South Bend, Indiana
Encyclopedia
The city of South Bend is the county seat
of St. Joseph County
, Indiana
, United States
, on the St. Joseph River
near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area
had a population of 316,663 and Combined Statistical Area
of 544,582. It is the fourth largest city in Indiana
, and the economic and cultural hub of the Michiana
region, with the University of Notre Dame
located just to the north in unincorporated Notre Dame, Indiana
.
The area was originally settled in the early 18th century by fur trade
rs, and established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of Studebaker
, Oliver Chilled Plow Company and other large corporations.
The population of South Bend has declined since a peak of 132,445 in 1960, chiefly due to the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry. The 2000 census recorded a population increase of 2.2% from 1990, the first since 1960. Today, the largest industries in South Bend are health care, education, small business and tourism
. Remaining large corporations include Crowe Horwath
, Honeywell
and AM General
.
posts. The first arrival, in 1820, was Pierre Frieschutz Navarre representing the American Fur Company
, who settled near what is now downtown South Bend. Alexis Coquillard, another agent of the American Fur Company, passed through South Bend in 1823 and returned in 1824 with his family to make it his home. At the time, the post was known as Big St. Joseph Station. In 1827, Lathrop Minor Taylor established a post for Samuel Hanna and Company, in whose records the name St. Joseph's, Indiana was used. By 1829, the town was growing, with Coquillard and Taylor emerging as leaders, and application was made for a post office. Taylor was appointed postmaster
, the town then being designated as Southold, Allen County, Indiana. The following year, the name was changed to South Bend, probably in order to ease confusion as several other communities called Southold existed at the time. In 1831, South Bend was laid out as the county seat and as one of the four original townships of St. Joseph County
. Soon after, design began on what would become the town of South Bend. The town was formally established in 1835 and rapidly grew. In 1856, attorney Andrew Anderson founded May Oberfell Lorber, the oldest business in St. Joseph County, and came to compose a complete index of South Bend’s real estate records.
During the late 1830s through the 1850s, much of South Bend's development centered on the industrial complex of factories located on the two races
(man-made canals along the St. Joseph River
in South Bend). Several dams were created, and mills were built on each side of the river. On October 4, 1851, the first steam locomotive entered South Bend. This led to a general shift of businesses from the river toward the tracks. In 1852, Henry Studebaker set up a wagon shop in South Bend. Studebaker
became the world's largest wagon builder and the only one to later succeed as an automobile manufacturer. The Singer Sewing Company
and the Oliver Chilled Plow Company were among other companies which made manufacturing the driving force in the South Bend economy until the mid-20th century.
South Bend benefited from its location on the Michigan Road
, the main north–south artery of northern Indiana
in the 19th century. Another significant development occurred near South Bend in 1842, when Father Edward Sorin
founded the University of Notre Dame
just north of the town, which would become a major factor in the area's economy and culture. In 1865, a petition was introduced for incorporation of South Bend as a city, which eventuated, and the first elections as a city were held on Monday, June 5, 1865.
Other industries continued to develop in South Bend in the early 20th century, including Birdsell Manufacturing Company, the Bendix Corporation
, Honeywell
, AlliedSignal
, South Bend Lathe Works
, the O'Brien Paint Corp., and the South Bend Toy Company. Fast development led to the creation of electric rail
transportation throughout the area and, in 1925, the South Shore
interurban
streetcar service was established from downtown South Bend to downtown Chicago.
On June 30, 1934 The Merchants National Bank in South Bend was the last bank to be robbed by the notorious "Dillinger
gang".
By 1950, more than half of all employment was in the manufacturing sector. Due to economic difficulties, the Studebaker
Company closed its automotive manufacturing plants in South Bend in December 1963. A general decline in manufacturing soon followed. By the year 2000 manufacturing only made up 16% of the local economy, and the population decreased by nearly 30,000.
In 1984, South Bend community leaders began seeking a minor league baseball team for the city. A stadium was constructed in 1986 and a 10 year player development contract was signed with the Chicago White Sox
. The team would be known as the South Bend White Sox. In 1994, the team's name was changed to the South Bend Silver Hawks
. The Silver Hawks are currently a Class A minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Midwest League.
, the city has a total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 38.7 square miles (100.2 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) (1.10%) is water.
South Bend is located 5 miles (8 km) from the Michigan
border, and approximately equidistant from Illinois
and Ohio
. The city is 93 miles (150 km) driving distance from Chicago. The nearest shore of Lake Michigan
is 20 miles (32 km) away.
flows from the east end of the city turning north near the city center, giving South Bend its name at the bend in the river. South Bend sits on the North-South continental divide, and the river flows north into Lake Michigan. The downtown area is located in the north central part of the city along the St. Joseph River, with Notre Dame, Indiana
directly adjacent to the north. The city extends further north on the west side, mainly with manufacturing and distribution facilities near the South Bend Regional Airport
. Mishawaka is adjacent to South Bend's east side.
, with a Köppen climate classification
of Dfa. Lake Michigan has a large effect on the climate of South Bend, including lake effect snow
in winter and moderating temperatures year round. June through August are the warmest months, with average temperatures above 80 °F (26.7 °C). Normally, 42 days with thunderstorms occur each year. The snowiest month is usually January, with snow fall normally recorded from October through April. On average South Bend receives 81.8 inches (208 cm) of snow per year. Spring and fall can be mild and overcast, but also severely stormy at times with 293 partly cloudy to cloudy days each year.
of 2000, there were 107,789 people, 42,908 households, and 25,959 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,786.4 people per square mile (1,075.9/km²). There were 46,349 housing units at an average density of 1,198.1 per square mile (462.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.05% White, 24.60% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.87% from other races
, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.45% of the population.
Ancestries: Germans
(17.4%), Polish (10.6%), Irish
(10.5%), English
(5.8%), United States (3.9%), Hungarian (3.3%) (U.S. Census).
There were 42,908 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,439, and the median income for a family was $39,046. Males had a median income of $31,958 versus $23,744 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,121. About 13.6% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
selected South Bend as the site of his new manufacturing plant for automotive parts. He chose South Bend primarily because it was on a rail line midway between Chicago and Detroit, the two automotive manufacturing centers of the United States at the time. Eventually, the Bendix corporation would build a vast manufacturing complex on its South Bend acreage served by the major railroads, including a huge shipping and receiving building where railroad cars could enter at one end, unload, and depart at the opposite end.
By the end of World War II
that economy began to diminish. The Studebaker
plant, which had been one of the city's largest industrial employers, closed in 1963; its engine block plant shuttered the following year. Parts of the Bendix factory complex were later acquired and subdivided between Honeywell Corporation and Bosch
Corporation respectively. Honeywell Aerospace continues to manufacture aviation products at its former Bendix facility. In 2010, Bosch announced that it will cease all operations at its Bendix plant location in South Bend by the end of 2011.
