The City of Mishawaka conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony at “Founders Circle”, located at Robert C. Beutter Riverfront Park just northeast of the Ball Band Biergarten on Wednesday, November 10th at 3:30pm.

When the park was designed and constructed in 2004, an area of the park was reserved for a future art installation. This area of the park had been lawn area that was surrounded by a circular crushed granite path. The path and surrounding area had remained unfinished until now.

In 2020, the City contracted with the Robert Henry Corporation to build an ornamental paver path, install seating, and build the concrete and stone bases for the plaques to memorialize the early industrialists, politicians, and clergy that shaped our early history as a City. The most significant of them have been memorialized in this place, “Founders Circle”, which is geographically located in the heart of the St. Joseph Ironworks that was created by “Father of Mishawaka”, Alanson Hurt.

This area also marks the permanent home of the City’s Perkin’s Windmill. The space was chosen because the windmill was actually made on this site, where the former Perkin’s Windmill factory once stood.