South Bend, Indiana
USA /
Indiana /
South Bend /
World
/ USA
/ Indiana
/ South Bend
World / United States / Indiana
city, county seat
www.ci.south-bend.in.us/
South Bend takes its name from its location, at the south bend of the St. Joseph River.
South Bend was initially laid out in 1831 as the county seat and as one of the four original townships of St. Joseph County. Around 128 people lived in the area at the time, mostly fur traders, merchants, and innkeepers. South Bend was organized as a town in 1835 and was incorporated as a city in 1865.
During the late 1830s through the 1850s, much of South Bend's development centered around the industrial complex of factories located on the two races (man-made canals along the St. Joseph River in South Bend). Of the two, only the East Race (now converted to an artificial whitewater course) remains as a visible reminder of the past.
The other, the West Race, was purchased in 1903 by the Oliver Chilled Plow Company and utilized to produce power for numerous structures throughout South Bend. Currently only parts of this plant and dam remain, as the Century Center Hotel and business complex converted it into a tourism and business venture.
On October 4, 1851, the first steam locomotive entered South Bend (and nearby Mishawaka, Indiana). This led to great interest in the possibility of transportation throughout South Bend by locomotives, and in 1882 the South Bend Street Railway Company attempted the first service of electrified streetcars anywhere in the world. Initially a failure, electric current problems were fixed in late 1882 to connect Mishawaka and South Bend.
These industrial connections and developments soon led the brothers Studebaker to take up shop in the city of South Bend. Founded by Henry and Clem Studebaker (and later funded and joined by J.M. Studebaker), the Studebaker Manufacturing Company was one of a handful of wagon making companies in the world to successfully transfer their business from the building of wagons to the building of automobiles. Being a major automobile manufacturing company, it often outsold in terms of numbers the Ford Motor Company in the first few decades of the 20th century.
Their connection with South Bend industry was massive, leaving a permanent imprint on the skyline of western South Bend. However, due to economic difficulties, the Studebaker Company closed its automotive manufacturing plants in South Bend in December of 1963 (leading to a general decline in the industrial sector of South Bend for decades to come).
Other companies involved in the development of South Bend include the Oliver Corporation, the Birdsell Manufacturing Company, the Bendix Corporation, Honeywell, AlliedSignal, the Robert Bosch GmbH, the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the O'Brien Paint Corp. and the South Bend Toy Company.
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.
Museums, arts and entertainment
The South Bend Regional Museum of Art is located in the Century Center in downtown South Bend. The Museum was opened to the public in March of 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.
Copshaholm is one of the central features of the Northern Indiana Center for History. The 38 room mansion built in 1895 and is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The history museum is composed of several buildings on its campus. It 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.
South Bend is also home to the Morris Performing Arts Center. The center was built in 1922 and included The Palace Theater which featured vaudeville acts. The theatre saw its heyday in 1940 with the premiere of Knute Rockne, All American which starred Ronald Reagan. A crowd estimated at 24,000 gathered outside the event. The theater was scheduled for demolition in 1959, when E.M. Morris purchased the facility and sold it to the city for one dollar. The Palace was then 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 complete. The center serves as home to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Broadway Theater League.
Sports
The University of Notre Dame's Fighting Irish provide much of the sports action for South Bend. Football Saturdays have become a major event for the city, attracting fans who want to see the games and tailgate. Notre Dame basketball games are also popular, along with the other sports at Notre Dame. Thanks in large part to Notre Dame, the College Football Hall of Fame was moved from Kings Mill, Ohio to downtown South Bend in 1995.
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. Former Indiana Governor and South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan bought the Silver Hawks, keeping the team in South Bend indefinitely.
The South Bend Motor Speedway was constructed from 1944-1946 on South Bend's west side. The speedway features a 1/4 mile track. Currently there are weekly races of Sportsman Late Models, Mini-stock cars and Thunder Cars, along with other events including concerts, car shows, and swap meets.
The city is home to the first of the few artificial white water courses in the United States. In 1984 the abandoned East Race canal of the St. Joseph River was converted into North America's first artificial whitewater waterway [5]. Through the use of movable barriers and obstacles the East Race provides a configurable whitewater course for recreational and competitive canoeing, kayaking and rafting.
Other points of interest
South Bend is home to the Century Center, a large convention center downtown that hosts many business, public, and private functions. Schuyler Colfax, the 17th Vice President of the United States, is interred in the city cemetery.
South Bend has been revitalized in recent years as a financial center of the Michiana area. South Bend is the center of its immediate metropolitan area, with suburbs of Mishawaka, Granger, Osceola, Roseland, Ardmore, Gilmer Park and Niles, MI.
The Potawatomi Zoo opened in 1902. Potawatomi is the oldest zoo in Indiana, and features over 400 animals in its 23 acres. The zoo is run by the South Bend Parks and Recreation Department which maintains a variety of parks and facilities for the city.
In recent years, South Bend and neighboring Elkhart have frequently locked horns over the issue of Time. South Bend apparently overwhelmingly supports a move to central time as does two counties to the south of St. Joseph County. Elkhart County supports Eastern Time is the apparent reason that St. Joseph and the two other counties, Marshall and Fulton were denied.
Other points of interest include:
* College Football Hall of Fame
* Morris Performing Arts Center
* South Bend Conservatory
* University of Notre Dame
* Studebaker National Museum
* Northern Indiana Center for History
* South Bend Parks and Recreation Department
South Bend takes its name from its location, at the south bend of the St. Joseph River.
South Bend was initially laid out in 1831 as the county seat and as one of the four original townships of St. Joseph County. Around 128 people lived in the area at the time, mostly fur traders, merchants, and innkeepers. South Bend was organized as a town in 1835 and was incorporated as a city in 1865.
