Mishawaka, Indiana

Mishawaka /ˌmɪʃəˈwɑːkə/ is a city on the St. Joseph River, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census. Its nickname is "the Princess City."

Mishawaka is a principal city of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Mishawaka’s recorded history began with the discovery of bog iron deposits at the beginning of the 1830s. Settlers arriving to mine the deposits founded the town of St. Joseph Iron Works in 1831. Within a few years, the town had a blast furnace, a general store, a tavern, and about 200 residents. Business prospered, and in 1833 St. Joseph Iron Works, Indiana City, and two other adjacent small towns were incorporated to form the city of Mishawaka.

In September 1872, a fire destroyed three quarters of Mishawaka’s business district. However, the citizens rebuilt and attracted new industry. The Dodge Manufacturing Company, Perkins Windmills and the Mishawaka Woolen and Rubber Company (later Ball Band, then Uniroyal) all helped the town to prosper. Mishawaka grew through both industry and agriculture. In the late 19th century, Mishawaka became known as the "Peppermint Capital of the World", since the area's rich black loam produced great quantities of mint.

Mishawaka (YTB-764)

Mishawaka (YTB‑764) was a United States Navy Natick-class large harbor tug named for Mishawaka, Indiana.

Construction

She was laid down on 1 February 1962 at Slidell, Louisiana, by Southern Shipbuilding Corporation and launched 3 January 1963.

Operational history

She reported for duty in the 11th Naval District, headquartered at San Diego, in April 1963, where she remained into the 1980s.

Stricken from the Navy List 28 October 2002, ex-Mishawaka was sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) to JE Ventures LP, Nederland, Texas, for commercial service. Renamed Alois. In 2008, Alois was reported abandoned in Harlingen, Netherlands. At Harlingen, Alois was seized by court order and auctioned off by the International Transport Workers' Federation, for €400,000. In 2010 the ship was towed from Rotterdam to Port Arthur, TX, where she was berthed, awaiting sale by the bank.

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