People’s Theater
The Lerner Theater was built in 1924. It was renamed The Elco in about 1940. Generations of Elkhartans have attended movies, symphonies and other productions there. Our music heritage is renowned, but fading.
The reopening of The Lerner will provide an elegant, central location for reclaiming our musical heritage. The 62 year-old Elkhart Symphony, our 100 year-old Municipal Band, the thriving Premier Arts stage production company and many others will call The Lerner "home".
Proms, wedding receptions, charity events, product launches and all kind of activites will be held in the 6,000 sf ballroom addition. Add to that there's free parking - no creepy parking garage (sorry Morris) right across Franklin Street.
It's a crown jewel for a city that has had its wind knocked out. With school budgets being cut (and most assuredly music and art will be among the further cuts next year), this center for music, dance and drama will be critical as an avenue for young Elkhartans to be instructed in the art of performance.
It's win-win. And it's halfway to completion. Check the progress at www.lernertheater.org
Anno nuovo felice!
That's Italian for "happy new year!" One of the ethnic groups that greatly influenced Elkhart culturally, socially and commercially came from the Italian immigrant families who moved here in the late 19th century - primarily to work on the railroad. The streets immediately parallel to the Lakeshore RR tracks near downtown became "Little Italy" - Harrison, Hickory, St. Joseph Streets. From the early days of the 1900's until the late 1960's, these streets were home to a very tight-knit, almost exclusively Italian enclave.
The ethnic slurs and negative reactions these early families experienced in Elkhart 90 or more years ago are much the same as some recently-arrived Hispanic families have experienced here during the past 10 or 15 years: "They're taking our jobs." "Why don't they learn English?" John Lucchese, Jr. (who was born here, but lived in an exclusively Italian-speaking household) tells the story of going to 1st grade in 1933 without knowing a word of English. His teacher just threw up her hands, "I don't know what you expect me to do with these dagos!"
The heritage that Elkhart's many Italian-Americans have contributed is widely recognized in the restaurants and taverns that sprung up here beginning in the 1940's: Minelli's; Nicky D's; Flytrap's; Casey's; Campanello's (now Volcano Pizza); Falcone's; Poor Tony's; Joe & Eddie's; Lucchese's; Santino's; Antonio's; Siciliano's. Beyond great food, warm atmosphere and marina, the impact of Italian-Americans in Elkhart really grew in the '50's and '60's.
An Indiana Avenue tavern/ grocery proprietor named Julius Decio had a bright son named Art who founded Skyline Corp, one of the most esteemed and successful manufactured housing concerns in the world.
What will our new arrivals from Mexico and Latin American countries most be remembered for contributing? Already, we've seen a boon in great food: Rosales'; Camino Real; Chuchi's; Los Primos and many other sole proprietor Hispanic-owned eateries. Bigger fish: Inter Cambio Express just bought the former Banks Lumber Co. building near Island Park and their CEO Isaac Torres has among the best-paid financial services employees in the area.
Metro Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill, North Carolina has seen a similar influx of Hispanic families. The backlash there has also been strong. Despite this, a strong new middle class is evolving. They rarely divorce, they save their money and they revere family - particularly the elderly. These social influences are positive. Nurturing even.
Will Elkhart's mayor in 20 years have a surname like Rodriguez? Will people ever stop whining about the most recent influx of immigrants? (Not bloody likely).
Saw a sign from the City Museum of New York: A boldly-lettered sign that was prominently displayed: "Irish Need Not Apply."
Wops, dagos, Mics, spics, wet-backs. Made our country what it is. A nation of immigrants. My great-grandfather, a German Jew was a "damn Yid" arrived in New York City in 1883 age 18. He lived in Harlem, in an exclusively Yiddish-speaking neighborhood until he moved "out west" to Indiana, where he was marginally tolerated until he proved his worth.
Thank God they didn't ship him back for being "an illegal." He would surely have been sent to a concentration camp in his old age and an industrious line that flourished in Northern Indiana would never have come to be.
Happy New Year!
TAKE THE A-TRAIN
TAKE THE A TRAIN: Amtrak, that is. It is a mystery to me why Elkhart folks will drive over 20 miles to pay to park at SBN airport, to take the South Shore to Chi-Town. Amtrak has 2 daily trains to Union Station from Elkhart, with two nightly returns. And parking here is FREE - for as long as you like. It's only $17 each way and there's a dining and snack car (and a bar car on the return. )
Morning trains depart Elkhart DAILY at 7:24 AM (Capitol Limited), arriving Chicago at 8:40 AM. Next train is at 8:25 AM (Lakeshore Limited), arriving in Chicago at 9:45 AM. Scenic double-decker cars give you great views, comfortable seats and FOOD. www.amtrak.com
Evening return trains depart DAILY from Union Station to ELkhart at 6:50 PM, arriving ELkhart @ 9:39 PM. Next departure is at 9:00 PM, arriving Elkhart at 11:52 PM.
Go for the day. Take the kids. Next time you get the urge to "blow town," go Amtrak. Right from DOWNTOWN ELKHART. Can't beat it.
McCarthy's on the Riverwalk just opened (near the Elkhart Ave bridge). Friday, Oct. 23 was their ribbon-cutting and open house. This long-admired, gorgeous building overlooking the Elkhart River now has an interior to match its commanding exterior. The dark wood-panelled, cozy bar is "pub-themed" with some Irish overtones (Smithwick's on tap; corned beef; "Irish nachos" - they use sliced potatoes instead of tortilla chips). The spicy, savory whitefish dip with flatbread is a great pub item and compliments any beer and most cocktails ($7). The large and beautiful wrap-around terrace will surely be a popular spot in warmer weather. Warm-toned, understated dining and banquet rooms are lovely with floor to ceiling windows. The dining room and pub bar have slate floors and tufted burgundy leather booths that offer a feeling of richness, but not stuffiness, to the pleasing decor. The best filet mignon ($26.50 for 9 ounces) I've had in a long time has a distinctive spicy caramelized rub, reminiscent of Minelli's "back in the day." Melts in your mouth. Staff members who smile, know what's going on, who greet customers immediately are an evident asset that will be key to McCarthy's success. Check their web site under our "Fine Dining" section.
OKTOBERFEST - The "Downtown Tour" saw imaginative food & drink specials offered by 8 downtown establishments. From 5pm until Midnight on Saturday, Oct. 10, over 400 hearty souls traversed the mean streets of our downtown. Owners and managers were ecstatic; participants got great deals, tried spots they'd never been to or hadn't patronized in years. And everyone behaved. Nary a bar-smoking, noise violating pit ball in sight. Thanks EPD for patroling to make it safe. THANKS everyone from all over Michiana who came out to have fun and take our Oktoberfest tour.
It was way cool. We'll do it again.