These and other remnants of the old economy can still be seen in the abandoned industrial buildings around the city, most of which have not been reclaimed, though a number have been demolished. Since that time, education, health care, and small business have come to the forefront of South Bend's economy, though the city has never regained the level of prosperity it enjoyed prior to the 1960s. Large swaths of housing—7.4% of the city's housing stock in 2006--remain vacant.
Nearby University of Notre Dame
is a large contributor to the local economy. The university is the largest employer in St. Joseph County, employing 4,758 people.
Health care is another major contributor to the South Bend economy. Memorial Health System is the largest employer in the city. Other notable businesses include Honeywell
, Bosch, Woodwind & Brasswind
and PEI Genesis. AM General
, Crowe Horwath
, Martin's Super Markets
and Schurz Communications
have corporate headquarters in South Bend.
Efforts are underway to spur economic growth in South Bend. The St. Joe Valley Metronet is a not for profit organization attempting to create a more robust telecommunications infrastructure capable of inexpensive high speed data transmission. It is thought this could bring more high tech firms to the city and surrounding area. Redevelopment is underway for some of the abandoned industrial facilities, with the abandoned Oliver Corp. buildings being the most recent example of reclaimed property.
Catholic
immigrants in the late 19th century. Dyngus Day is widely celebrated on the Monday after Easter
and is known locally to be the beginning of the city elections campaign season
. Fat Tuesday is also celebrated in South Bend, with Paczki
s being a staple food product in the city for the day. There are twenty-three Catholic churches in the city and surrounding county, eleven Catholic schools, and three Catholic universities— the University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College, and Saint Mary's College—adjacent to the city in Notre Dame, Indiana
.
WBYT FM - B100 (Country Station) Hosts an Annual All Day Country Concert with over 37,000 Free Tickets this is held usually in the early September.
The South Bend Reggae Music Festival has nationwide acclaim and showcases some the world's premier international reggae artists every summer. Proceeds from the festival are given to the Pangani Foundation of South Bend which helps deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Malawi.
The World Pulse Festival, broadcast by LeSEA Broadcasting network, is held annually in South Bend. The event is an annual Contemporary Christian music
festival, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each year.
in downtown South Bend. The Museum was opened to the public in March 1996, and features a variety of artists from South Bend and the Michiana
region. Currently, over 850 works are featured in the permanent collection. The museum also offers several classes and workshops for adults and children.
The Center for History (Northern Indiana Historical Society) is the second oldest historical society in Indiana. It was started in 1867 to collect and interpret the history of the northern Indiana region and started by many leading citizens of St. Joseph County, Indiana. Copshaholm
is one of the central features of the Center for History. The 38-room mansion was built in 1895 and is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places
. The home was built by Joseph Doty Oliver, the son of James Oliver, the founder of the Oliver Farm Equipment Company
, once the largest plow manufacturer in the United States. The history museum occupies several buildings and includes areas dedicated to the history of the St. Joseph River Valley, the University of Notre Dame, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and the Kidsfirst Children's Museum.
The Studebaker National Museum
is a large collection of wagons and automobiles from the 150 year production history of the Studebaker
company. The museum began as a collection of wagons and automobiles produced by Studebaker, including the presidential carriages of Lincoln, McKinley, Harrison and Grant. The company donated the collection to the city of South Bend in 1966. The collection was housed in various locations from the Century Center
to its current location in downtown South Bend adjacent to the Northern Indiana Center for History. The two museums share one campus, and together form The Museums at Washington and Chapin
. The former South Bend mansion of Clement Studebaker
, named Tippecanoe Place
, is now a restaurant.
The Morris Performing Arts Center
was built in 1922 and included the Palace Theater, a venue for vaudeville
. The theatre's heyday was in 1940 with the premiere of Knute Rockne, All American
starring Ronald Reagan
. A crowd estimated at 24,000 gathered outside. The theater was scheduled for demolition in 1959, when E. M. Morris purchased the facility and sold it to the city for one dollar, after which it was renamed the Morris Civic Auditorium. A total renovation was completed in 2000. The Morris Performing Arts Center also includes the Palais Royale Ballroom, on which restoration was recently completed. The center houses the Broadway Theater League and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's Shanghai-born conductor Tsung Yeh was the first conductor ever to hold music directorships of both a western symphony orchestra and a major Chinese orchestra.
The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
, sponsor of the world's largest chamber music competition, was founded in South Bend in 1973. The annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition
is held on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
The South Bend Civic Theatre was founded in 1957. For many years it was located at The Firehouse, 701 Portage Avenue. In 2007, a new theatre opened at 403 N. Main Street, in what was formerly the Scottish Rite Building. It includes a 209-seat main-stage auditorium and a 90-seat "black-box" studio theatre. The South Bend Civic produces more than a dozen plays per year, including several productions in its Family Series.
Schuyler Colfax
, the 17th Vice President of the United States
, is interred in South Bend City Cemetery.
During World War II
, the South Bend Blue Sox
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
team was formed in South Bend. The team participated in all the league's seasons from 1943-1954.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish
provide much of the sports action for the South Bend locale. Football Saturdays have become a major event for the city, attracting fans who come to watch the game and tailgate party
. Notre Dame basketball games are also popular, along with the other sports at Notre Dame. Thanks in large part to the location of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana to South Bend's immediate north, the College Football Hall of Fame
was moved from Kings Mill
, Ohio
to downtown South Bend in 1995; it will leave South Bend in 2010 and move to Atlanta.
South Bend is home to the South Bend Silver Hawks
, a class A Minor League Baseball
team. The Silver Hawks play at Coveleski Stadium
in downtown South Bend. In 2005 the franchise nearly moved to Marion, Illinois
. A group of investors led by former Indiana Governor and South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan bought the Silver Hawks, keeping the team in South Bend.
South Bend is also home to the South Bend Roller Girls http://www.southbendrollergirls.com/, the citiy's first and only non-profit flat track roller derby league. Founded in March of 2010, the league has worked with local charities such as Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family program, the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the St. Joe County Humane Society.
The South Bend Roller Girls traveling/competitive team, The Studebreakers, is named after the historic Studebaker Co. South Bend Roller Girls are proud to be a Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice
opened in 1902. Potawatomi is the oldest zoo
in Indiana, and features over 400 animals in its 23 acres (93,077.8 m²). The zoo is run by the South Bend Parks and Recreation Department which maintains a variety of parks and facilities for the city. Along with the zoo, the South Bend Parks and Recreation department operates over fifty parks, golf courses, and recreational areas throughout the city.
