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89-657: Mark Stephen Waters (born June 30, 1964) is an American director. Waters was raised in South Bend, Indiana . He studied at the University of Pennsylvania in theatre arts before studying at the American Film Institute . When studying at Penn, he saw The House of Yes and saw things in the play that he felt he could make cinematic. He contacted the author of the play in Wendy MacLeod and got

178-657: A New York merchant. It is likely that these considerations were discussed with Astor during his visits to Montreal and the Beaver Club . Despite not originating the idea to create a venture on the Pacific coast, Astor's "ability to combine and use the ideas of other men" allowed him to pursue the idea. Astor joined in on two NWC voyages charted to sail to the Qing Empire during the 1790s. These were done with American vessels to bypass British commercial law , which at

267-602: A fort at the entrance of the Columbia River. Once the pelts were collected from the extensive outposts they were to be loaded and shipped aboard ships owned by Astor to the Chinese port of Guangzhou, where furs were sold for impressive profits. Chinese products like porcelain , nankeens and tea were to be purchased; with the ships then to cross the Indian Ocean and head for European and American markets to sell

356-669: A manuscript copy by saying he was a film producer. He worked as a stage actor and director in Philadelphia and San Francisco before his work with AFI, where he graduated in 1994. He made a number of short films. He directed the comedy films Freaky Friday , Mean Girls , Ghosts of Girlfriends Past , Mr. Popper's Penguins , and Vampire Academy . The first movie he directed was the independent hit The House of Yes starring Parker Posey . Other movies he directed include Head Over Heels , The Spiderwick Chronicles , Bad Santa 2 , Magic Camp , He's All That , and more. He

445-770: A monopoly in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest. In the 1820s the AFC expanded its monopoly into the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains , dominating the fur trade in what became Montana by the mid-1830s. To achieve control of the industry, the company bought out or beat out many smaller competitors, like the Rocky Mountain Fur Company . By 1830, the AFC had nearly complete control of

534-508: Is held annually in South Bend. It is hosted by Pulse FM, a local Christian music radio station. The event is an annual Contemporary Christian music festival, attracting more than 50,000 visitors each year. In 2013, a new annual festival began in South Bend called South by South Bend, named after the famous South By Southwest of Austin, Texas. The festival is a celebration of the local music scene, with local bands and artists performing on

623-499: Is located 5 mi (8.0 km) from the Michigan border and approximately equidistant from Illinois and Ohio . The city is 93 mi (150 km) from Chicago. The shore of Lake Michigan is 20 mi (32 km) away. According to the 2010 census, South Bend has a total area of 41.877 square miles (108.46 km ), of which 41.46 square miles (107.38 km ) (or 99%) is land and 0.417 square miles (1.08 km ) (or 1%)

712-546: Is no documentation of this and it is more likely that he had sent a copy of the map to Congress due to personal pride. Pond later became a founding member of the North West Company (NWC) and continued to trade in modern Alberta. In time Pond had an influence upon Alexander Mackenzie , who later crossed the North American continent. In 1802, Mackenzie promoted a plan form the "Fishery and Fur Company" to

801-453: 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. By 1829, the town was growing, with Coquillard and Taylor emerging as leaders. They applied for a post office. Taylor

890-410: Is part of a partnership between the city, General Electric, Great Lakes Capital, Indiana Michigan Power, University of Notre Dame, and the state of Indiana. Redevelopment is underway for some of the abandoned industrial facilities, with the abandoned Oliver Corporation buildings being the most recent example of reclaimed property. The city also faced programs with large swaths of vacant housing after

979-575: Is the fourth-largest city in Indiana . Located just south of the border with Michigan , South Bend anchors the Michiana region and is 72 miles (116 km) east of downtown Chicago . The metropolitan area had a population of 324,501 in 2020, while its combined statistical area had 812,199. The area was settled in the early 19th century by fur traders and was established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through

