Located at the confluence of the St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers and on Christiana Creek, Elkhart is a community of bridges. Originally a crossroads of Native American trails, the town was named for a small island in the St. Joseph River that Native Americans said was shaped like an elk's heart.

A 19th-century grocer (cornetist in the town band) suffered an injured upper lip in a brawl and devised a soft rubber mouthpiece for cornets. He received so many requests for mouthpieces that in 1875 he rented a one-room building and started the manufacture of brass cornets. This led to Elkhart's becoming the band instrument center of the country. Approximately 50 percent of the nation's band instruments are manufactured here by 15 firms.

Elkhart also has many industrial plants, producing diverse items such as pharmaceuticals, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, electronic components, construction machinery, and plastic machinery.