During the late 1830s through the 1850s, much of South Bend's development centered around the industrial complex of factories located on the two races (man-made canals along the St. Joseph River in South Bend). Of the two, only the East Race (now converted to an artificial whitewater course) remains as a visible reminder of the past.
The other, the West Race, was purchased in 1903 by the Oliver Chilled Plow Company and utilized to produce power for numerous structures throughout South Bend. Currently only parts of this plant and dam remain, as the Century Center Hotel and business complex converted it into a tourism and business venture.
On October 4, 1851, the first steam locomotive entered South Bend (and nearby Mishawaka, Indiana). This led to great interest in the possibility of transportation throughout South Bend by locomotives, and in 1882 the South Bend Street Railway Company attempted the first service of electrified streetcars anywhere in the world. Initially a failure, electric current problems were fixed in late 1882 to connect Mishawaka and South Bend.
These industrial connections and developments soon led the brothers Studebaker to take up shop in the city of South Bend. Founded by Henry and Clem Studebaker (and later funded and joined by J.M. Studebaker), the Studebaker Manufacturing Company was one of a handful of wagon making companies in the world to successfully transfer their business from the building of wagons to the building of automobiles. Being a major automobile manufacturing company, it often outsold in terms of numbers the Ford Motor Company in the first few decades of the 20th century.
Their connection with South Bend industry was massive, leaving a permanent imprint on the skyline of western South Bend. However, due to economic difficulties, the Studebaker Company closed its automotive manufacturing plants in South Bend in December of 1963 (leading to a general decline in the industrial sector of South Bend for decades to come).
Other companies involved in the development of South Bend include the Oliver Corporation, the Birdsell Manufacturing Company, the Bendix Corporation, Honeywell, AlliedSignal, the Robert Bosch GmbH, the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the O'Brien Paint Corp. and the South Bend Toy Company.
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.
Museums, arts and entertainment
The South Bend Regional Museum of Art is located in the Century Center in downtown South Bend. The Museum was opened to the public in March of 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.
Copshaholm is one of the central features of the Northern Indiana Center for History. The 38 room mansion built in 1895 and is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The history museum is composed of several buildings on its campus. It 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.
South Bend is also home to the Morris Performing Arts Center. The center was built in 1922 and included The Palace Theater which featured vaudeville acts. The theatre saw its heyday in 1940 with the premiere of Knute Rockne, All American which starred Ronald Reagan. A crowd estimated at 24,000 gathered outside the event. The theater was scheduled for demolition in 1959, when E.M. Morris purchased the facility and sold it to the city for one dollar. The Palace was then 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 complete. The center serves as home to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Broadway Theater League.
Sports
The University of Notre Dame's Fighting Irish provide much of the sports action for South Bend. Football Saturdays have become a major event for the city, attracting fans who want to see the games and tailgate. Notre Dame basketball games are also popular, along with the other sports at Notre Dame. Thanks in large part to Notre Dame, the College Football Hall of Fame was moved from Kings Mill, Ohio to downtown South Bend in 1995.
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. Former Indiana Governor and South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan bought the Silver Hawks, keeping the team in South Bend indefinitely.
The South Bend Motor Speedway was constructed from 1944-1946 on South Bend's west side. The speedway features a 1/4 mile track. Currently there are weekly races of Sportsman Late Models, Mini-stock cars and Thunder Cars, along with other events including concerts, car shows, and swap meets.
The city is home to the first of the few artificial white water courses in the United States. In 1984 the abandoned East Race canal of the St. Joseph River was converted into North America's first artificial whitewater waterway [5]. Through the use of movable barriers and obstacles the East Race provides a configurable whitewater course for recreational and competitive canoeing, kayaking and rafting.
Other points of interest
South Bend is home to the Century Center, a large convention center downtown that hosts many business, public, and private functions. Schuyler Colfax, the 17th Vice President of the United States, is interred in the city cemetery.
South Bend has been revitalized in recent years as a financial center of the Michiana area. South Bend is the center of its immediate metropolitan area, with suburbs of Mishawaka, Granger, Osceola, Roseland, Ardmore, Gilmer Park and Niles, MI.
The Potawatomi Zoo opened in 1902. Potawatomi is the oldest zoo in Indiana, and features over 400 animals in its 23 acres. The zoo is run by the South Bend Parks and Recreation Department which maintains a variety of parks and facilities for the city.
In recent years, South Bend and neighboring Elkhart have frequently locked horns over the issue of Time. South Bend apparently overwhelmingly supports a move to central time as does two counties to the south of St. Joseph County. Elkhart County supports Eastern Time is the apparent reason that St. Joseph and the two other counties, Marshall and Fulton were denied.
Other points of interest include:
* College Football Hall of Fame
* Morris Performing Arts Center
* South Bend Conservatory
* University of Notre Dame
* Studebaker National Museum
* Northern Indiana Center for History
* South Bend Parks and Recreation Department
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Bend,_Indiana
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 41°40'43"N 86°16'33"W
- Gary, Indiana 96 km
- Fort Wayne, Indiana 97 km
- Chicago, Illinois 143 km
- Grand Rapids, Michigan 156 km
- Joliet, Illinois 174 km
- Aurora, Illinois 178 km
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin 224 km
- Rockford, Illinois 254 km
- Madison, Wisconsin 317 km
- Green Bay, Wisconsin 356 km
- Former Bendix Manufacturing Facility 1.7 km
- Ignition Park 2.4 km
- Saint Mary's College 3.5 km
- Rum Village Park 3.6 km
- Notre Dame, Indiana 3.8 km
- University of Notre Dame 4 km
- AM General Off Road Testing Facilities 4.1 km
- South Bend International Airport (SBN/KSBN) 4.7 km
- St. Joseph County, Indiana 9 km
- St. Joseph River 11 km