Cristoforo Colombo statue in Central Park in Mishawaka, Indiana
Like its larger and more famous namesake, Central Park in Mishawaka, Indiana, has a greenspace, walking path, nearby river, cold and snowy winters, and a statue dedicated to the renowned explorer Cristoforo Colombo.
The Maria SS. DiLoreto Italian Mutual Benefit Society donated the statue to the City of Mishawaka in 1992, on the 500th anniversary of Colombo’s arrival in The Bahamas on October 12, 1492. Central Park in New York City has a Columbus statue commemorating the 400th anniversary of his arrival in 1892.
More commonly known as Christopher Columbus, the statue and its accompanying information identify him as Cristoforo Colombo, which is the modern Italian version of his name. Columbus believed he had sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean and had arrived in Asia. It is believed he landed on present-day San Salvador Island in The Bahamas. The island was known to the Indigenous people as Guanahani. Columbus called the Indigenous people “Indians.” When he died in 1506, he still believed he had found a western route to Asia.
Central Park features fishing, pickleball courts, a playground and splash pad, and picnic tables.