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1068-510: Is the public name of the Northern Indiana Historical Society, the second-oldest historical society in Indiana, established in 1867 to collect and interpret the history of the northern Indiana region by St. Joseph County's leading citizens. The Oliver Mansion (also known by its original name, Copshaholm) is one of the central features of the museum. The 38-room mansion was built in 1895 and is currently listed in

1157-462: 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

1246-722: The American Civil War . Industrial growth was rapid after the Civil War, most notably with the Studebaker wagon factory, and the Oliver plow company . Good jobs and high wages attracted immigrants from Europe, especially Germans, Irish, and Poles. The majority were Catholic, and they achieved higher rates of social mobility than the same ethnic groups in the Northeast . Olivet African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

1335-846: The Astor Library in New York City. Later it merged with the Lenox Library to form the New York Public Library . On the frontier, the American Fur Company opened the way for the settlement and economic development of the Midwestern and Western United States. Mountain men working for the company improved Native American trails and carved others that led settlers into the West. Many cities in

1424-627: The Hudson's Bay Company , in a short time the HBC controlled the majority of the fur trade across the Pacific Northwest. This was done in a manner that "the Americans were forced to acknowledge that Astor's dream" of a multi-continent economic web "had been realized... by his enterprising and far-sighted competitors." The South West Company handled the Midwestern and Southwestern fur trade. In

1513-581: The Mayor of New York City , DeWitt Clinton , Astor explained that a state charter would offer a particular level of formal sanction needed in the venture. He in turn requested the Federal government grant his operations military support to defend against Indians and control these new markets. The bold proposals were not given official sanction however, making Astor to continue to promote his ideas among prominent governmental agents. President Thomas Jefferson

1602-820: The National Register of Historic Places . The home was built by Joseph Doty Oliver, son of James Oliver, the founder of the Oliver Farm Equipment Company , once the largest plow manufacturer in the United States. In addition to the Oliver Mansion and the Workers Home (a 1920s Polish-American family home), the museum includes areas dedicated to the history of the St. Joseph River Valley, the University of Notre Dame,

1691-812: The Qing Empire . Chinese products were, in turn, to be purchased for resale throughout Europe and the United States. A beneficial agreement with the Russian-American Company was also planned through the regular supply of provisions for posts in Russian America . This was planned in part to prevent the rival Montreal based NWC to gain a presence along the Pacific Coast, a prospect neither the Russian colonial authorities or Astor favored. Demand for furs in Europe began to decline during

1780-728: The Royal Navy forced the sale of all company assets across the Oregon Country. This was formalized on 23 October 1813 with the raising of the Union Jack at Fort Astoria . On 30 November HMS Racoon arrived at the Columbia River and in honor of George III of the United Kingdom , Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George. After the forced merger in 1821 of the North West Company into their long time rivals,

1869-621: The Rust Belt designation for the northwestern and midwestern regions of the United States that experienced these effects of deindustrialization . 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,

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1958-485: The University of Notre Dame just north of the town. It became a major factor in the area's economy and culture. South Bend was incorporated as a city on May 22, 1865, and its first elections were held on June 5, 1865, with William G. George elected as its first mayor The official city motto, "Peace", refers to the fact that incorporation came in the month following the Confederate surrender that effectively ended

2047-537: The census of 2010, there were 101,168 people, 39,760 households, and 23,526 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,440.1 inhabitants per square mile (942.1/km ). There were 46,324 housing units at an average density of 1,117.3 per square mile (431.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 60.5% White , 26.6% African American , 0.5% Native American , 1.3% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 6.9% from other races , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 13.0% of

2136-631: The 1830s, competition began to resurface. At the same time, the availability of furs in the Midwest declined. During this period, the Hudson's Bay Company began an effort to destroy the American fur companies from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver . By depleting furs in the Snake River country and underselling the American Fur Company at the annual Rocky Mountain Rendezvous ,

