3.0 Chapter Three Context ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION & PARKS COUNTY JOSEPH ST. 26 St. Joseph County Parks Five Year Master Plan 2019-2023 TROYER GROUP 27 CONTEXT MAP MICHIGAN INDIANA Totaling 467 sq. miles, St. Joseph County is in the north-central part of Indiana. Surrounded by three counties (LaPorte, Marshall, and Elkhart), St. Joseph County lies on the GRANGER Michigan state line and is located 96 miles NEW from Chicago and 140 miles from Indianapolis. CARLISLE Within its borders are the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka and seven towns. St. Joseph County has 13 townships: Centre, Clay, German, Greene, Harris, Liberty, Lincoln, SOUTH Madison, Olive, Penn, Portage, Union, and BEND OSCEOLA Warren. MISHAWAKA NORTH LIBERTY LAKEVILLE WALKERTON 28 St. Joseph County Parks Five Year Master Plan 2019-2023 TROYER GROUP 29 OTHER PLANNING HISTORY, FEATURES, POPULATION, DOCUMENTS AND ECONOMIC FACTORS As part of the inventory and analysis phase of and to provide a safe and efficient transportation HISTORY that congregated along, and in, the St. Joseph the master plan, review of existing planning system that meets mobility while not creating River. The first successful trader to occupy the Before any white European explorer had stepped documents was conducted. Summaries of the adverse impacts to the environment. St. Joseph River Valley was William Burnett. Mr. foot upon the soil of the Old Northwest, the St. findings from these documents are as follows: Burnett, from a prominent New Jersey family, was The 2040 Transportation Plan addresses the Joseph Valley was occupied by Native Americans. attracted to this area because of the possibility of following: Several tribes and early native peoples located ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PARKS AND great wealth participating in the fur trade. • Policies, strategies, and projects for the future around the St. Joseph River. One of the earliest RECREATION MASTER PLAN: 2014- groups to occupy what would later become St. Joseph County is now the fifth largest county 2018 • Projected demand for transportation services over 20 years northern Indiana and southern Michigan as the in the state of Indiana by population. The county Information from the 2014-2018 master plan • Regional land use, development, housing, and Miami tribe. Later, the Potawatomi would move includes a comfortable mix of rural cultural was updated to reflect the current conditions employment forecasts into the St. Joseph River Valley region, utilizing heritage and urban amenities. St. Joseph County of St. Joseph County Parks, communities, • Cost estimates and reasonably available the rich food and natural resources along the is also the regional center for higher education demographics, etc. financial sources river. The Potawatomi would occupy this region with more than eight colleges and universities of Indiana and Michigan until the majority were including the University of Notre Dame, Indiana According to the study, over a 24-hour period, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT forcibly removed in the 1840s. Univserity South Bend, Bethel College, and Saint 16.83% of people traveled for recreational Mary’s College. PLAN purposes and destinations. The first white footprint placed in the soil of The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) northern Indiana was that of Father James is a four-year, short-range plan that provides SHIRLEY HEINZE LAND TRUST Marquette, who traveled up the Kankakee River MAN-MADE HISTORICAL AND information regarding the transportation projects REGIONAL CONSERVATION PLAN and across the portage to the St. Joseph River in CULTURAL FEATURES that are federally funded in the Michiana Area May of 1675. The Regional Conservation Plan identifies land Founded in 1842, the University of Notre Dame Council of Governments (MACOG) region. in northwest St. Joseph County contiguous One major reason the South Bend area grew in is a private, non-profit Catholic-founded research The TIP includes projects for all modes of surface to County Parks prioritized for acquisition population was its location along the St. Joseph university that has about 8,600 students enrolled. transportation including highways and streets, for greenspace and recreation. The plan was River. To get to the Mississippi River from the The university is one of the largest employers in active transportation, and public transportation. developed in cooperation with MACOG, Great Lakes, the South Bend portage was the the county, and according to a 2018 study, its Projects listed are developed in cooperation with St. Joseph County Parks, IDNR, and other shortest overland route from the St. Joseph economic impact on the region is $2.46 billion annually. state and local agencies. conservation organizations. River to the Kankakee River. The Kankakee River The plan offers 25 potential bike/multi-use path flowed into the Illinois River and then into the St. Joseph County is home to many Local and improvement projects that will benefit several Mississippi. This was