South Bend

Sister cities

• Arzberg
• Częstochowa

History

The St. Joseph Valley was long occupied by Native Americans. One of the earliest known groups to occupy what would later become northern Indiana was the Miami tribe. Later, the Potawatomi moved into the region, utilizing the rich food and natural resources found along the river. The Potawatomi occupied this region of Indiana until most of them were forcibly removed in the 1840s. The South Bend area was popular because its portage was the shortest overland route from the St. Joseph River to the Kankakee River. This route was used for centuries, first by the Native Americans, then by French explorers, missionaries and traders. The French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, the first white European to set foot in what is now South Bend, used this portage between the St. Joseph River and the Kankakee River in December 1679. The first permanent white settlers of South Bend were fur traders who established trading posts in the area. In 1820, Pierre Frieschutz Navarre arrived, representing the American Fur Company (AFC) of John Jacob Astor. He settled near what is now downtown South Bend. Alexis Coquillard, another agent of the AFC, established a trading post known as the 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. That same year, Horatio Chapin moved to the settlement, opened the first general store with imported (out of state) goods and helped established the first church and Sunday school. In 1856, attorney Andrew Anderson, Chapin's son-in-law, founded May Oberfell Lorber, the oldest continuous business in St. Joseph County. He compiled a complete index of South Bend's real estate records. In 1841, Schuyler Colfax was appointed St. Joseph…

Geography

South Bend is located from the Michigan border and approximately equidistant from Illinois and Ohio. The city is from Chicago. The shore of Lake Michigan is away. According to the 2010 census, South Bend has a total area of , of which , or 99%, is land and , or 1%, is water. The St. Joseph River 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 is located on the north–south continental divide, and the river flows northwest into Lake Michigan. The downtown area is located in the north-central part of the city along the St. Joseph River. Notre Dame, Indiana, is directly adjacent to the north. The city extends further north on the west side, mainly with manufacturing and distribution facilities near the South Bend International Airport. Mishawaka, Indiana, is adjacent to South Bend's east side. Notable neighborhoods in the city include: * Far Northwest, Near Northwest, and Keller Park are located off of Portage Avenue along the riverfront. * Northeast South Bend is between the River and SR 23 north of East LaSalle Avenue. * River Park is located north and south of Mishawaka Avenue. It has been the subject of several redevelopment projects intended to revitalize the area. * The Wayne Street neighborhood between Washington Street and Sunnymede Avenue along Jefferson Boulevard was designated a historic district in 1987. * Rum Village is in Southwest South Bend north of West Ewing Avenue and west of South Main Street. * The Eddy Street Commons is a mixed-use complex along North Eddy Street across Angela Boulevard from Notre Dame. * Leeper Park is south of the River and northwest of the Memorial Hospital main campus. * The North Shore Triangle is located in between Angela Boulevard and…

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Penn High School
  High · Mishawaka · 3,624 students · 20.1:1 ratio
• Adams High School
  High · South Bend · 1,976 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Mishawaka High School
  High · Mishawaka · 1,488 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Schmucker Middle School
  Middle · Mishawaka · 1,004 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• Riley High School
  High · South Bend · 992 students · 13.4:1 ratio
• Washington High School
  High · South Bend · 834 students · 14.4:1 ratio
• John J Young Middle School
  Middle · Mishawaka · 735 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Virgil I Grissom Middle School
  Middle · Mishawaka · 678 students · 15.8:1 ratio