Goshen College was founded in 1894 as the Elkhart Institute of Science, Industry and the Arts – a private preparatory school to provide the opportunity for Mennonite and other young people to further their education. Soon afterwards, the Mennonite Church took over its operation, and by 1900 the school so flourished that new facilities were needed. Business and civic leaders from the city of Goshen convinced school leaders of the benefits of relocating to the southern edge of their growing town, and ground was broken on a wheat field near train tracks that could conveniently transport students to the new campus.