Mishawaka History buffs are working on a plan to put a historical museum in downtown. They’ve purchased a building and are slowly working on renovations.
In a tour through the storefront in on Main Street in Mishawaka Curator and Treasurer Pete DeKever painted a picture of what the space will look like., “there will be exhibits in the space we have here. And then also some exhibit space in this middle area….”
Right now the space is cavernous and echo-y but there’s studs where the walls will be.The Museum has been an idea for a while.
DeKever said purchased the building in May of 2017 and have been slowly working to clear it out and refurbish it.
He said they’re moving as fast as fundraising will allow. They hope to have an open museum, staffed by volunteers by the end of the year.
He said one of the big ideas is to create a sense of pride in the community.
“We oftentimes hear that Mishawakans feel like they live in the shadow of South Bend, or we get lost between South Bend and Elkhart. That’s an ongoing struggle for us is to promote ourselves and a great community, to nurture pride in our citizens.”
There will be spaces in the museum dedicated to business, religion, famous Mishawakans, schools, military heritage and more. The artifacts are currently being stored off site. DeKever said they’re always looking for more donations to help tell the story of Mishawaka.