Near the Potawatomi Zoo are the Potawatomi Greenhouse
s and Ella Morris and Muessel-Ellison Botanical Conservatories
. The green houses were originally constructed in the 1920s, with the conservatories being added in the 1960s. In 2007 the greenhouses and conservatories were in danger of closing due to increased operating costs, but a campaign by the Botanical Society of South Bend was able to solicit funds to keep the facilities operating.
The city is home to the East Race Waterway.
municipal government model. The government operates out of the County-City building in downtown South Bend. The government of St. Joseph county also operates at this facility.
The government of South Bend is led by the office of the mayor
. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and acts as chief executive for the city government. The current mayor is Steve Luecke.
The legislative branch of the South Bend government is the city council
. The council is composed of nine members each elected to four year terms. South Bend is divided into six districts, each district electing one council member. The final three members are elected at-large
. Under Indiana state law, the council may pass resolutions
and ordinances
. Resolutions are in regard to internal council procedures, while ordinances address city municipal codes.
The final elected member of the South Bend government is the City Clerk. The city clerk is responsible for maintaining official city records, and providing general clerical assistance to the City Council.
Michael A. Dvorak is the Prosecuting Attorney for the 60th Judicial Circuit, which consists of St. Joseph County. He was first elected in 2002.
The South Bend area is home to several institutions of higher learning, the most famous of which is the University of Notre Dame
. The university is located to the north of South Bend in Notre Dame, Indiana
. The University of Notre Dame was founded by Father Edward Sorin
, a French priest, in 1842 before South Bend was incorporated as a city in 1865, and has been an intrinsic part of the South Bend area with great effect on its culture and economy. Saint Mary's College
and Holy Cross College
are both located near Notre Dame just north of South Bend.
Indiana University South Bend
is the third largest campus in the Indiana University
system. Enrollment in Fall 2008 was 7,712. Early reports for the Fall 2009 enrollment is estimated at over 8,200 students. Other universities with campuses in South Bend include Brown Mackie College
, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
, and Purdue University
.
Public schools in South Bend are operated by the South Bend Community School Corporation
. The corporation runs 17 primary centers (grades K-4), nine intermediate centers (grades 5-8), and four high schools, serving over 22,000 students as of 2006.
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
operates eleven private Catholic schools in South Bend.
South Bend is also home to Indiana's First Charter School, Veritas Academy. A second charter school opened in Fall 2009, founded by the Indiana Schools of Excellence Foundation.. Another charter school is slated to open fall of 2011.
There are also several private schools: Trinity School at Greenlawn, recipient of three Blue Ribbon Awards from the U.S. Department of Education, and Stanley Clark Elementary School, recipient of one.
. It is distributed throughout the Michiana region and publishes five editions including a Metro edition, Mishawaka edition, Michigan edition, Penn-Harris-Madison East edition and a Marshall edition. The South Bend Tribune along with WSBT-TV is locally owned by parent company Schurz Communications. Schurz Communications, a South Bend corporation, owns and operates 42 newspaper publications and television stations nationwide.
South Bend has a wide variety of local radio broadcast available in the area. Stations' programming content contains a wide variety including public radio, classical music
, religious, country, and urban contemporary
among others. For more information, see List of Radio Stations in South Bend, Indiana.
As of 2008, the South Bend-Elkhart designated market area is the 89th largest in the United States, with 334,370 (0.3% of the US population)
homes. Most of the major television networks have affiliates in the Michiana area.
South Bend located stations include WNDU-TV
(NBC
), WNIT-TV (PBS
) and WHME-TV
(LeSEA
).
Stations located in nearby Mishawaka, IN include WSBT-TV
(CBS
), WBND-LP
(ABC
), WCWW-LP
(CW
) and WMYS-LP
(My Network TV).
WSJV
(Fox
) also broadcasts in the Michiana area from Elkhart, IN.
South Bend's location around the St. Joseph River
has influenced the development of its streets. While it mainly follows a grid layout, development around the river led to roads adapted to follow the river. South Bend is connected to state and national highway systems by Indiana 2
, 23
, 933, US 20
, 31
and by Interstate 80
and 90
, the Indiana Toll Road
. Original routes of both the Lincoln Highway
and the Dixie Highway
also pass through South Bend. The headquarters for the Lincoln Highway Association are in South Bend.
For transportation around the South Bend metro area, the St. Joseph Valley Parkway
was constructed between 1960 and 1990. The road connects Benton Harbor, Michigan
, South Bend, Mishawaka
, and Elkhart
. While segments are designated as US 20, US 31 and Indiana 331, it is simply referred to locally as "The bypass
". The Indiana Toll Road/Interstate 80/90 passes through northern South Bend.
Public transportation in South Bend is controlled by TRANSPO (South Bend Public Transportation Corporation). TRANSPO operates bus routes between South Bend and suburbs Mishawaka
and Roseland Monday through Saturday. In 2006, the TRANSPO fleet switched to Bio-diesel fuel.
South Bend serves as the transportation hub for Michiana
. The South Bend Regional Airport
lies off of US 31 and the Indiana Toll Road in the Northwest corner of South Bend. The airport connects South Bend to larger hubs including Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare
, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas
, Minneapolis, Orlando
, Phoenix
, and St. Petersburg, Florida
. Over 1,000,000 passengers are served annually making it the second busiest airport in Indiana. As of 2006, land acquisition is underway for 200 acres (81 ha) of development.
The electric commuter railroad South Shore Line
connects South Bend's South Bend Regional Airport
to Millennium Station in downtown Chicago. Due to increased ridership since 2005 between Chicago and South Bend, more cars are being added.
Amtrak
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to South Bend Station
via two trains, the Lake Shore Limited
to Chicago, New York City and Boston
and the Capitol Limited
, to Chicago and Washington, D.C.
. A bus line connects from Notre Dame and the airport to Chicago O'Hare and Midway Airports, with several northwest Indiana stops.
. Natural gas
is supplied by the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO).
The South Bend Water Works delivers water to residents of South Bend. The water is collected from 32 deep wells and runs through 545 miles (877.1 km) of water main to be distributed to South Bend citizens.
: Częstochowa
(Poland) Arzberg
(Germany) Guanajuato
(Mexico)
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area
South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area
The South Bend–Mishawaka Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in northern Indiana and one in southwest Michigan, anchored by the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka in Indiana...
had a population of 316,663 and Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
of 544,582. It is the fourth largest city in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and the economic and cultural hub of the Michiana
Michiana
Michiana is a region in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan centered on the city of South Bend, Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, Indiana defines Michiana as "counties that contribute at least 500 inbound commuting workers to St. Joseph County daily." Those counties...
region, with the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
located just to the north in unincorporated Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
.
The area was originally settled in the early 18th century by fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
rs, and established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
, Oliver Chilled Plow Company and other large corporations.
