[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 150TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. President, I wish to honor the city of South Bend 
on its 150th anniversary and to recognize the many contributions of 
South Bend's citizens to the great State of Indiana, to our country and 
the world.
  South Bend's history stretches back to the 1600s, when the St. Joseph 
Potawatomi settled along the future St. Joseph River. European settlers 
established fur trading posts in the early 19th century. Soon after, 
Father Edward Sorin arrived and founded the University of Notre Dame. 
Less than a decade later, in 1851, the first train passed through South 
Bend and development and economic growth soon followed. The town of 
South Bend became the city of South Bend on May 22, 1865, when it was 
granted a city charter.
  The city of South Bend quickly became a manufacturing leader and 
continues to innovate to this day. In 1852, Henry and Clement 
Studebaker opened the H&C Studebaker blacksmith shop. After the 
Studebakers' younger brothers joined them, they became the Studebaker 
Brothers Manufacturing Company. Studebaker became the world's largest 
wagon and buggy manufacturer and then entered the automotive industry. 
The company had some famous customers, such as Thomas Edison, who 
purchased the second Studebaker electric car in 1902. The Studebaker 
Corporation would go on to bring opportunity and hundreds of jobs to 
families across northern Indiana.
  As business boomed for the Studebaker Corporation, new businesses 
opened and South Bend grew. In the early 1900s, the Bendix Corporation, 
Honeywell, the South Bend Toy Company, AlliedSignal, and other well-
known companies opened their doors. Like many communities across the 
country, South Bend changed with the times. Companies, like Studebaker, 
were forced to close their doors, but the innovative spirit of South 
Bend carried on. Now, South Bend is taking its manufacturing roots in a 
new direction, creating a high-tech hub in northern Indiana. 
Transforming old factory grounds into the high-tech Ignition Park, the 
city has opened its doors to data centers and turbomachinery research. 
There are many exciting entrepreneurial efforts that will continue to 
create jobs and opportunities for South Bend residents.
  Today, South Bend is one of the largest cities in Indiana and has a 
population of more than 100,000 citizens. The city is not only critical 
to Indiana's economy but also a top destination for visitors to our 
State. Top attractions in the South Bend area include Potawatomi Park 
Zoo, the Studebaker National Museum, South Bend Chocolate Company, and 
the nearby University of Notre Dame.
  A center of world-renowned academic excellence, the University of 
Notre Dame grew from a small school for boys founded by Father Sorin in 
1842 to one of the most prestigious universities in the country. With 
excellent academic and athletic programs, Notre Dame attracts students 
from around the Nation and about 90 different countries. Important to 
our South Bend community, the university is the area's largest employer 
and an active member of the community. Our community is home to other 
outstanding higher education institutions, including, St. Mary's 
College, Holy Cross College and Indiana University at South Bend, which 
draw the best and brightest students from across the State.
  The city of South Bend also has a long history of outstanding public 
servants. Vice President Schuyler Colfax was a South Bend native, 
serving as Congressman, then Speaker of the House during the Civil War, 
and finally as Vice President to Ulysses S. Grant. Former Indiana 
Governor Joe Kernan once led the city as mayor and continues to call 
South Bend home. Former Congressman John Brademas, a South Bend Central 
graduate, was an active participant in the civil rights movement, 
working hard to both integrate schools and increase their funding 
across the entire country.
  Today, I also congratulate the current leaders of South Bend: mayor 
Pete Buttigieg, the members of the South Bend Common Council, and all 
of the other hardworking city officials for their many contributions to 
making this ``21st Century City'' the thriving city it is today.
  The city of South Bend reflects our Hoosier values, and its citizens 
serve as an example of how hard work and dedication lead to success, 
opportunity, and prosperity. I came to South Bend as a student in 1972. 
I was privileged to have met my wife and raised our family here. And 
today, we continue to call the South Bend community our home.
  It is also a great honor to represent the city of South Bend in the 
Senate. On behalf of the State of Indiana, I congratulate each and 
every citizen of South Bend on the city's 150th anniversary and wish 
you an equally bright and prosperous future.

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