2225-460: The 1850s. In 1834, John Jacob Astor sold his interest on the river to replace the old fur company. He invested his fortune in real estate on Manhattan Island, New York, and became the wealthiest man in America. After 1840, the business of the American Fur Company declined. During its heyday, the American Fur Company was one of the largest enterprises in the United States and held a total monopoly of

2314-469: The 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's top employers are: Efforts are under way to spur economic growth in South Bend. The St. Joe Valley Metronet is a 50-mile (80 km) dark fiber optic network that encircles South Bend and Mishawaka that allows for strong telecommunications connectivity. The South Bend Metronet, named Zing, is bringing more high-tech firms to the city and surrounding area. This telecommunications network has allowed for

2403-578: The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and the Kidsfirst Children's Museum. American Fur Company During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British companies, most notably the North West Company (NWC) and the Hudson's Bay Company , were eventual competitors against Astor and capitalized on

2492-724: The British government. In it he called for "a supreme Civil & Military Establishment" on Nootka Island , with two additional posts located on the Columbia River and another in the Alexander Archipelago . Additionally this plan was formed to bypass the three major British monopolies at the time, the Hudson's Bay Company , the South Sea Company and the East India Company for access

2581-458: The Chinese markets. However the British government turned down the offer, leaving the NWC to pursue MacKenzie's plans alone. Another likely influence upon Astor was a longtime friend, Alexander Henry . At times Henry mused at the potential of the western coast. Forming establishments on the Pacific shoreline to harness the economic potential would be "my favorite plan" as Henry described in a letter to

2670-732: The Chinese wares. To begin his plans of a chain of trading stations spread across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest , Astor incorporated the AFC subsidiary, the Pacific Fur Company . Astor and the partners met in New York on 23 June 1810 and signed the Pacific Fur Company's provisional agreement. The fellow partners were former NWC men, being Alexander McKay , Duncan McDougall , and Donald Mackenzie . The chief representative of Astor in

2759-506: The HBC effectively ruined American fur trading efforts in the Rocky Mountains. By the 1840s, silk was replacing fur for hats as the clothing fashion in Europe. The company was unable to cope with all these factors. Despite efforts to increase profits by diversifying into other industries like lead mining, the American Fur Company folded. The assets of the company were split into several smaller operations, most of which failed by

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2848-580: The Klan, vigorously protested this intrusion, and before noon all of the Klansmen traffic directors had been "unmasked and unrobed." Notre Dame students continued the fight, with several hundred gathering outside of the Klan headquarters, throwing rocks and smashing windows in protest. Local police as well as Notre Dame officials eventually managed to convince them to return to campus. It is said that even legendary football coach Knute Rockne became involved in

2937-492: The Midwest, it also competed with regional companies along the upper Missouri, upper Mississippi, Platte rivers and as far south as New Mexico. These competitors were mostly companies based in Saint Louis, Missouri , which were active in the fur trade as well as in trade of general merchandise, and which were typically founded and led by French colonial families, such as Pratte, Chouteau , Cabanne and Ceran St. Vrain amongst

3026-619: The Pacific Coast. Peter Pond , an active American fur trader, offered maps of his explorations in modern Alberta , Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories to both the United States Congress and to Henry Hamilton , Lieutenant Governor of Quebec in 1785. While it has been conjectured that Pond wanted funding from the Americans to explore the Pacific Coast for the Northwest Passage , there

3115-656: The Riverlights Music Festival debuted as successor to Sounds by South Bend. The South Bend Museum of Art is located in Century Center 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 History Museum

3204-419: The United States and engaging in trade with Native Americans. Congress passed this law at the urging of John Jacob Astor with the caveat that a special exemption to this law could be granted exclusively by the president. Later this power would be given to Native American tribes and some territorial officials. One years time was enough that John Jacob Astor and the American Fur Company has sufficient connections in