The population of South Bend has declined since a peak of 132,445 in 1960, chiefly due to the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry. The 2000 census recorded a population increase of 2.2% from 1990, the first since 1960. Today, the largest industries in South Bend are health care, education, small business and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Remaining large corporations include Crowe Horwath
Crowe Horwath
Crowe Horwath LLP is a professional services firm with offices throughout the United States, including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. In addition to its U.S. presence, Crowe serves clients worldwide as an...
, Honeywell
Bendix
- People :* Bendix Hallenstein - New Zealand businessman* Henry Bendix - fictional character from Wildstorm comics* John E. Bendix - American Civil War and New York Guard general* Max Bendix - American composer, conductor, violinist* Reinhard Bendix - sociologist...
and AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
.
History
The earliest western settlements in the area were fur tradingFur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
posts. The first arrival, in 1820, was Pierre Frieschutz Navarre representing the American Fur Company
American Fur Company
The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. The company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest businesses in the country. The company was one the first great trusts in American business...
, who settled near what is now downtown South Bend. Alexis Coquillard, another agent of the American Fur Company, passed through South Bend in 1823 and returned in 1824 with his family to make it his home. At the time, the post was known as Big St. Joseph Station. In 1827, Lathrop Minor Taylor established a post for Samuel Hanna and Company, in whose records the name St. Joseph's, Indiana was used. By 1829, the town was growing, with Coquillard and Taylor emerging as leaders, and application was made for a post office. Taylor was appointed postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, the town then being designated as Southold, Allen County, Indiana. The following year, the name was changed to South Bend, probably in order to ease confusion as several other communities called Southold existed at the time. In 1831, South Bend was laid out as the county seat and as one of the four original townships of St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...
. Soon after, design began on what would become the town of South Bend. The town was formally established in 1835 and rapidly grew. In 1856, attorney Andrew Anderson founded May Oberfell Lorber, the oldest business in St. Joseph County, and came to compose a complete index of South Bend’s real estate records.
During the late 1830s through the 1850s, much of South Bend's development centered on the industrial complex of factories located on the two races
Mill race
A mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
(man-made canals along the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
in South Bend). Several dams were created, and mills were built on each side of the river. On October 4, 1851, the first steam locomotive entered South Bend. This led to a general shift of businesses from the river toward the tracks. In 1852, Henry Studebaker set up a wagon shop in South Bend. Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
became the world's largest wagon builder and the only one to later succeed as an automobile manufacturer. The Singer Sewing Company
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
and the Oliver Chilled Plow Company were among other companies which made manufacturing the driving force in the South Bend economy until the mid-20th century.
South Bend benefited from its location on the Michigan Road
Michigan Road
The Michigan Road was one of the earliest roads in Indiana. Roads in early Indiana were often roads in name only. In actuality they were sometimes little more than crude paths following old animal and Native American trails and filled with sinkholes, stumps, and deep, entrapping ruts...
, the main north–south artery of northern Indiana
Northern Indiana
Northern Indiana is the region of Indiana including 26 counties bordering parts of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. The area is generally sub-classified into other regions. The northwest is economically and culturally intertwined with Chicago, and is considered part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
in the 19th century. Another significant development occurred near South Bend in 1842, when Father Edward Sorin
Edward Sorin
The Very Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin, C.S.C. , a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross was the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.-Youth:...
founded the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
just north of the town, which would become a major factor in the area's economy and culture. In 1865, a petition was introduced for incorporation of South Bend as a city, which eventuated, and the first elections as a city were held on Monday, June 5, 1865.
Other industries continued to develop in South Bend in the early 20th century, including Birdsell Manufacturing Company, the Bendix Corporation
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
, Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal was an aerospace, automotive and engineering company that acquired and merged with Honeywell for $15 billion in 1999, after which the new group adopted the Honeywell name.AlliedSignal was created through a 1985 merger of Allied Corp...
, South Bend Lathe Works
South Bend Lathe Works
South Bend Lathe is a brand of machine tools. Today's South Bend Lathe corporation is the successor to the original South Bend Lathe Works, an American machine tool–building firm that for many decades was one of the most important builders of metalworking lathes in the U.S...
, the O'Brien Paint Corp., and the South Bend Toy Company. Fast development led to the creation of electric rail
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
transportation throughout the area and, in 1925, the South Shore
South Shore Line (NICTD)
The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana...
interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
streetcar service was established from downtown South Bend to downtown Chicago.
On June 30, 1934 The Merchants National Bank in South Bend was the last bank to be robbed by the notorious "Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
gang".
By 1950, more than half of all employment was in the manufacturing sector. Due to economic difficulties, the Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
Company closed its automotive manufacturing plants in South Bend in December 1963. A general decline in manufacturing soon followed. By the year 2000 manufacturing only made up 16% of the local economy, and the population decreased by nearly 30,000.
In 1984, South Bend community leaders began seeking a minor league baseball team for the city. A stadium was constructed in 1986 and a 10 year player development contract was signed with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. The team would be known as the South Bend White Sox. In 1994, the team's name was changed to the South Bend Silver Hawks
South Bend Silver Hawks
The South Bend Silver Hawks are a U.S. Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, that plays in the Midwest League....
. The Silver Hawks are currently a Class A minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Midwest League.
Geography
South Bend is located at 41°40′21"N 86°15′19"W (41.672597, -86.255157). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 38.7 square miles (100.2 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) (1.10%) is water.
South Bend is located 5 miles (8 km) from the Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
border, and approximately equidistant from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The city is 93 miles (150 km) driving distance from Chicago. The nearest shore of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
is 20 miles (32 km) away.
Cityscape
The St. Joseph RiverSt. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
flows from the east end of the city turning north near the city center, giving South Bend its name at the bend in the river. South Bend sits on the North-South continental divide, and the river flows north into Lake Michigan. The downtown area is located in the north central part of the city along the St. Joseph River, with Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
directly adjacent to the north. The city extends further north on the west side, mainly with manufacturing and distribution facilities near the South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of South Bend, a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. This airport is publicly owned by St. Joseph County Airport Authority...
. Mishawaka is adjacent to South Bend's east side.
Climate
South Bend has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
, with a Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
of Dfa. Lake Michigan has a large effect on the climate of South Bend, including lake effect snow
Lake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
in winter and moderating temperatures year round. June through August are the warmest months, with average temperatures above 80 °F (26.7 °C). Normally, 42 days with thunderstorms occur each year. The snowiest month is usually January, with snow fall normally recorded from October through April. On average South Bend receives 81.8 inches (208 cm) of snow per year. Spring and fall can be mild and overcast, but also severely stormy at times with 293 partly cloudy to cloudy days each year.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 107,789 people, 42,908 households, and 25,959 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,786.4 people per square mile (1,075.9/km²). There were 46,349 housing units at an average density of 1,198.1 per square mile (462.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.05% White, 24.60% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.87% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.45% of the population.
