Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Bristol

The Hilbish Store, circa the late 1800's. Now home to the Red Bird Tavern.

On Thursday, June 18 the Elkhart County Historical Museum will be leading a walking tour of historic downtown Bristol. From 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. participants will be guided around the 180-year-old community by museum staff member Frank Fisher.

Participants on the Bristol walking tour will get to view the oldest church continually used for worship in Elkhart County, two buildings on the National Register for Historic Places, and the site of the old Bristol Banner. They will also hear stories of the ghosts that supposedly haunt a couple of the structures. A couple stops will include a brief look inside the buildings.

“All the landmarks on the tour have fun and interesting histories,” says Curator of Education Rebecca Oestreich. “For example, the Red Bird Tavern is named after the original owner Red Rigby who was known for his red whiskers and hair.” The Italianate commercial building that houses the Red Bird Tavern dates back to 1862 and once housed a Knights of Pythias hall upstairs.

The walking tour of Bristol starts the beginning of a series of summer walking tours that will explore historic neighborhoods in Elkhart County. “Over the next few years we plan to lead groups through areas all over the county,” says Oestreich. “There are so many interesting neighborhoods that are full of historic structures and fascinating stories.” The next walking tour will be on August 15th and will focus on the Baintertown Canal System. Once a thriving business district, Baintertown is now a ghost town, but remnants of the community are still visible.

The Historic Downtown Bristol Walking Tour will begin and end at the Elkhart County Historical Museum. Pre-registration for the walking tour is preferred. For more information or to sign up, please contact Oestreich at 574-848-4322 or email at rebecca@elkhartcountyparks.org.