Mishawaka is located in the northwestern part of the state of Indiana and a city and seat of St. Joseph County on the eastern side of South Bend. The area where the present-day Mishawaka stands were founded around the St. Joseph Ironworks that was built in 1833 that was used to exploit the nearby bog iron deposits and became a village after two years that was platted under the same name. The name of the site was derived from the Potawatomi word that means “country of dead trees.” After the end of World War I, thousands of Belgian immigrants moved to the area and formed a Flemish-speaking community. The city is an industrial center with manufacturers that include civilian and military vehicles, plastics, electric motors, among others.