3293-894: The adjacent unincorporated area of Notre Dame ). The city hosts several annual festivals. The South Bend International Festival began ten years ago as the South Bend Reggae Festival and now features local and international musical artists who perform in African, Latino, and American cultural styles. Proceeds from the festival are given to the Pangani Foundation of South Bend, which provides medical supplies to hospitals in Malawi . WBYT FM – B100 (Country Station) hosts an Annual All Day Country Concert, with over 37,000 free tickets in early September. The World Pulse Festival, broadcast by LeSEA Broadcasting network,

3382-555: The advent of various data centers in South Bend, which serves as a hub between Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Cincinnati. In 2015, the City of South Bend announced it would provide free wireless internet access via the Metronet in the city's downtown and East Bank areas. The Union Station Technology Center was purchased from the city in 1979 and is currently Northern Indiana's largest data center. There are currently plans to extend

3471-529: The area include Crowe , Honeywell , and AM General . The city's economy and culture are influenced by the nearby University of Notre Dame . 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

3560-540: The area to fill the void left by the banning of the British Companies that formerly held control of the Chicago fur trade. By 1808, Astor had established "an international empire that mixed furs, teas, and silks and penetrated markets on three continents." He began to court diplomatic and government support of a fur trading venture to be established on the Pacific shore in the same year. In correspondence with

3649-464: The area. This foundation began with a partnership between the American Fur Company and two British companies that supplied trade goods to the Chicago area. The terms of this arrangement were such that the partnership would last for five years or until the American government prohibited the use of foreign capital in the United States. This partnership was short lived as after the War of 1812 the United States government banned foreign investors from entering

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3738-423: The barring of African American migration to Indiana. He joined the Republican Party , like many Whigs of his day, and was elected to Congress in 1855, becoming Speaker of the House in 1863 during the administration of Abraham Lincoln . In 1868, he was elected vice president under Ulysses S. Grant . Colfax returned to South Bend after his stint in Washington and is buried in City Cemetery, west of downtown. During

3827-459: The business as Pratte, Chouteau & Company. For a time, it seemed that the company had been destroyed but, following the war, the United States passed a law excluding foreign traders from operating on U.S. territory. This freed the American Fur Company from having to compete with the Canadian and British companies, particularly along the borders around the Great Lakes and in the West. The AFC competed fiercely among American companies to establish

3916-607: The city and the Urban Enterprise Association. South Bend was influenced by a large influx of Polish Catholic immigrants in the late 19th century. Dyngus Day is widely celebrated on the Monday after Easter and it is the beginning of the city elections campaign season . Fat Tuesday is also celebrated in South Bend, with paczkis being a staple food product in the city for the day. The city and surrounding county have 23 Catholic churches, 11 Catholic schools and three Catholic universities (the University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College, and Saint Mary's College, all located in

4005-402: The city's jail and harm the rest of the city's African American population. Within a few days, over a thousand African Americans fled the city. In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan held a conference and planned a parade from its local headquarters at 230 S. Michigan St. In preparation, Klan members were posted around town to direct traffic. Notre Dame students, well aware of the anti-Catholic nature of

4094-594: The climate of South Bend, including lake effect snow in winter and a tendency to moderate temperatures year round. June, July and August are the warmest months, with average temperatures above 69 °F (21 °C). Normally, 42 days with thunderstorms occur each year. The snowiest month is usually January, with snowfall normally recorded from October through April. On average, South Bend receives 64.5 inches (164 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. As of

4183-399: The coming of the next 150 years of South Bend's heritage accompanied by five previous South Bend mayors: Steve Luecke, Joe Kernan, Roger Parent, Peter Nemeth and Jerry Miller. In 2015, the city's population increased by 286, the largest one-year growth in over twenty years. The former Studebaker plant has been developed as the Ignition Park center to attract new businesses, especially in

4272-424: The construction of the Beaver in 1803 to expand his trade fleet. By the early 1800's the Chicago area was already a large center for the fur trade. The city was largely occupied by soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn and fur traders in small camps. Prior to the War of 1812 the British maintained control of the area. However, in 1811 John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company began to lay the foundation to move into

