Section C: Community Profile St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Section C Section C: Community Profile History of St. Joseph County ...................................................... Page C – 3 Location of St. Joseph County .................................................... Page C – 4 Man-made, Historical and Cultural Features ............................. Page C – 5 Community Attractions and Recreation Opportunities ............... Page C 5 St. Joseph County Government Agencies .................................. Page C – 6 Community Services .................................................................. Page C – 7 Transportation Links .................................................................. Page C – 8 Major Industries ......................................................................... Page C – 8 Socio / Economic Factors ........................................................... Page C – 9 Population Growth Statistics ..................................................... Page C – 9 St. Joseph County Demographics ............................................. Page C – 10 Natural Features ...................................................................... Page C – 11 Plants and Wildlife ................................................................... Page C – 14 Why Soil Data is Needed .......................................................... Page C – 15 St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Page C – 1 Community Profile History of St. Joseph County Before any white European explorer had stepped foot upon the soil of the Old Northwest, the St. Joseph Valley was occupied by Native Americans. Several tribes and early native peoples located around the St. Joseph River. Some of the earliest groups to occupy what would later become northern Indiana and southern Michigan were the Miami tribe. Later, the Potawatomi would move into the St. Joseph River Valley region, utilizing the rich food and natural resources found along the river. The Potawatomi would occupy this region of Indiana and Michigan until the majority was forcibly removed in the 1840s. The first white footprint placed in the soil of northern Indiana was that of Father James Marquette, who traveled up the KanKakee River and across the portage to the St. Joseph River in May of 1675. “It was by way of the Sault de Ste. Marie (The Falls of St. Mary’s River) and the straits of MacKinaw that the French reached the Northwest from Canada. In 1641 the first Canadian envoys met the western Indians at the Sault. It was not, however, until 1659 that any of the adventurous fur traders spent a winter on the shores of the northern laKes, nor until 1660 that the devotion of the missionaries led by Father Mesnard, caused the first station to be established. In 1668, came Fathers Claude Dablon and James Marquette and founded the mission at the Sault.” The main reason for the popularity of the South Bend area was that it was closest to the Kankakee River. To get to the Mississippi River from, eastern Canada, you sailed west through the Great Lakes until you reached LaKe Michigan. Then you traveled along the eastern or western shore of LaKe Michigan until you reached the mouth of the River of the Miami’s, or the St. Joseph River, and up that river to the portage (a trail between two rivers) at South Bend. The South Bend portage was the shortest overland route to the KankaKee River. So, you got out of the St. Joseph River and walKed overland along the portage to the KanKaKee. The KanKakee River flowed into the Illinois River and then into the Mississippi. Once you got to the Mississippi, you could travel north, south, or cross the river to explore the West. This was the route used for centuries, first by Native Americans, then the French explorers and traders, to travel from Detroit to New Orleans. In addition to the portage, there were several other Native American trails that crisscrossed throughout the Michiana (Michigan and Indiana) area. One trail was the Fort Wayne Trail that led from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois. Another popular trail was the Great Sauk Trail that started in Detroit, Michigan, went through Chicago and split into two trails in Missouri, “later becoming Known as the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail.” St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Page C –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d2"G-&#"$'?(N2>"424(d2"G-&#"$'?(31&>1-(PY$+?( X-$/-@(0%@@-5-(42>(*$+(;4&'a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eQB?:e:(49&-#?(%&(:HI(#]14&-(="@-#+(J/-(9%12$'("#([%&>-&->(%2($/-( 2%&$/(['(;"9/"542?(%2($/-(R-#$(['(843%&$-(0%12$'?(%2($/-(-4#$(['(P@K/4&$( 0%12$'?(42>(%2($/-(#%1$/(['(;4&#/4@@(0%12$'+(*%1$/(X-2>?($/-(9%12$'( #-4$?("#(4[%1$(QH(="@-#()&%=(0/"945%+(( W"$/"2(*$+(,%#-./(0%12$'(4&-($/"&$--2(J%R2#/".#+(J/-'(4&-f(0-2$&-?(0@4'?( F-&=42?(F&--2-?(!4&&"#?(8"[-&$'?(8"29%@2?(;4>"#%2?(E@"G-?(3-22?(3%&$45-?( d2"%2?(42>(W4&&-2+( ! Page C – 4 St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 6527658-9!"#$%&'#45:!528!01:%1'5:!;-5%1'-$! 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District A Corey Noland .................................................................................. District B James O’Brien ................................................................................. District C Rafael Morton, President ...............................................................