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The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663 and Combined Statistical Area of 544,582. It is the fourth largest city in Indiana, the economic and cultural hub of the Michiana region, in which is situated the University of Notre Dame. The area was originally settled in the early 18th century by fur traders, and established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow Company and other large corporations. The population of South Bend has declined since a peak of 132,445 in 1960, chiefly due to the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry. The 2000 census recorded a population increase of 2.2% from 1990, the first since 1960. Today, the largest industries in South Bend are health care, education, small business and tourism. Remaining large corporations include Crowe Horwath, Bosch and AM General. |