Ancestries: Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
(17.4%), Polish (10.6%), Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
(10.5%), English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
(5.8%), United States (3.9%), Hungarian (3.3%) (U.S. Census).
There were 42,908 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,439, and the median income for a family was $39,046. Males had a median income of $31,958 versus $23,744 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,121. About 13.6% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
South Bend's location on the St. Joseph River led to an industrial based economy in the late 19th century and early-to-mid-20th century. In 1923, industrialist and entrepreneur Vincent H. BendixVincent Hugo Bendix
Vincent Hugo Bendix was an American inventor and industrialist. Vincent Bendix was a pioneer and leader in both the automotive and aviation industries during the 1920s and 1930s.-Background:...
selected South Bend as the site of his new manufacturing plant for automotive parts. He chose South Bend primarily because it was on a rail line midway between Chicago and Detroit, the two automotive manufacturing centers of the United States at the time. Eventually, the Bendix corporation would build a vast manufacturing complex on its South Bend acreage served by the major railroads, including a huge shipping and receiving building where railroad cars could enter at one end, unload, and depart at the opposite end.
By the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that economy began to diminish. The Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
plant, which had been one of the city's largest industrial employers, closed in 1963; its engine block plant shuttered the following year. Parts of the Bendix factory complex were later acquired and subdivided between Honeywell Corporation and Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
Corporation respectively. Honeywell Aerospace continues to manufacture aviation products at its former Bendix facility. In 2010, Bosch announced that it will cease all operations at its Bendix plant location in South Bend by the end of 2011.
These and other remnants of the old economy can still be seen in the abandoned industrial buildings around the city, most of which have not been reclaimed, though a number have been demolished. Since that time, education, health care, and small business have come to the forefront of South Bend's economy, though the city has never regained the level of prosperity it enjoyed prior to the 1960s. Large swaths of housing—7.4% of the city's housing stock in 2006--remain vacant.
Nearby University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
is a large contributor to the local economy. The university is the largest employer in St. Joseph County, employing 4,758 people.
Health care is another major contributor to the South Bend economy. Memorial Health System is the largest employer in the city. Other notable businesses include Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, Bosch, Woodwind & Brasswind
Woodwind & Brasswind
Woodwind & Brasswind is a company that specializes in musical instruments, based in South Bend, Indiana, United States.Woodwind & Brasswind hosts an annual Battle of the Bands concert as a competition among bands.- Acquisition :...
and PEI Genesis. AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
, Crowe Horwath
Crowe Horwath
Crowe Horwath LLP is a professional services firm with offices throughout the United States, including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. In addition to its U.S. presence, Crowe serves clients worldwide as an...
, Martin's Super Markets
Martin's Super Markets
Martin's Super Markets is an American retail supermarket chain headquartered in South Bend, Indiana. The chain operates 21 stores throughout the Michiana region. Martin's is known for its fresh meat and produce, great selection, low prices, and excellent customer service. The stores are open 7-10...
and Schurz Communications
Schurz Communications
Schurz Communications is a South Bend, Indiana-based radio, television, cable tv and newspaper media group.-Cable Television Systems:*Antietam Cable, Hagerstown, Maryland *Advanced Cable Communications, Coral Springs, Florida...
have corporate headquarters in South Bend.
Efforts are underway to spur economic growth in South Bend. The St. Joe Valley Metronet is a not for profit organization attempting to create a more robust telecommunications infrastructure capable of inexpensive high speed data transmission. It is thought this could bring more high tech firms to the city and surrounding area. Redevelopment is underway for some of the abandoned industrial facilities, with the abandoned Oliver Corp. buildings being the most recent example of reclaimed property.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... |
5,190 |
| 2 | Memorial Health System | 4,069 |
| 3 | South Bend Community School Corporation South Bend Community School Corporation The South Bend Community School Corporation operates the public schools in South Bend, Indiana, and is one of the largest school corporations in Indiana, with a total of 33 schools.-High schools:*John Adams High School*Clay High School... |
3,489 |
| 4 | AM General AM General AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana... |
2,550 |
| 5 | Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Trinity Health (Novi, Michigan) Trinity Health is a national Catholic health network of 44 acute-care hospitals, 379 outpatient centers, 26 long-term care facilities, and numerous hospice programs and senior living communities in Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Idaho and California... |
2,534 |
| 6 | Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010... |
1,698 |
| 7 | Indiana University South Bend Indiana University South Bend Indiana University South Bend is the third largest campus of the Indiana University system. It is popularly known as IUSB or IU South Bend. It is located in South Bend, Indiana, in St. Joseph County, Indiana.-History:... |
1,489 |
| 8 | St. Joseph County St. Joseph County, Indiana As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile... |
1,132 |
| 9 | City of South Bend | 1,132 |
| 10 | South Bend Medical Foundation | 757 |
| 11 | Honeywell Honeywell Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments.... |
700 |
Culture
South Bend was influenced by a large influx of PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
immigrants in the late 19th century. Dyngus Day is widely celebrated on the Monday after Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and is known locally to be the beginning of the city elections campaign season
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
. Fat Tuesday is also celebrated in South Bend, with Paczki
Paczki
Pączki are pastries traditional to Polish cuisine . Pączki is the plural form of the Polish word pączek , though many English speakers use paczki as singular and paczkis as plural. In English, the common pronunciation imitates the Polish pronunciation, but some speakers pronounce the word or...
s being a staple food product in the city for the day. There are twenty-three Catholic churches in the city and surrounding county, eleven Catholic schools, and three Catholic universities— the University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College, and Saint Mary's College—adjacent to the city in Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
.
WBYT FM - B100 (Country Station) Hosts an Annual All Day Country Concert with over 37,000 Free Tickets this is held usually in the early September.
The South Bend Reggae Music Festival has nationwide acclaim and showcases some the world's premier international reggae artists every summer. Proceeds from the festival are given to the Pangani Foundation of South Bend which helps deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Malawi.
The World Pulse Festival, broadcast by LeSEA Broadcasting network, is held annually in South Bend. The event is an annual Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
festival, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each year.
Museums, arts and entertainment
The South Bend Museum of Art is located in the Century CenterCentury Center (South Bend)
The Century Center Convention Center, managed by Global Spectrum, opened in 1977 and has been managed by Global Spectrum since January, 2007. This convention center overlooks the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, Indiana. It features over . of convention space and is home to Island Park, an...
in downtown South Bend. The Museum was opened to the public in March 1996, and features a variety of artists from South Bend and the Michiana
Michiana
Michiana is a region in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan centered on the city of South Bend, Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, Indiana defines Michiana as "counties that contribute at least 500 inbound commuting workers to St. Joseph County daily." Those counties...
region. Currently, over 850 works are featured in the permanent collection. The museum also offers several classes and workshops for adults and children.
