Walk along St Joseph River in Mishawaka

Today turned out differently than I had planned. I originally planned to visit Indiana Dunes National Park today, but some issues with insurance and medical issues kept me occupied during the middle of day, so I postponed my trip to the dunes until tomorrow.

This evening I took a nice walk along the St Joseph river in Mishawaka. It was a beautiful, quiet evening, and I saw fisherman tending to their lines on the river at sunset.

The city of Mishawaka has a nice park, the Robert C. Beutter Riverfront Park, along the St Joseph river. The park has a large paved area where farmers markets and other events are held in the Summer, and a series of concrete waterfalls with water channeled from the river.

Across a footbridge is a statue telling the legend of the Shawnee Princess Mishawaka, the daughter of Chief Elkhart. Her name means "swift water", and the town of Mishwaka is named after her.

There were quite a few people out tonight, walking their dogs or just walking. A little ways past the Mishawaka statue is a very nice memorial walkway dedicated to those who have served and given their lives for our country. At each end of the walk is a monument: at one end is a Civil War monument, and the other end is a monument dedicated to the Mishawaka soldiers who died in any of the wars. 

The monument dedicated to all the Mishawakan soldiers who gave their lives has an eternal flame, and names engraved around the monument and on the bricks surrounding it.

The walkway betwen the two monuments is lined on each side with signs engraved on clear plexiglass, providing background for each of the following wars and explaining how the Mishawaka area and its citizens were involved: 

• War of 1812
• American Revolution
• Mexican War
• Spanish-American War
• Civil War
• World War I
• World War II
• Korean War
• Vietnam War
• Persian Gulf War
• Post-911, Iraq and Afghanistan 

It was another history lesson for me, reading how this area was involved and supplied soldiers for each of the conflicts. Below are two examples of the signs:

The memorial was very well done, and besides serving as a history lesson, it made me realize how far reaching the effects of war are -- that even the small town of Mishawaka, Indiana, was affected by each of these conflicts.

Other than the war tribute and reminder, the walk was quite peaceful and made me forget about all outside issues and problems -- personal, national, or world. I can understand why people at church on Sunday told me they really like living here.

I passed pickleball courts and signs advertising youth athletic leagues.

The riverwalk was a relaxing way to end the day.