The Apple Festival
The whole town will set its chores aside and come together during a weekend in September to celebrate the Nappanee Apple Festival, where the bright red apple is the center of attention as the town has drummed up prizes for those who bake best, peel fastest and decorate their windows to the apple's glory.
It is fitting that the orchard owned by the Miller family, of Old Order Amish descent, is the only working apple orchard in Indiana located within a town's city limits. In the spirit of the celebration you'll find crates of the fresh fruit dotting the downtown sidewalks. Local color shines through the array of food booths run by the Rotary to the sororities. From fritters to cobbler and Dutch apple pie, you'll find no short lines, but plenty of time to catch up on the fall gossip. Sweet cider is the drink of the day and the apple butter boiling in the copper kettle can be taken home, if you're the patient type.
Architectural and Historical Significance
Locke Village
Locke Village was founded in 1865 and flourished as a growing village until the B&O Railroad came through the area two miles south of Lock in 1874. The town of Nappanee was founded next to the railroad and grew rapidly, mostly with the head start given to it by the moving of Locke's commercial buildings and houses over frozen fields from Locke to Nappanee. Metzler's Store Next Door, New Attitudes Salon and Through the Looking Glass in downtown Nappanee are still housed in those moved buildings. Most of the buildings standing in Locke today are second generation houses. Only the United Brethren Church still stands as a private house at the south west corner of the village streets. The Locke Center School has also been converted to a private residence. It stands west of Locke at the northeast corner of County Road 3 and 52. The original bell tower was relocated to the present School Belfry at 252 West Market Street in 1968.
A mile and a half west of Locke on County Road 52 stands the South Union Cemetery with the township meeting house across the road that is now used as a church.
Amish Acres
The original homestead, built in 1873, by pioneer Christian Stahly for his son Moses, in the only Old Order Amish farm in the country listed on The National Register of Historic Places.
West Side Park Pavilion
The West Side Park Pavilion is the oldest standing chautauqua building in Indiana. It has recently been restored and is listed on The National Register of Historic Places.
United States Post Office
Nappanee's post office at 202 East Market Street is a Dutch Colonial brick building that features Chippendale fretwork on each side of the copper topped belfry. The lobby of the post office features a mural featured in Indiana (Library).
Nappanee Public Library
Celebrating 75 years in 1996, the Nappanee Public Library was cited as the Outstanding Library in Indiana in 1986 for its addition which wrapped around and preserved the 1936 library's interior and facade as part of the new structure.
Coppes Homes
The first prominent industrial family in Nappanee was the Coppes family. Their nationally known custom kitchen cabinets were manufactured in the factory that still stands on East Market Street. The first generation of Victorian Coppes houses are today occupied by the Masonic Temple, Elder Haus at 258 East Market and The Victorian House Bed and Breakfast at 302 East Market Street.
Mutschler Homes
Mutschler Brothers kitchen factory grew out of Coppes Brothers. The first stucco American Four Square house with classic portico is located at 258 East Walnut Street. The same house, with its floor plan flopped from side to side, faced in brick and roofed in red tile, is given a prairie style in its interior quarter sawn oak paneling and trim is located at 352 East Market Street.
Coppes "White Collar" Houses
The five identical houses built in the 300 block of South Hartman street were built by the Coppes Brothers to entice management personnel for their business to live in Nappanee.
Old Bank Buildings
Two former bank buildings still stand in downtown Nappanee. The limestone Justus building 104 South Main Street and the brick Burke Printing Shop at 151 South Main Street currently occupy the well proportioned facades.
Railroad station
The former B&O Railroad depot located along the present CSX tracks on 252 South Main Street is the best remaining prairie style brick depot remaining on the line according to Laura Thayer, historic consultant for National Register applications.
National Register District
Nappanee's four block downtown intersected by Market and Main Streets is listed in The National Register of Historic Places.
Madison Street bricks
The Madison Street brick street, located two blocks east of Main Street is a designated historic district by the Historic Preservation Commission of the City of Nappanee.
Original House
One of the original farm houses standing in what is today Nappanee is located at 801 West Walnut Street.
Church of the Brethren
Located on East Market Street at the corner of Jackson Street, this brick building is today empty, last used by the Catholic Church. It is the oldest standing church building in Nappanee and was chosen as the site of the Church of the Brethren's college before it was moved to Manchester to become Manchester College.
West Market Street Mennonite Church
The original West Market Street Mennonite wood frame church building was turned 90 degrees and now serves as the sanctuary for the remodeled church.
Art Deco Buildings
Several store fronts in downtown Nappanee represent Art Deco influences in the geometric patterns made by their brick facades. Look at the Romantic Beginnings located at 110 East Market Street.
Brethren in Christ Church
The first Brethren in Christ Church in Indiana is located northeast of Nappanee at 23012 County Road 50. It is affiliated with the Evangel Press in Nappanee.
Bethel Missionary Church
The first Reformed Missionary Church in Indiana in now the Bethel Missionary Church located on 63503 County Road. Its historical Prairie Camp (originally Fetters Grove) is located one mile west of the Church at 63526 County Road 9.
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