South Bend, Indiana is a screwed up city with a long and complicated history. The city was home to the Studebaker company, which went bankrupt a few decades ago. The buildings remained as a resource for Studebaker owners and collectors. But the city leadership didn’t like this, and they harassed the owner with code violations. This was a shame because Studebaker was the bread and butter of the city.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the city was a thriving industrial center. In 1923, Vincent H. Bendix chose the city for his new manufacturing plant because of its location on a rail line connecting Detroit and Chicago. The Bendix corporation then built a massive shipping and receiving building where railroad cars could load and unload.
Since the community had lost its core manufacturers, the city has been struggling to survive. However, a few small manufacturers have popped up in the last few years. Now, the city has a baseball team. The South Bend Cubs are a Class A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
The downtown area is located along the St. Joseph River, which flows northwest from the east end of town. It is connected to several national and state highway systems, including U.S. Routes 31 and 20. Interstate 80 is also nearby, as it passes through the city. The city is also connected to the Lincoln Highway and the Dixie Highway.
The city is home to the Studebaker National Museum, a large collection of automobiles and wagons. The Studebaker company donated their collection to the city in 1966. This museum shares campus space with the History Museum. There are also a number of churches and synagogues in the city. There are even radio stations that broadcast classical music.
The city is also home to the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic university. Its football team is regarded as the best in the country. South Bend is also home to the College Football Hall of Fame, which opened its doors on August 25, 1995. During the 20th century, South Bend began to develop industrially.
The government of South Bend is a mayor-council representative system. The city’s administrative offices are located in the heart of downtown South Bend. The mayor, who is elected for a four-year term, serves as the chief executive of the city government. The Common Council serves as the legislative branch of government.
