Goshen Historical Society Museum

Goshen Historical Society Museum The Goshen Historical Society has a permanent collection of artifacts, documents and objects telling The Goshen Historical Society, Inc.

is the owner of a permanent collection of artifacts, documents and images that pertain to the development and culture of the city of Goshen in Elkhart County, Indiana and the surrounding rural area. operates its museum to preserve, study, interpret, and exhibit artifacts, documents and images. The Society provides resources for the care and display of their collection and provides related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge.

08/31/2026

Monday, August 31st, for those of you that want to contribute to our Annual Garage Sale, we would like you to drop off non-clothing items at the old print building of the Goshen News on 5th Street behind the museum rear entrance anywhere between 1pm and 4pm today.

Tuesday through Thursday, please call the museum at 574-975-0033 between 10am and 4pm to let us know you are planning on dropping off items for the sale.

Remember the garage sale will be held Friday, September 4th (9am to 5pm) and Saturday, September 5th (9am to 3pm) thank you to all who contribute & purchase, to help the Goshen Historical Society.

This is one of my favorite displays at the museum, it's fun to see kids try to figure out what everything is and how it ...
08/29/2026

This is one of my favorite displays at the museum, it's fun to see kids try to figure out what everything is and how it works. I especially like the look you get when you tell them that now they can do everything on their cellphones. It's the only "hands on" display in the museum.

08/21/2026

We had 118 at our program Thursday, August 20, 2026, on GOSHEN NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES. Make plans now for our next program, GOSHEN TROLLEY & INTERURBAN SYSTEMS, which will be held at the Jennings Auditorium, Greencroft, Thursday, October 22, 2026.

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES Reminder of this week's program on Thursday, August 20, at 7:00 p.m. delving into the many a...
08/18/2026

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES

Reminder of this week's program on Thursday, August 20, at 7:00 p.m. delving into the many and varied grocery stores that dotted Goshen's neighborhood. The program will be at the Jennings Auditorium of the Greencroft Community Center and is free to the public.

(Below photos are of the West Side Grocery, 330 Dewey Avenue, when Floyd and Doris Keim, owned and operated the business 1947-1958)

08/18/2026

GOSHEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL HAVE THEIR ANNUAL GARAGE SALE ON SEPTEMBER 4 AND 5 IN THE OLD PRINT BUILDING OF THE GOSHEN NEWS ON 5TH STREET BEHIND THE MUSEUM REAR ENTRANCE. SALE HOURS WILL BE 9 TO 5 ON THE 4TH AND 9 TO 3 ON THE 5TH. ANYONE WISHING TO CONTRIBUTE NON-CLOTHING SALE ITEMS TO OUR SALE SHOULD CONTACT THE MUSEUM OFFICE 574-975-0033. ITEMS WILL BE COLLECTED BEGINNING ON MONDAY, AUGUST 24.

AUGUST PROGRAM -NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORESLocal grocery stores like Bradford's, Parkside, Purl Street, and Dewey Avenu...
08/14/2026

AUGUST PROGRAM -
NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES

Local grocery stores like Bradford's, Parkside, Purl Street, and Dewey Avenue were just a few of the stores that from the late 19th century through the 1960s and 1970s were fixtures in Goshen's many Neighborhoods. These "Mom and Pop" convenience stores served their respective neighborhoods and were within easy walking distance of the residents.

The Goshen Historical Society will be presenting a program on Thursday, August 20, at 7:00 p.m. delving into the many and varied stores that dotted the neighborhoods of Goshen. The program will be at the Jennings Auditorium of the Greencroft Community Center and is free to the public.

Photos below:
Bradford's - 701 S. Main (corner of Douglas & Main).
Jefferson Street Grocery (511 E. Jefferson).
Purl Street Grocery (309 E. Purl; later a Burger Dairy).
Weaver & Place (1401, later 1501 S. Main Street, corner of Lafayette and Main; later the Parkside Grocery).

KUNDERD GLADIOLUS FARM - 1911-1971
08/08/2026

KUNDERD GLADIOLUS FARM - 1911-1971

Just a few more items from the Elkhart County Fair that were donated over the years to the museum. Don't forget the Elkh...
07/28/2026

Just a few more items from the Elkhart County Fair that were donated over the years to the museum. Don't forget the Elkhart County Fair runs until Saturday, August 1st. Stop by the museum we are open Tuesday thru Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

ELKHART COUNTY FAIRStop by the museum and check out our display.(Fair opens Friday, July 24, and runs through Saturday, ...
07/21/2026

ELKHART COUNTY FAIR
Stop by the museum and check out our display.
(Fair opens Friday, July 24, and runs through Saturday, August 1)

Photo taken mid-block of the 100 block of W. Lincoln Avenue, looking east. (Intersection of Main Street & Lincoln Avenue...
07/17/2026

Photo taken mid-block of the 100 block of W. Lincoln Avenue, looking east. (Intersection of Main Street & Lincoln Avenue). c.1945

North Main:
136 - Olympia Candy Kitchen
134 - Band Box Cleaners
132 - Tavern Cafe
128-30 - Evans Super Market
130 1/2 - Goshen Bowling Alley
126 - Durr's Tavern
124 - Majestic Cafe
120-22 - Kline's Department Store
118 - Warren's Market
116 - Swallow Cafe
114 - Stewart Spitzer (gas appliances)
112 - Beck's Drug & Book Store
110 - Harry Collins (beer)
108 - Furniture Mart
106 - Jack "N" Jill Shoppe
102 - First National Bank
101 - Elkhart County Court House

East Lincoln Avenue:
106 - Melvin Vesey (jeweler)
108 - Lincoln Shoe Repair Shop
109 - Charles Wogomon (barber)
110 - Sanitary Grocery
111 - L. J. Brooks (coal company)
112-16 - Shoots Building
113 - Western Union Telegraph Company
114 - Goshen Hardware
115 - Smith-Alsop Goshen Paint
118 - Mary's Canteen
119 - Gospel Book Store
120 - Glenn Lewis (billiards)
121 - Lincoln Cafe
122 - Robert Dreves (plumber)
123 - Rogers & Wilson Music House
124 - Lincoln Food Market
125 - Gilbert's of Goshen
126-28 - Lincon Theatre
127 - Floyd Martin (physician)
129 - Lew Miller (bicycles)
211 - 1st Presbyterian Church

West Lincoln Avenue:
108 1/2 - Deahl & Deahl (lawyers)
110 - Frank Garberick (shoe repair)
112 - Albion Prod Credit
114 - Kate's Cafe
116 - McLean's Cafe
118 - Charles Hursh (optometrist)
120 - Chester Strine (barber)
122 - Cripe Abstract
124 - City Hall

(List created by using the Indiana Polk's Goshen City Directory of 1946; I'm assuming the photo is from c.1945, because Kate's Cafe was at that location starting in 1944)

Address

124 S Main Street
Goshen, IN
46526

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15749750033

Website

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