South Bend tourist information

Local transportation
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 & 90. Original routes of both the Lincoln Highway and the Dixie Highway also pass through 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 (I-80 & 90) passes through northern Indiana, including South Bend and its nearby communities of Mishawaka, Roseland and Granger.

Public transportation in South Bend is controlled by Transpo, (South Bend Public Transportation Company). Transpo operates bus routes between South Bend and Mishawaka, Monday through Saturday. Transpo routes cover 183 miles with over 60 vehicles. 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 Indiana Toll Road in the Northwest corner of South Bend. The airport connects South Bend to larger hubs including Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, and Atlanta. 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 of development.

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The electric commuter railroad South Shore Line connects South Bend's South Bend Regional Airport to the Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Due to increased ridership between Chicago and South Bend in 2005 more cars are being added. In 2008 the South Shore will be celebrating its centennial anniversary. Planning for festivities are already underway and will take place at the South Bend Regional Airport.

Amtrak
Two Amtrak trains make daily stops at South Bend - the Capitol Limited and the Lake Shore Limited.

A bus line connects from Notre Dame and the airport to Chicago O'Hare Airport, with several northwest Indiana stops.

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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.

Industrial Factories
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.

Steam Locomotive
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.

Studebaker
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 Chilled Plow Works Company, 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.

Girls Play Baseball Too
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.