Editing Elkhart, Indiana (section)

==Arts and culture==
===Theater===
[[File:elkelco.jpg|thumb|The front of the Lerner Theater, then named the ELCO, in downtown Elkhart.]]

In 1884, the Bucklen Opera House opened its doors for the first time, with a [[seating capacity]] of 1200. It was common for one performance to take place every week. Elkhart's location on the railroad made it a good stopping point for shows traveling from New York to Chicago. In 1896, the first movie was shown in the theater, which was also used as Elkhart High School's auditorium until 1924.<ref name="ElkhartHistory"/> The Bucklen was demolished in 1986.

The [[Lerner Theatre]], formerly the ELCO Performing Arts Center, is a small theater located downtown. After being built in 1924 and undergoing two name changes, it became the ELCO in 1934. Ownership switched hands several times, but the end of the Lerner appeared to be in sight when owner William Miller died in 1987. In 1990, the city bought the theater to prevent further deterioration due to vacancy.  Also, that year, some locals formed a commission to oversee the restoration. Funding issues led the city to get involved further in the form of getting a federal grant. The grant helped with major upgrades and the hiring of full-time staff.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thelerner.com/about.html|title=About - The Lerner Theatre|work=thelerner.com|access-date=17 May 2015|archive-date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724031928/http://www.thelerner.com/about.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The ELCO was renamed The Lerner when it reopened after an $18 million renovation and expansion in June 2011. It is now used for a wide range of concerts, special events, and local productions.

===Museums===
There are many different museums located in the city.

* [[Woodlawn Nature Center]] is a small natural history museum and activity center that includes 10 acres of woods.
* The [[Midwest Museum of American Art]] has over 6,000 works in its collection and offers 8-10 temporary showings per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gatewaymile.com/midwest-museum-of-american-art-is-home-to-world-class-art-on-main-street/|title=Midwest Museum of American Art is home to world-class art on Main Street|date=2017-07-18|website=The Gateway Mile|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-28|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022173309/https://gatewaymile.com/midwest-museum-of-american-art-is-home-to-world-class-art-on-main-street/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.midwestmuseum.org/current-exhibits/|title=Current Exhibitions {{!}} Midwest Museum of American Art {{!}} Elkhart, Indiana|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref>
* [[New York Central Railroad Museum|The National New York Central Railroad Museum]] tells the history of the New York Central, Penn Central, Amtrak and Conrail railroads. Conrail established the Rail Yards in Elkhart which is now owned by Norfolk Southern.
* The RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum was once located in the city but has now been moved to a new facility along the toll road. Elkhart County is known as the RV Capital of the World.
* The [[Ruthmere Mansion|Ruthmere Museum]] was the mansion once occupied by Albert R. and Elizabeth Baldwin Beardsley, the descendants of the city's founder. This museum features a world-class fine arts collection and a historical recreation of the home as it was in the 1910s and 20s. 
* The [[Dr. Havilah Beardsley House|Havilah Beardsley House]] is also part of the Ruthmere Museum Campus. Built in 1848, this home once belonged to the founder of Elkhart, Havilah Beardsley. Today, it has been restored to the style of the 1870s, at which time Havilah's son, James Rufus Beardsley, gutted and remodeled the entire home into its current Italianate style.

===Events===
The [[Elkhart Jazz Festival]] is a three-day event that takes place in late June on the banks of the [[Elkhart River]]. It is known as one of the premier Jazz festivals in the nation. In 2007, the festival celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Each June, the Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department presents Rhapsody Arts & Music Festival (formally called Rhapsody in Green). It is a weekend event put on at the city's Island Park. It is a typical summer festival with live music and food.

Also, the Elkhart Air Show was an annual event that took place at the Elkhart Municipal Airport at the end of July. It featured a wide variety of airplanes old and new. The event was canceled in 2007 due to financial issues. It is unclear whether the show is on hiatus or gone for good.<ref>[http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/Biz/70328008 South Bend Tribune: High-flying air show grounded for '07<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Public library===
The city is served by the [[Elkhart Public Library]], which operates four branches.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://myepl.org/epl/index.php/library-branches/ | title=Library Branches | publisher=Elkhart Public Library | access-date=7 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308041355/https://myepl.org/epl/index.php/library-branches/ | archive-date=8 March 2018 | url-status=dead }}</ref>