4361-439: The conversion of one-way streets to two-way streets, to bring more businesses to the area, create shorter travel routes, and to reduce speeding. The other part of the initiative is the West Side Main Streets Plan, a revitalization plan for the Lincoln Way West and Western Avenue corridor focusing on guiding business owners, residents, and developers to improve the street front by offering a reimbursement on exterior improvements from

4450-443: The country. Astor planned for several companies to function across the Great Lakes , the Great Plains and the Oregon Country to gain control of the North American fur trade. Comparatively inexpensive manufactured goods were to be shipped to commercial stations for trade with various Indigenous nations for fur pelts. The sizable number of furs collected were then to be brought to the port of Canton , as pelts were in high demand in

4539-574: The daily operations was Wilson Price Hunt , a St. Louis businessman with no outback experience. From the outpost on the Columbia , Astor hoped to gain a commercial foothold in Russian America and China. In particular, the ongoing supply issues faced by the Russian-American Company were seen as a means to gain yet more furs. Cargo ships en route from the Columbia were planned to then sail north for Russian America to bring much needed provisions. By cooperating with Russian colonial authorities to strengthen their material presence in Russian America, it

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4628-447: The data center into a fully operating high-tech data hub in the old Studebaker "Ivy Tower" assembly plant next door, creating what will be called the Renaissance District. Innovation Park and Ignition Park, dual-certified technology parks, have attracted technology businesses to South Bend. Located across the street from the University of Notre Dame, Innovation Park was completed in 2009 and houses innovative researchers from companies and

4717-450: The decline of the manufacturing industry. In 2013, 1,347 homes were vacant or abandoned. The city created the Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative in February 2013, which aimed to take care of 1,000 vacant or abandoned homes in 1,000 days, either through demolition, repairs, or some other satisfactory means. The Smart Street Initiative, a 20-year plan to make the city safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists, began in 2013 with

4806-399: The early 19th century, leading to the stagnation of the fur trade by the mid-19th century. Astor left his company in 1830, the company declared bankruptcy in 1842, and the American Fur Company ultimately ceased trading in 1847. Before John Jacob Astor founded his enterprise in the Oregon Country , European descendants throughout previous decades had suggested creating trade stations along

4895-399: The end of 2011. Bosch vacated the building entirely in October 2012. Curtis Products of South Bend moved into the building in May 2013. Since the 1960s, 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 before that time. Nearby University of Notre Dame is a large contributor to

4984-439: The first sit-in strike in American history in 1936. 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. The South Shore line still runs daily to and from Chicago and also is a major freight carrier in the area. On June 30, 1934, the Merchants National Bank in South Bend

5073-399: 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

5162-460: The following ancestries were reported: African-American - 26%, German - 14.8%, Irish - 10.4%, Polish - 8.2%, English - 5.0%, American - 3.3%, Italian - 2.6%, Hungarian - 2.4%, French - 2.0%, Dutch - 1.4%, Swedish - 1.1%, Belgian - 0.9%. 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. Bendix selected South Bend as

5251-499: The fur trade in the United States. The company's time at the top of America's business world was short-lived. Sensing the eventual decline of fur's popularity in fashion, John Jacob Astor withdrew from the company in 1834. The company split into smaller entities like the Pacific Fur Company. The Northern Division of the midwestern outfit continued to be called the American Fur Company and was led by Ramsay Crooks . To cut down on expenses, it began closing many of its trading posts. Through

5340-480: 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 factories were built on each side of the river. On October 4, 1851, the first steam locomotive entered South Bend. This shifted commerce from the river to the railroad . In 1852, Henry Studebaker set up Studebaker wagon shop, later becoming

