Saint Joseph County, INSaint Joseph County is located on the southernmost bend of the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana. The river dips down into Indiana from Michigan, meandering through woods, wild fields, small towns and big cities. The communities that make up this county include Granger, Indian Village, Lakeville, Mishawaka, New Carlisle, North Liberty, Notre Dame, Osceola, Roseland, South Bend and Walkerton. The county’s population was recorded in the 2007 census as 266,088—92 percent urban and eight percent rural. According to the same report, the estimated median home value is $114,000.
The northern Indiana climate provides opportunities for all types of outdoor activities, from water skiing and hiking in the summer to tubing and cross-country skiing in the winter. Both nature and sports fans alike enjoy watching Olympic champions during national and international slalom whitewater races down the East Race Waterway.
In addition to this, there are plenty of indoor activities available as well, including a generous selection of shopping, dining and theatre venues. St. Joseph County is also home to more than eight different colleges, including the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University of South Bend, Saint Mary’s College and Bethel College.
In the mid-19th century, the area now known as St. Joseph County consisted of swampland and fertile planes. The local Indiana tribes that occupied the land were the Potowatomis, Ottowas and Chippewas. In 1820, French explorer Pierre Navarre settled at the south bend of the St. Joseph River and began a fur trade business. By 1830 287 residents called the river’s elbow their home and the area became officially known as St. Joseph County by Indiana Legislature. The people made their living from fur trading, lumbering, milling and farming.
The St. Joseph River, of course, served as the main form of transportation for traveling, exporting and importing. In 1831, the first ferry license was granted. However, once the first railroad was built in 1851, the necessity for river transportation dwindled. | More Local Area InformationSouth Bend, Indiana, is the fourth largest city in Indiana and the county seat of St. Joseph County. According to the 2006 census, the population wa... Read moreWith so much to offer its residents—a vibrant arts community, intriguing historic districts, and an array of attractions—South Bend is a great plac... Read moreThe city of South Bend is located along the St. Joseph River in North Central Indiana, approximately 10 miles south of the Michigan state line.... Read moreToday South Bend is a thriving city with a diverse population of around 105,000 people. It continues to be the seat of county government, as well a... Read moreSaint Joseph County is located on the southernmost bend of the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana. The river dips down into Indiana from Michigan... Read moreMishawaka, Indiana, established in 1899, is the birthplace of the Hummer (produced by AM General) and home to approximately 49,000 people. The city’... Read morePrior to 1883, the region now known as Granger, Indiana, served as a depot for Lake Huron and Chicago Railroad. The only structures that existed a... Read moreAt the southernmost tip of Michigan, on the banks of the St. Joseph River, the first settlers set up Fort St. Joseph and a trading post in 1691... Read moreSquire Isaac Thompson built the first homestead in Berrien County in 1823. The county became official in 1831 and received its name from U.S. Senato... Read moreA Cass County village, Edwardsburg, Mich., provides a country setting in a quiet environment. This small community is located just northeast of Sout... Read moreCass County, Michigan, was established in 1828 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson and named after Lewis Cass who served as territorial governo... Read moreLocated in the heart of Amish Country, Elkhart, Indiana, is the birth place of Alka Seltzer and claims to have produced more patents than any othe... Read moreElkhart County, Indiana, offers a mix of urban and rural living with a population of nearly 200,000. The large Amish population contributes to th... Read moreBerrien Springs, Michigan, received its namesake from John M. Berrien, a U.S. Senator and Attorney General serving under President Andrew Jackson. I... Read moreThe first settlers of Cassopolis were the Putnams, a small family from Indiana who took up residence in October of 1825. Their humble floorless hom... Read moreThe “Grand Old City” of southwestern Michigan, Dowagiac, located in Cass County, was named after the Native American word meaning “foraging ground.... Read moreA small town in Elkhart County, Bristol was founded by European settlers approximately 200 years ago. Today, Bristol looks forward to the future wit... Read moreWith an estimated population of 31,882 in 2006, Goshen, Indiana, is the county seat of Elkhart County. The neighborly, service-oriented environment... Read moreNestled in northeastern Elkhart County, Middlebury covers approximately 100 square miles of scenic, semi-rural landscape. The large Amish an... Read moreOriginally populated by the Potawatami Indians, Van Buren County, Mich., is considered “Michigan’s Fruit Basket.” Sometime in the mid 1800s, settler... Read more |
