Our History
A name rooted in this town.
The name on this corner since 1889.
In January 1889, Hezekiah Davis and his wife Sarah R. Davis filed the original plat of Shipshewana, Indiana. Hezekiah had come to Newbury Township as a boy in the 1830s with his father Amos, settling on section 19 of the township. By the time he platted the town, he owned 1,400 acres and had spent decades farming, serving as County Commissioner, and building up the community around him.
That same year, Hezekiah built two brick landmarks at the corner of Main and Morton Streets: a three-story business block he called Davis Hall, and a brick hotel across from it. The 1893 Illustrated Atlas of LaGrange County described Davis Hall as 'conspicuous' among the town's buildings, and noted that it held the Shipshewana Bank, established by Hezekiah Davis and presided over by Sarah R. Davis.
Hezekiah Davis died on September 26, 1891, two years after platting the town he had spent a lifetime building. He had run the first reaper, harvester, binder, and feed-mill in the township. He had built two churches largely at his own expense. He had served as County Commissioner through the building of the new courthouse. The corner of Main and Morton was his lasting mark on Shipshewana.
The building at this corner has carried the Davis name ever since. Today, Davis Hall is an event space on the second floor, restored and reopened to bring the community together again. The name is not a marketing choice. It goes back to the man who built this corner.
- 1889
- Year Shipshewana was platted
- 1,400
- Acres owned by Hezekiah Davis
- Est. 1889
- Davis Hall, original name
The hotel across the street.
Hezekiah Davis built a brick hotel opposite Davis Hall at the corner of Main and Morton. For decades it stood as a landmark for travelers arriving by rail. In the late 1960s the building was relocated one block west on Main Street, an event the whole town came out to see. The Davis Mercantile family later purchased and restored it.
The bank on the wall.
A mural on the Morton Street facade recalls the Shipshewana Bank, established by Hezekiah Davis and operating out of Davis Hall. The 1893 atlas records Sarah R. Davis as president of the bank that year, with Francis H. Halbert as cashier. The mural is a reminder of what this corner once held.
A building with history.
The building has gone by more than one name. It was once known as Hostetlers' Store. The Shipshewana Bank did business here for years, until it moved across the street in 1960, to the spot that is now Trailrider Bicycles.
The storefronts downstairs have changed with the town. The space where Fawn River + Morton pours coffee today was once a soda fountain. Plaid Umbrella Collective sits where a hardware store once stood, and later a pharmacy.
Upstairs, the hall hosted community gatherings and Christmas shopping for decades. An addition built in the 1980s expanded what is now the main event floor.
While you are here.
The first floor of the building is home to three shops worth your time.
Fawn River + Morton
First FloorCoffee, lattes, and brunch on the main floor. Open during regular business hours and available for after-hours event coffee service. A great reason to arrive early.
Plaid Umbrella Collective
First FloorAntiques, art, adornments, apparel, and artifacts. A curated shop worth a wander before or after your event.
Family Time Variety
First FloorGifts, books, and notions. A classic variety store tucked into the Davis Hall building.