57 topographic sheets cover 37 settlements here, and 101 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
101 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark · the county-history sources tell 1 story and name 24 people · people the book names include History Of St. Joseph Countt (Portage Township, 1880) · History Of St. Joseph Countt (Clay Township, 1880) (machine-read).
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Among them: History Of St. Joskph County. S25. These passages come from the identified county-history source books. Each inset names its own source and opens the exact section it comes from.
Philip Manchester, sec. 4; was l)orn in Washington county, Penn., iSej)!. 28, ISOS, and is a son of Benjamin and Agnes (Doddridge) Manchester, the former a native of Rhode Island, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Mrs. M's brothers and sisters were captured by the Indians during the troubles early in this century.
Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 707 reports for this county, causing 6 deaths, 138 injuries and about $48,096,873 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 453 |
| Hail | 182 |
| Tornado | 34 |
| Flash Flood | 12 |
| Lightning | 12 |
| Flood | 10 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1965 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 3 killed, 27 hurt, $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F3) | Crumstown | 1 killed, 2 hurt, $3,000,000 | This tornado touched down just southwest of Crumstown in St Joseph county Indiana and moved northeast into Berrien county Michigan (see Storm Data for Michigan, Extreme Southwest for more information on the end portion of this tornado). In St Joseph county Indiana the most significant damage was across Crumstown, where F3 damage with a path width up to 3/4 mile occurred. The tornado then moved to near the Michiana Regional Airport and across the Indiana Turnpike causing F0-F1 damage. Two men were injured northwest of South Bend. One man later died from his injuries. The tornado moved into Berrien county Michigan 6 miles NNW of South Bend. |
| August 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 1 killed, 1 hurt | no account filed |
| September 2016 | Flood | South Bend | 1 killed | Street and some basement flooding reported in South Bend. A 53 year old female was electrocuted by flood waters that had entered her basement. She stepped into water of unknown depth and was electrocuted by a box fan that was plugged in and sitting in the water. First responders could not reach her immediately until the scene was safe. They were able to revive her, but she died a few days later with cause of death being electrocution. |
| April 1962 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 49 hurt, $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1965 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | 27 hurt | no account filed |
| July 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 15 hurt | no account filed |
| September 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 4 hurt | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | 2 hurt | A tree fell down on house at 600 block of 28th St and 2 people were injured. |
| September 2001 | Lightning | Mishawaka | 2 hurt | Two men were struck by lightning while working on a car in Mishawaka. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | 1 hurt, $500,000 | SEVERAL REPORTS OF HIGH WINDS AND WIND DAMAGE. ONE WOMAN WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN A LARGE TREE FELL ON HER CAR. |
| May 2006 | Lightning | South Bend | 1 hurt, $30,000 | A woman, in the basement of her home, was indirectly struck by lightning while standing next to her dryer. She was transported to the hospital, suffering minor injuries. The time of the incident has been esitmated. In Mishawaka, a fire was started from a bolt of lightning striking a detatched garage, destroying it. Damage was estimated at $30,000. The time of this fire was not available. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Glenwood | 1 hurt | Local media reported a tree was blown down onto a van. The female driver was extricated from the van, suffering from minor injuries. |
| August 2014 | Lightning | Nutwood | 1 hurt | Local media reported a 51 year old man was struck by lightning while working outside prior to the arrival of a thunderstorms. The gentleman complained of a headache and sore shoulders, but suffered no serious injuries and was able to call for help on his own. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Twin Branch Jct | 1 hurt | A tree limb fell onto a man at the AM General Hummer plant in Mishawaka. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. |
| August 2001 | Lightning | Mishawaka | 1 hurt | A Mishawaka man was indirectly hit by lightning while sitting on a vinyl chair on his apartment balcony. Lightning apparently hit a gutter on an overhang above him. |
| July 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 1 hurt | no account filed |
| October 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 1 hurt | no account filed |
| August 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 1 hurt | no account filed |