5429-625: The local economy. The university is the second largest employer in the city and in St. Joseph County, employing 6,086 people. Health care is another major contributor to the South Bend economy. In 2012, Memorial Health System announced that it was merging with Elkhart General Hospital, located in Elkhart County, to form Beacon Health System. Beacon is the largest employer in the city and in St. Joseph County, employing 7,088 people. Other notable businesses include Honeywell , Bosch, and PEI Genesis. AM General , Crowe Horwath , and Tire Rack all have corporate headquarters in South Bend. According to

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5518-438: The lucrative trade in furs . Astor used a variety of commercial strategies to become one of the first trusts in American business and a major competitor to the British commercial dominance in North American fur trade . Expanding into many former British fur-trapping regions and trade routes , the company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest and wealthiest businesses in

5607-430: The lucrative fur trade in the young nation by the 1820s. Through his profits from the company, John Jacob Astor made numerous, lucrative land investments and became the richest man in the world and the first multi-millionaire in the United States. The German-born Astor is ranked as the eighteenth-wealthiest person of all time, and the eighth to create his fortune in the United States. He used part of his fortune to found

5696-559: The making, and had been the subject of the Indiana Supreme Court case Vandalia Railroad v. South Bend, which was subsequently affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States . In 1949, legendary percussionist Lionel Hampton was informed that his concert at South Bend's Palais du Royale would be a blacks-only event; he threatened to call for a boycott of the venue, and the affair proceeded as an integrated evening, which newspapers said led to all attendees breaking out in "paroxysms of ecstasy." By 1950, more than half of all employment

5785-521: The mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of the Studebaker Corporation , the Oliver Chilled Plow Company , and other large corporations. The population of South Bend declined after 1960, when it peaked at 132,445. This was chiefly due to migration to suburban areas as well as the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry . Today, the largest industries in South Bend are health care, education, small business, and tourism . Remaining large corporations based in

5874-407: The most prominent, both before and after the Louisiana Purchase or Astor setting up his company. Competition in the wilderness areas between men of the companies sometimes erupted into physical violence and outright attacks. In 1834, the American Fur Company sold its Western Division to Bernard Pratte and Pierre Chouteau Jr. , with whom they had been already cooperating, with the latter continuing

5963-401: 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: South Bend has a humid continental climate , with a Köppen climate classification of Dfa. Lake Michigan exerts a great influence on

6052-408: 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 County deputy auditor. Colfax purchased the South Bend Free Press and then turned it into a pro- Whig newspaper, the St. Joseph Valley Register . He was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1850, at which he opposed

6141-566: The opposite end. By the end of World War II , manufacturing began to diminish. The Studebaker plant, which had at one time employed 45,000 persons, closed in 1963; its engine block plant shuttered the following year. Parts of the Bendix factory complex were later acquired and divided 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 would cease all operations at its Bendix plant location in South Bend by

6230-407: The park grounds and other public venues around the city. The goals of the festival include strengthening the bond between the communities of South Bend and Notre Dame, supporting local artistic expression, and promoting local business. In 2015, the festival was renamed Sounds by South Bend, to avoid confusion with the Austin festival and to more accurately represent the purpose of the event. In 2016,

6319-443: The population. There were 39,760 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.9% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.3% Of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

6408-558: 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,

6497-416: The settlement, opened the first general store with imported (out of state) goods and helped established the first church and Sunday school. Around the same time, design began on what would become the town of South Bend. The town was formally established in 1835, with Chapin as the first president of the board of town trustees. In 1856, attorney Andrew Anderson, Chapin's son-in-law, founded May Oberfell Lorber,

6586-529: 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 built 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

6675-599: The struggle to calm down the students. Other industries developed 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., the South Bend Toy Company, South Bend Range, South Bend Bait Company, and South Bend Watch Company . Workers at the Bendix Corporation staged

6764-670: The team's name was changed to the South Bend Silver Hawks, and then to the South Bend Cubs in 2015. They are a Class A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs in the Midwest League. In 2015, the City of South Bend celebrated its 150th birthday. The yearlong festival culminated with the ceremonial illumination of the first River Lights along the St. Joseph River. Mayor Pete Buttigieg welcomed

