| The Elkhart County Historical Museum located is located in the Howard Rush Center on West Vistula Street in in Bristol, IN. Although the Society was founded in 1896, the documents and artifacts in their collection had no permanent home until 1968. |
| In the late 1960's, when the Bristol and Elkhart school systems were consolidated, Howard Rush purchased the building that had formerly housed the Bristol High School, and presented it to the Elkhart County Parks Department. |  |
| Part of the building was built in 1903, with additional sections added later. It was built to consolidate the one-room schools in the area and was the first in the area to do so. | |
 |
This school bell was used on the first school and was donated to the museum. |
Staffed mainly by volunteers, the museum is open limited hours and days. The museum season is from February through the first weekend in December, with hours from 10 am to 4 PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It is closed on Saturdays, which can be disappointing for day-trip visitors, expecting Saturday availability. Limited Sunday hours are from 1 PM to 5 PM. However, groups and tours can arrange other times, by appointment. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. There is a wealth of information here, especially for genealogists, but record keeping, filing, and access are very basic. There is no computer access of records or materials. Materials such as photographs cannot be borrowed or photographed. The tour atmosphere is maintained even during casual browsing, since a guide always accompanies you through the museum, which can be distracting if you just want to move at your own pace. But for school or other groups, the tour can be informative. To schedule a tour, call the Elkhart County Park Administration Office at 219-535-6458. |
 |
Especially for children, the various historical theme areas and rooms provide a glimpse into our Victorian past. There are no dinosaurs, but the bones of the wooly mammoth that once roamed this area is a worthy competitor for challenging young imaginations.
|
| Even the stairwells are used to present a entertaining theme, like this one that simulates an old County Jail. |
 |
 |
The various theme rooms, like the old drug store, show a variety of items arranged in everyday situations that bring the past to life. |
| The parlor theme room evokes a feeling that one has wandered into a Victorian home where the family has left for a moment and will be right back. |  |
