Editing Nappanee, Indiana (section)

===Development===

The town's first industry was a [[sawmill]], and later additions were box-making, charcoal, and furniture businesses. The first brickyard (using local resources) was established before 1879. The first canning company was established in 1894, and a hemp factory was built by 1913. The hemp factory never reached full capacity, and was burned down in 1920, not rebuilt. Mobile home construction had started in [[Elkhart, Indiana|Elkhart]] and [[Goshen, Indiana|Goshen]] by [[World War II]], and the Walco and Franklin Coach Company were built in Nappanee after the war. Once the land was cleared, corn and wheat were planted, and agriculture has long been important in the area. By the early 20th century, onions had become a major crop (inspiring an autumn festival), and other farmer-entrepreneurs grew hemp, spearmint and peppermint.<ref>Nappanee History pp. 84-84</ref>

Nappanee was governed as a township from 1874 until 1889 when it incorporated as a town (then electing a town marshal and establishing a fire company and soon a waterworks). The town library was started as a ladies' subscription service in 1895 and became a public library in 1925 after sufficient building funds were amassed to purchase an existing house, although a dedicated building wasn't opened until 1937.<ref>Nappanee History pp. 61-62</ref> In 1895, some tried to establish a college in Nappanee, but unlike various fellowships and fraternal and literary societies, the proposal never was implemented. In 1925 Nappanee incorporated as a city.<ref>Nappanee History p. 26</ref>
Early in the 20th century, various Nappanee natives became noted cartoonists, including [[Merrill Blosser]], [[dpla:78a42facd0d6bb8a1dc16b7899e9b181|Max Gwin]], [[Bill Holman (cartoonist)|Bill Holman]], [[Fred Neher]] and Henry Maust, and political cartoonist Francis (Mike) Parks was educated in Nappanee before working for [[New York (state)|New York]], [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]] and [[San Francisco]] newspapers.<ref>Nappanee history pp. 88-91</ref> A marker outside the public library notes Nappanee's cartooning history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://yesteryear.clunette.com/|title=Kosciusko County Indiana Historic Newspaper Articles|website=yesteryear.clunette.com}}</ref><ref>/nappanee6.htmlhttps://www.in.gov/history/markers/481.htm</ref>
The [[Frank and Katharine Coppes House]], [[Downtown Nappanee Historic District]], [[Arthur Miller House]], [[Nappanee Eastside Historic District]], [[Nappanee West Park and Pavilion]], and [[Stahly-Nissley-Kuhns Farm]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

A [[tornado]] [[Mid-October 2007 tornado outbreak|touched down]] in Nappanee around 10:30 PM on 18 October 2007, injuring at least five people and damaging 200 to 250 buildings, half of them severely. The tornado was classified as an [[Enhanced Fujita Scale|EF3]]. The damage included three recreational vehicle factories that are among the community's largest employers: Fairmont Homes, Franklin Coach, and Gulf Stream Coach.<ref>{{cite news
 |first       = Coyne
 |last        = Tom
 |title       = Tornado hits Nappanee, brings destruction
 |publisher   = The Associated Press
 |date        = 2007-10-19
 |url         = http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071019/LOCAL/710190515
 |access-date  = 2007-10-19
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071021012443/http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071019%2FLOCAL%2F710190515
 |archive-date = 2007-10-21
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>