The Center for History (Northern Indiana Historical Society) is the second oldest historical society in Indiana. It was started in 1867 to collect and interpret the history of the northern Indiana region and started by many leading citizens of St. Joseph County, Indiana. Copshaholm
Joseph D. Oliver House
The Joseph D. Oliver House, also known as Copshaholm, sits on 808 W. Washington Street, at the corner of Chapin Street in South Bend, Indiana. The mansion was built for the Oliver family, founders of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works...
is one of the central features of the Center for History. The 38-room mansion was built in 1895 and is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The home was built by Joseph Doty Oliver, the son of James Oliver, the founder of the Oliver Farm Equipment Company
Oliver Farm Equipment Company
The Oliver Farm Equipment Company was an American farm equipment manufacturer from the 20th century. It was formed as a the result of a 1929 merger of four companies: the American Seeding Machine Company of Richmond, Indiana, Oliver Chilled Plow Works of South Bend, Indiana, Hart-Parr Tractor...
, once the largest plow manufacturer in the United States. The history museum occupies several buildings and includes areas dedicated to the history of the St. Joseph River Valley, the University of Notre Dame, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and the Kidsfirst Children's Museum.
Studebaker National Museum
The Studebaker National Museum is a museum in South Bend, Indiana, USA that displays a variety of automobiles, wagons, carriages, and military vehicles related to the Studebaker Corporation and other aspects of American history.-Layout:...
is a large collection of wagons and automobiles from the 150 year production history of the Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
company. The museum began as a collection of wagons and automobiles produced by Studebaker, including the presidential carriages of Lincoln, McKinley, Harrison and Grant. The company donated the collection to the city of South Bend in 1966. The collection was housed in various locations from the Century Center
Century Center (South Bend)
The Century Center Convention Center, managed by Global Spectrum, opened in 1977 and has been managed by Global Spectrum since January, 2007. This convention center overlooks the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, Indiana. It features over . of convention space and is home to Island Park, an...
to its current location in downtown South Bend adjacent to the Northern Indiana Center for History. The two museums share one campus, and together form The Museums at Washington and Chapin
The Museums at Washington and Chapin
The Museums at Washington and Chapin are several museums that share a campus in South Bend, Indiana. The name is derived from the location, at the corner of Washington Street and Chapin Street in South Bend. Both museums have one common entrance off Thomas Street, one block south of Washington Street...
. The former South Bend mansion of Clement Studebaker
Clement Studebaker
Clement Studebaker was an American wagon and carriage manufacturer. With his brother Henry, he co-founded the H & C Studebaker Company, precursor of the Studebaker Corporation, which built Pennsylvania-German Conestoga wagons and carriages during his lifetime, and automobiles after his death, in...
, named Tippecanoe Place
Tippecanoe Place
Tippecanoe Place is a house in South Bend, Indiana, United States. Built in 1868, it was the residence of Clement Studebaker, a co-founder of the Studebaker vehicle manufacturing firm. Studebaker lived in the house from 1889 until his 1901 death. The house remained in his family for many years....
, is now a restaurant.
The Morris Performing Arts Center
Morris Performing Arts Center
The Morris Performing Arts Center is a 2,560-seat concert hall in South Bend, Indiana. It was built in 1921 as a vaudeville house and later became a movie palace...
was built in 1922 and included the Palace Theater, a venue for vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
. The theatre's heyday was in 1940 with the premiere of Knute Rockne, All American
Knute Rockne, All American
Knute Rockne, All American is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, Gale Page, Donald Crisp, Albert Bassermann, Owen Davis, Jr., Nick Lukats, Kane Richmond, William Marshall and William Byrne. It also...
starring Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. A crowd estimated at 24,000 gathered outside. The theater was scheduled for demolition in 1959, when E. M. Morris purchased the facility and sold it to the city for one dollar, after which it was renamed the Morris Civic Auditorium. A total renovation was completed in 2000. The Morris Performing Arts Center also includes the Palais Royale Ballroom, on which restoration was recently completed. The center houses the Broadway Theater League and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's Shanghai-born conductor Tsung Yeh was the first conductor ever to hold music directorships of both a western symphony orchestra and a major Chinese orchestra.
The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
Joseph E. Fischoff and the South Bend Chamber Music Society founded the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 1973 as a way of encouraging young people to pursue chamber music study and performance...
, sponsor of the world's largest chamber music competition, was founded in South Bend in 1973. The annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition
Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition
Begun in South Bend, Indiana, USA in 1973, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition is the largest chamber music competition in the world, and the only with separate Junior and Senior Divisions...
is held on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
The South Bend Civic Theatre was founded in 1957. For many years it was located at The Firehouse, 701 Portage Avenue. In 2007, a new theatre opened at 403 N. Main Street, in what was formerly the Scottish Rite Building. It includes a 209-seat main-stage auditorium and a 90-seat "black-box" studio theatre. The South Bend Civic produces more than a dozen plays per year, including several productions in its Family Series.
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax, Jr. was a United States Representative from Indiana , Speaker of the House of Representatives , and the 17th Vice President of the United States . To date, he is one of only two Americans to have served as both House speaker and vice president.President Ulysses S...
, the 17th Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, is interred in South Bend City Cemetery.
Sports
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the South Bend Blue Sox
South Bend Blue Sox
The South Bend Blue Sox were a women's professional baseball team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
team was formed in South Bend. The team participated in all the league's seasons from 1943-1954.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
provide much of the sports action for the South Bend locale. Football Saturdays have become a major event for the city, attracting fans who come to watch the game and tailgate party
Tailgate party
In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
. Notre Dame basketball games are also popular, along with the other sports at Notre Dame. Thanks in large part to the location of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana to South Bend's immediate north, the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
was moved from Kings Mill
Kings Mills, Ohio
Kings Mills is an unincorporated community in the northeastern corner of Deerfield Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States, on the western shore of the Little Miami River...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
to downtown South Bend in 1995; it will leave South Bend in 2010 and move to Atlanta.
South Bend is home to the South Bend Silver Hawks
South Bend Silver Hawks
The South Bend Silver Hawks are a U.S. Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, that plays in the Midwest League....
, a class A Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. The Silver Hawks play at Coveleski Stadium
Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium
Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium is a baseball stadium in South Bend, Indiana, home to the South Bend Silver Hawks, a minor league baseball team which plays in the Class-A Midwest League. The stadium opened in 1987, and its open concourse is considered the template for many later minor league...
in downtown South Bend. In 2005 the franchise nearly moved to Marion, Illinois
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
. A group of investors led by former Indiana Governor and South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan bought the Silver Hawks, keeping the team in South Bend.
South Bend is also home to the South Bend Roller Girls http://www.southbendrollergirls.com/, the citiy's first and only non-profit flat track roller derby league. Founded in March of 2010, the league has worked with local charities such as Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family program, the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the St. Joe County Humane Society.
