On the recordMay 20, 2015
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.…