6853-401: The tech industry. South Bend has also seen new development, particularly in the tech field, a decline in unemployment, and a renewal of the downtown area under Buttigieg's tenure, which has been described as a revival and South Bend as a 'turnaround city'. South Bend also was in the national spotlight during the 2019-20 Democratic presidential campaign of former mayor Buttigieg. South Bend

6942-698: The time prohibited any company besides the East India Company from commerce with China. These were financially profitable ventures, enough so that Astor offered to become the NWC agent for all shipments of furs destined for Guangzhou . However Alexander Mackenzie denied his offer, making Astor consider financing voyages to China without the Canadian traders. Now a fully independent international merchant, Astor began to fund trading voyages to China along with several partners. Cargoes often amounted to $ 150,000 (equivalent to about $ 4 million in 2023) in such as otter and beaver pelts, in addition to needed specie. Astor ordered

7031-503: The university. Ignition Park, located just south of the downtown area, is planned to become home to 3 million square feet (280,000 m ) of high-tech space on 140 acres (570,000 m ) of land previously owned by the Studebaker Corporation. The first tenant, Data Realty, moved into the location in the fall of 2012. The second building in the new park, a research and testing facility for massive turbo machinery,

7120-499: 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 that made manufacturing the driving force in the South Bend economy until the mid-20th century. Another important economic act was the dredging of the Kankakee River in 1884 to create farmland. During this time period there

7209-402: Was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.19. The median age in the city was 33.3 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female. Per the 2013 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau ,

7298-473: Was a great immigration of Europeans, such as Polish, Hungarian, Irish, German, Italian, and Swedish people to South Bend because of available employment in area factories. 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

7387-427: Was appointed postmaster , and the post office was designated as Southold, Allen County, Indiana. The following year, the name was changed to South Bend, probably to ease confusion, as several other communities were named Southold 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 with 128 residents. That same year, Horatio Chapin moved to

7476-469: Was attached to direct a movie called Minimum Wage written by Scott Atkinson and Tegan West . Producer TV movies TV series South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and 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. At the 2020 census , the city had a total of 103,453 residents and

7565-554: Was contacted by the ambitious merchant as well. Astor gave a detailed plan of his mercantile considerations, declaring that they were designed to bring about American commercial dominance over "the greater part of the fur-trade of this continent..." This was to be accomplished through a chain of interconnected trading posts that stretching across the Great Lakes, the Missouri River basin, the Rocky Mountains, and ending with

7654-570: Was founded in South Bend in March 1870, making it the first African American church in the city. Olivet AME is still an active African Methodist Episcopal Church, and celebrated its 145th anniversary in 2015. A sergeant from South Bend fired the first American shells against Germany in World War I. In 1923, the African American owner of a soda fountain received a letter signed "KKK", threatening to kill an African American man held in

7743-574: Was hoped by Astor to stop the NWC or any other British presence to be established upon the Pacific Coast. A tentative agreement for merchant vessels owned by Astor to ship furs gathered in Russian America into the Qing Empire was signed in 1812. While intended to gain control of the regional fur trade, the Pacific Fur Company floundered in the War of 1812 . The possibility of an occupation by

7832-517: Was in the manufacturing sector. Due to economic difficulties, Studebaker closed its automotive manufacturing plants in South Bend in December 1963. A general decline in manufacturing soon followed as industry was restructured nationwide. By 2000, manufacturing was only 16 percent of the local economy. Due to the severe loss of jobs, the city's population decreased by nearly 30,000 during that period. This decline of industry and population loss led to

7921-505: Was the last bank to be robbed by the Dillinger gang. On September 29, 1929, South Bend completed its "track elevation program". This was a railroad infrastructure project which saw the removal of Grand Trunk Western Railroad tracks from Division Street, the removal of level crossings from Chapin to Miami streets, the creation of a modern freight layout, and the construction of Union Station . This project had been seventeen years in

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