If you're interested in a more general overview of the population of Goshen City, Indiana, read Population & Steets in Goschen. The village has a mayor-council government, with a five-member village board, including a mayor and four trustees with equal voting power. The mayor serves as chief executive. The four trustees are Tony Scotto, Chris Gurda, Molly O'Donnell, and Daniel Henderson. All residents pay town taxes. The town is served by four schools, which are all located in the Goshen Central School District.
The percentage of college graduates who earned master's, doctorate, or professional degrees in Goshen is 27%. The majority of people residing in Goshen work in one of three occupations. 12% of them are in the service industry, and the remaining four percent are in white-collar roles. In terms of income, these statistics are indicative of the poverty level in the city.
Before the advent of the automobile, Goshen residents raced their horses on Main Street. In 1838, a circular track was built around the circus ground near the city's downtown. Today, the Historic Track holds one racing week annually. Later, the Good Time Park hosted the Hambletonian. In the 1950s, Goshen's population reached the level of a small town.
In the late 19th century, literary clubs began meeting for study and discussion. These clubs were largely women's groups. The early names of these clubs included Philomathian, Beacon Lights, Bay View, and Chautauqua clubs. Eventually, the literary clubs organized a public meeting to organize a library association. That public meeting was held in 1897. It took almost five years to get it off the ground, but in the meantime, a library was built and opened to the public.