the route used for centuries, National Historic Districts. The first Local Historic communities. Adding/improving these paths will first by Native Americans, and then the French District established was the West North Shore Drive Historic District in 1978. Since then, help to bring a variety of visitors who may not explorers and traders. eight other Local Historic Districts have been visit the parks by vehicular transportation. In addition to the portage, there were several established. The many Historic Districts and other Native American trails that crisscrossed Sites can be found on the IDNR’s State Historic throughout the Michiana (Michigan and Indiana) MICHIANA ON THE MOVE: 2040 Architectural and Archaeological Research area. The Fort Wayne Trail led from Fort Wayne, TRANSPORTATION PLAN Database. Indiana, to Chicago, Illinois. Another popular trail Michiana on the Move is a long-range plan that Home to one of the most iconic symbols identifies regionally significant transportation was the Great Sauk Trail that started in Detroit, Michigan, went through Chicago, and then split in the region, Bendix Woods County Park needs and issues in the region. It is a fiscally holds the record for the world’s longest living constrained document that includes a into two trails in Missouri, later becoming known as the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail. advertisement. The half-mile historic sign that demographic analysis of the community as well reads “Studebaker” was planted in 1938 by the as an examination of travel patterns and trends. After the Native tribes, the first permanent Studebaker Corporation totaling up to 8,000 pine The planning process includes an analysis of residents of South Bend were the fur traders who saplings as advertisement for its nearby test track alternatives to meet projected future demands settled in the area because of the rich wildlife circuit. In 1966, the property was purchased by 30 St. Joseph County Parks Five Year Master Plan 2019-2023 TROYER GROUP 31 the Bendix Corporation and with it the coveted a regional airport, bus line systems, and a major MAJOR INDUSTRIES SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS landmark. Today, the sign includes just over 2,000 rail line to Chicago. From 2015 to 2016, employment in St. Joseph Employment trees and is included in the National Register of Major Highways County declined by 1.77%, from 123,580 According to the Indiana Public Data Utility, the Historic Places. To help restore and maintain the Indiana Toll Road - 80/90 employees to 121,388 employees. According to unemployment rate in St. Joseph County has Studebaker sign, a series of grants were awarded US Hwy 31 South Bend Regional Economic Development, the continued to drop from 2014 to 2018. In October between 2012 and 2015. US Hwy 20 top 10 major employers in St. Joseph County are: 2014, the unemployment rate was 5.8% and in The historic Studebaker Clubhouse is located at US Hwy 6 1. University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame) October 2018, it was 3.8%, which was higher Bendix Woods County Park. It was built in 1926 Hwy 933 than the state unemployment rate (3.6%) at the and has gone through many changes, from living Hwy 331 2. Beacon Health System (South Bend) time, ranking 23rd in Indiana counties overall. quarters for Studebaker employees, to army Air 3. South Bend Community School Corporation The estimated median household income in 2016 barracks, to a private residence, and now it is a South Bend International Airport (South Bend) was $48,358, which is about 8% lower than the nature center with park offices. It is a designated 4. St. Joseph Regional Medical Center median income for the State of Indiana. local landmark and is listed on the National Railway (Mishawaka) Poverty Levels Register of Historical Places. Ideally positioned on a major eastern railroad thoroughfare, the County has three Class 5. Indiana University South Bend (South Bend) According to census data, 16.3% of the population in St. Joseph County (41,875 out of COMMUNITY ATTRACTIONS I railroads, two shortline railroads and two 6. City of South Bend (South Bend) interstate passenger rail services (South 256,660 people) live below the poverty line, a St. Joseph County’s urban center is the City 7. AM General LLC (Mishawaka) Shore and Amtrak). There is ample available number that is higher than the national average of South Bend, which combines with rural development land adjacent to many of these 8. Honeywell Aerospace (South Bend) of 14%. The County’s largest demographic living attractions and recreation opportunities that help lines, as well as several existing manufacturing in poverty is females ages 25-34, followed by shape the community. The County has become 9. Press Ganey (South Bend) companies that currently utilize rail. females ages 35-44, and then males ages 6-11. a rich cultural hub of activity with museums, 10. Liberty Mutual (Mishawaka) major sports teams, theatres, and recreational Railway - Passenger Economic Development opportunities, with close attractions nearby.