What is the history of South Bend, Indiana?
South Bend was initially laid out in 1831 as the county seat and as one of the four original townships of St. Joseph County, IndianaSt. 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 (Lake Michigan)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 v
