In Elkhart, raceways along the Saint Joseph and Elkhart Rivers powered a series of early mills and factories in the 1800's, and the last water-powered mill operated until 1955. The headrace formerly on this site ran parallel with the Elkhart River, beginning above the present dam and ending within several feet of East Jackson Boulevard. At each building, gates were opened to let water flow into penstocks housing the turbines, and the movement of water through the turbines generated power for the factories before returning to the Elkhart River through tailraces.