The South Bend Roller Girls traveling/competitive team, The Studebreakers, is named after the historic Studebaker Co. South Bend Roller Girls are proud to be a Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice
Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice, is the program affiliate of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.- History :In July 2009, the WFTDA announced its new apprentice program for aspiring member leagues that replaced its traditional membership application process...
Parks and recreation
The Potawatomi ZooPotawatomi Zoo
The Potawatomi Zoo is a zoo in eastern South Bend, Indiana. In addition to the animals, there is a train ride around the western half of the zoo and an old-fashioned engineer that makes the ride for young and old a fun-filled learning experience...
opened in 1902. Potawatomi is the oldest zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in Indiana, and features over 400 animals in its 23 acres (93,077.8 m²). The zoo is run by the South Bend Parks and Recreation Department which maintains a variety of parks and facilities for the city. Along with the zoo, the South Bend Parks and Recreation department operates over fifty parks, golf courses, and recreational areas throughout the city.
Near the Potawatomi Zoo are the Potawatomi Greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s and Ella Morris and Muessel-Ellison Botanical Conservatories
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
. The green houses were originally constructed in the 1920s, with the conservatories being added in the 1960s. In 2007 the greenhouses and conservatories were in danger of closing due to increased operating costs, but a campaign by the Botanical Society of South Bend was able to solicit funds to keep the facilities operating.
The city is home to the East Race Waterway.
Government
South Bend government follows the mayor-council representativeRepresentative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
municipal government model. The government operates out of the County-City building in downtown South Bend. The government of St. Joseph county also operates at this facility.
The government of South Bend is led by the office of the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and acts as chief executive for the city government. The current mayor is Steve Luecke.
The legislative branch of the South Bend government is the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. The council is composed of nine members each elected to four year terms. South Bend is divided into six districts, each district electing one council member. The final three members are elected at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
. Under Indiana state law, the council may pass resolutions
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
and ordinances
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
. Resolutions are in regard to internal council procedures, while ordinances address city municipal codes.
The final elected member of the South Bend government is the City Clerk. The city clerk is responsible for maintaining official city records, and providing general clerical assistance to the City Council.
Michael A. Dvorak is the Prosecuting Attorney for the 60th Judicial Circuit, which consists of St. Joseph County. He was first elected in 2002.
Education
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. The university is located to the north of South Bend in Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
. The University of Notre Dame was founded by Father Edward Sorin
Edward Sorin
The Very Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin, C.S.C. , a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross was the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.-Youth:...
, a French priest, in 1842 before South Bend was incorporated as a city in 1865, and has been an intrinsic part of the South Bend area with great effect on its culture and economy. Saint Mary's College
Saint Mary's College (Indiana)
Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It is located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are the University of Notre Dame and Holy...
and Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College (Indiana)
Holy Cross College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, residential institution of higher education in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame...
are both located near Notre Dame just north of South Bend.
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University South Bend is the third largest campus of the Indiana University system. It is popularly known as IUSB or IU South Bend. It is located in South Bend, Indiana, in St. Joseph County, Indiana.-History:...
is the third largest campus in the Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
system. Enrollment in Fall 2008 was 7,712. Early reports for the Fall 2009 enrollment is estimated at over 8,200 students. Other universities with campuses in South Bend include Brown Mackie College
Brown Mackie College
Brown Mackie College is a collection of for-profit educational institutions for career preparation in the business, legal, health sciences, information technology, and creative fields. The system of schools has locations throughout the United States. The schools are owned by Education Management...
, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana is Indiana's community college system, encompassing 24 campuses in 14 regions. The community college system now has more than 165,000 students...
, and Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
Public schools in South Bend are operated by the South Bend Community School Corporation
South Bend Community School Corporation
The South Bend Community School Corporation operates the public schools in South Bend, Indiana, and is one of the largest school corporations in Indiana, with a total of 33 schools.-High schools:*John Adams High School*Clay High School...
. The corporation runs 17 primary centers (grades K-4), nine intermediate centers (grades 5-8), and four high schools, serving over 22,000 students as of 2006.
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
operates eleven private Catholic schools in South Bend.
South Bend is also home to Indiana's First Charter School, Veritas Academy. A second charter school opened in Fall 2009, founded by the Indiana Schools of Excellence Foundation.. Another charter school is slated to open fall of 2011.
There are also several private schools: Trinity School at Greenlawn, recipient of three Blue Ribbon Awards from the U.S. Department of Education, and Stanley Clark Elementary School, recipient of one.
Media
One major daily newspaper serves the South Bend Metro area, the South Bend TribuneSouth Bend Tribune
The South Bend Tribune is a newspaper distributed in the Michiana region. There are five editions for distribution in southwestern lower Michigan, Mishawaka , Marshall County, and the South Bend Metro area. The South Bend Tribune has a daily circulation of 70,703 and Sunday circulation of...
. It is distributed throughout the Michiana region and publishes five editions including a Metro edition, Mishawaka edition, Michigan edition, Penn-Harris-Madison East edition and a Marshall edition. The South Bend Tribune along with WSBT-TV is locally owned by parent company Schurz Communications. Schurz Communications, a South Bend corporation, owns and operates 42 newspaper publications and television stations nationwide.
South Bend has a wide variety of local radio broadcast available in the area. Stations' programming content contains a wide variety including public radio, classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, religious, country, and urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
among others. For more information, see List of Radio Stations in South Bend, Indiana.
As of 2008, the South Bend-Elkhart designated market area is the 89th largest in the United States, with 334,370 (0.3% of the US population)
homes. Most of the major television networks have affiliates in the Michiana area.
South Bend located stations include WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image...
(NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
), WNIT-TV (PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
) and WHME-TV
WHME-TV
WHME-TV is a full-service Christian and general entertainment television station serving the South Bend market. The station is owned by LeSEA Broadcasting, also known as World Harvest Broadcasting, an organization founded by Assembly of God minister Lester Sumrall , whose sons are still active with...
(LeSEA
LeSEA
LeSEA Broadcasting , also known as World Harvest Television, is an American Christian television network with over 40 affiliate stations in a number of U.S...
).
Stations located in nearby Mishawaka, IN include WSBT-TV
WSBT-TV
WSBT-TV, channel 22 is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. WSBT is the flagship television station of Schurz Communications, and is an affiliate of the CBS television network. It's studios are located in Mishawaka. Its transmitter is located in South Bend.-Early broadcasting:WSBT-TV first...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
), WBND-LP
WBND-LP
WBND-LP, channel 57, is the ABC-affiliated television station serving the South Bend, Indiana designated market area. The station is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting. The station broadcasts a low-power digital signal on UHF channel 49, using its analog channel assignment of channel 57 as...
(ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
), WCWW-LP
WCWW-LP
WCWW-LD is the low-powered CW network affiliate in South Bend, Indiana. It is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, who also owns South Bend's ABC affiliate WBND, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYS...
(CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
) and WMYS-LP
WMYS-LP
WMYS redirects here. For the Indianapolis radio station formerly known as WMYS, see WXNT.WMYS-LD is a digital low power-TV station on channel 23 which maps via PSIP to virtual channel 69 in South Bend. Previously, channel 69 was South Bend's WB affliliate, which then moved to sister station WMWB-LP...
(My Network TV).
WSJV
WSJV
WSJV is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Michiana area of Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan that is licensed to Elkhart. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 28 from a transmitter in Mishawaka, Indiana. Owned by Quincy Newspapers, the station has...
(Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
) also broadcasts in the Michiana area from Elkhart, IN.
Transportation
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
has influenced the development of its streets. While it mainly follows a grid layout, development around the river led to roads adapted to follow the river. South Bend is connected to state and national highway systems by Indiana 2
Indiana State Road 2
State Road 2 in the U.S. State of Indiana is an east–west route running from the Illinois border at Illinois Route 17 east to the outskirts of South Bend, Indiana at the U.S. Route 20/U.S. Route 31 freeway, also known as the St. Joseph Valley Parkway...
, 23
Indiana State Road 23
State Road 23 is a highway in the north-central part of the in the U.S. state of Indiana. In practice it runs from the southwest to the northeast, though it is designated as a north–south route. It is an undivided surface road.-Route description:...
, 933, US 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
, 31
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
and by Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 80 consists entirely of the following two routes:* The Borman Expressway, from the Illinois state line to Lake Station, Indiana, running concurrently with Interstate 94....
and 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
, the Indiana Toll Road
Indiana Toll Road
The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a toll road that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line...
. Original routes of both the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
and the Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway
The Dixie Highway was a United States automobile highway, first planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States. It was part of the National Auto Trail system, and grew out of an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final result is better understood as a small network of...
also pass through South Bend. The headquarters for the Lincoln Highway Association are in South Bend.
For transportation around the South Bend metro area, the St. Joseph Valley Parkway
St. Joseph Valley Parkway
The St. Joseph Valley Parkway is a freeway in the U.S. states of Indiana and Michigan, serving as a bypass route around Elkhart, Mishawaka, and South Bend in Indiana and Niles in Michigan. The freeway runs to the south and west of Elkhart and South Bend and Niles and consists of segments of U.S...
was constructed between 1960 and 1990. The road connects Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
, South Bend, Mishawaka
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
, and Elkhart
Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
. While segments are designated as US 20, US 31 and Indiana 331, it is simply referred to locally as "The bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
". The Indiana Toll Road/Interstate 80/90 passes through northern South Bend.
Public transportation in South Bend is controlled by TRANSPO (South Bend Public Transportation Corporation). TRANSPO operates bus routes between South Bend and suburbs Mishawaka
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
and Roseland Monday through Saturday. In 2006, the TRANSPO fleet switched to Bio-diesel fuel.
South Bend serves as the transportation hub for Michiana
Michiana
Michiana is a region in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan centered on the city of South Bend, Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, Indiana defines Michiana as "counties that contribute at least 500 inbound commuting workers to St. Joseph County daily." Those counties...
. The South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of South Bend, a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. This airport is publicly owned by St. Joseph County Airport Authority...
lies off of US 31 and the Indiana Toll Road in the Northwest corner of South Bend. The airport connects South Bend to larger hubs including Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Minneapolis, Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, and St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. Over 1,000,000 passengers are served annually making it the second busiest airport in Indiana. As of 2006, land acquisition is underway for 200 acres (81 ha) of development.
The electric commuter railroad South Shore Line
South Shore Line (NICTD)
The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana...
connects South Bend's South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of South Bend, a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. This airport is publicly owned by St. Joseph County Airport Authority...
to Millennium Station in downtown Chicago. Due to increased ridership since 2005 between Chicago and South Bend, more cars are being added.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to South Bend Station
South Bend (Amtrak station)
South Bend is a train station in South Bend, Indiana. It is served by Amtrak Lake Shore Limited service to and from Chicago, Boston and New York, and Capitol Limited service to and from Chicago and Washington D.C.....
via two trains, the Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
to Chicago, New York City and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and the Capitol Limited
Capitol Limited (Amtrak)
Amtrak's Capitol Limited is one of the railroad's two routes connecting Washington, D.C. to Chicago, running via Cleveland, Ohio . Service began in 1981 and was named after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Capitol Limited which ended in 1971 upon the formation of Amtrak...
, to Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. A bus line connects from Notre Dame and the airport to Chicago O'Hare and Midway Airports, with several northwest Indiana stops.
Utilities
Electricity in South Bend is provided by Indiana Michigan Power, a subsidiary of American Electric PowerAmerican Electric Power
American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
. Natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
is supplied by the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO).
The South Bend Water Works delivers water to residents of South Bend. The water is collected from 32 deep wells and runs through 545 miles (877.1 km) of water main to be distributed to South Bend citizens.
Notable people
- Studebaker BrothersJohn StudebakerJohn Mohler Studebaker was the German-American co-founder and later executive of what would become the Studebaker Corporation automobile company...
, founders of Studebaker Corporation, makers of wheelbarrowWheelbarrowA wheelbarrow is a small hand-propelled vehicle, usually with just one wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles to the rear, or by a sail to push the ancient wheelbarrow by wind. The term "wheelbarrow" is made of two words: "wheel" and "barrow." "Barrow" is a...
s - wagons, and automobiles. - Ryan NewmanRyan NewmanRyan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver - David StremmeDavid StremmeDavid Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
- NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Driver - Alexander ToradzeAlexander ToradzeAlexander Toradze is a classical concert pianist, best known for his classical Russian repertoire, with career spanning over three decades...
- Pianist - Jules Stein - Music industry executive
- Dean NorrisDean NorrisDean Joseph Norris is an American actor currently starring as DEA agent Hank Schrader, the brother-in-law of main character Walter White in the AMC series Breaking Bad, which premiered on January 20, 2008.-Biography:...
- Actor - Vivica Fox - Actress
- Skylar DigginsSkylar DigginsSkylar Diggins is currently a women's basketball player for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. She was a McDonald's All-American coming out of high school...
- Basketball player
Sister cities
South Bend has three sister citiesTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
: Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
(Poland) Arzberg
Arzberg, Bavaria
Arzberg is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 13 km west of Cheb and 10 km northeast of Marktredwitz.-Sister city:-19th century:...
(Germany) Guanajuato
Guanajuato, Guanajuato
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is located in a narrow valley, which makes the streets of the city narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides....
(Mexico)