, and the Rose Garden. There are ponds, a waterfall, two pavilions, pathways, and a glider for relaxing amidst the scenery. The park is a tribute to the Krider Nursery which was the town’s largest business for nearly a century, gaining fame with its patented thornless roses. In 1933 the company provided an elaborate garden for the Chicago’s Century of Progress exhibition, and several of the features of that garden were brought back to Middlebury, including the Dutch windmill and the Giant Toadstools.
Riverbend Park & Olde Mill Park
These parks, located on the banks of the Little Elkhart River, provide a natural setting, a playground, and a system of trails and boardwalks through the riparian landscape. From the Olde Mill trail you can admire the oldest building in Middlebury. In Riverbend there is a fishing platform (catch and release), a picnic pavilion, and the newest feature, Trail Tales, a series of stations, each containing pages of a book. As you walk the trail, you read the book. The stories are changed on a regular basis. Each
August Riverfest takes place, a one-day celebration of all things related to the river and our environment. Riverbend is also the site of the Summer Fun program for children.
The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail and Ridge Run Trails
The Pumpkinvine Trail is a 17-mile multipurpose rail-trail that connects Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. The Ridge Run Trail and the Wayne Street Trail connect to the Pumpkinvine, forming a 5K loop, as well as providing access to local businesses, parks, and schools. Bikers, hikers, and runners get a workout, children stay active in the great outdoors, and employees commute to their factories and businesses. Birdwatchers search for wildlife and families take leisurely trips to local parks and ice cream shops.
The final section of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail between county roads 20 and 35 in Middlebury is now open to the public. Walkers, runners and cyclists can now travel easily between Goshen, Middlebury and Shipshewana without leaving the trail safe. The vision, decades in the making, Is finally complete. It is not easy to fully express gratitude for the decades of dedication and resources offered by so many organizations and individuals. Together, we have created something exceptional.
*Names and locations of all the parks and trails may be found on the Town Map on pages 30-31.
Experience the difference
A t G o s h e n H e a l t h , w e l i s t e n f i r s t .
Finding a healthcare provider who listens is critical to ensuring you receive the care you need. That’s why we listen first, before offering solutions tailored for you. This is just one of the differences you’ll experience with Goshen Health.
To experience the difference, call (574) 537-5000.
G o s h e n H e a l t h . c o m
COUNTY MAP
Map courtesy of Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Heritage Trail
Audio Driving Tours Available at Visitors Center in Elkhart