| August 2016 | Flash Flood | North Liberty | $5,100,000 | Emergency management officials reported widespread flooding and flash flooding across portions of the county from North Liberty into the South Bend/Mishawaka area to the state line. The most extensive, and in some cases life threatening, flash flooding occurred in the city of South Bend where over a dozen roads were closed due to a foot or more of water flowing over the roads. Several homes were impacted by flood waters with basement/foundation damage to at least 2 homes that required evacuation/rescue of the homeowners. Many others were displaced across the city and outlying county areas. The flood waters lifted a local media outlets car off the road and onto a rail along the road, allowing the occupants to escape before it flipped over. Rainfall reports of 4 to 8 inches were recorded in a short period of time as precipitable waters of over 2.2 inches advected into the area. Many roads remained closed for several days as flood waters were slow to recede. Damage totals were $5,100,000. Under FEMA guidelines, a total of 845 homes were affected. Of those 300 suffered significant damage and 180 were deemed catastrophic. |
| September 1985 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1980 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F2) | Mishawaka | $1,300,000 | no account filed |
| February 2018 | Flood | North Liberty | $1,100,000 | Extensive flooding occurred across the county as all area waterways exceeded their limited, reaching record levels in some spots. Residents had to be evacuated along many of the rivers with numerous homes and businesses suffering varying degrees of damage. In addition, numerous roads were closed due to high water for several days including portions of US 331, 20 and 6 as well as several state routes. Washouts were reported in some areas. Damage estimates totaled at least 1.1 million dollars. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Indian Vlg | $1,000,000 | Numerous reports of hail as large as baseballs were received in the city of South Bend. Numerous vehicles suffered mainly dents and scratches but some broken windows were reported. Damage estimates across the area are at least one million dollars in property damage and at least $250,000 in crop damage. |
| June 2008 | Lightning | Indian Vlg | $1,000,000 | Lightning struck the corner of one of the apartment buildings in the Indiana Lakes Apartment complex. At least four apartments, all on the third floor, were destroyed. Eight apartments on the second floor suffered extensive water damage and many on the first floor have both smoke and water damage. Luckily, a firewall prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent areas. Damage is estimated at one million dollars for structure and contents. No injuries were reported. |
| October 2006 | Lightning | Mishawaka | $750,000 | A fire, started by lightning, destroyed a Methodist church in Mishawaka. Several hours passed before the fire could be brought under control. Those inside the church at the time of the strike were able to escape without injury. Damage is estimated at $750,000. |
| September 2008 | Flood | Chain O Lakes | $500,000 | Law enforcement and emergency management officials reported several roads closed due to high water over them from rainfall amounts of 6 to locally as high as 11 inches, which was in the Grainger area. No injuries were reported. Exact damage figures were not available. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walkerton | $350,000 | A path of damage was reported starting in the Walkerton area, continuing through North Liberty and Lakeville before ending near the Elkhart county line. A tree fell onto a unoccupied truck in Walkerton with trees and power lines down in this city as well. The most concentrated damage extended from North Liberty to Lakeville where winds were estimated to 75 mph. Numerous large maple trees and power lines were blown down across this area. Several homes, vehicles and other buildings in these areas suffered damage as a result of falling trees. A few of the homes were nearly destroyed. |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F1) | Osceola | $300,000 | no account filed |
| November 2003 | Lightning | South Bend | $250,000 | South Bend Fire Chief reported lightning struck a 16 unit apartment building in the Park Jefferson complex setting it on fire and destroying it. |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Westfield | $250,000 | Tornado touched down on the north side of Wanatah in Laporte county and moved northeast into St Joseph county 4 miles east of Rolling Prairie. One woman was killed 4 miles east of Laporte in her mobile home where F2 damage occurred. Most damage was F1 with an average path width of 600 yards. |
| June 1989 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| November 1965 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| August 2024 | Lightning | Mishawaka | $225,000 | Lightning strike at Autumn Lakes Apartments resulting in a large fire. 22 apartment units were damaged. No known injuries. |
| August 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | $150,000 | THE DOORS WERE BLOWN OFF A SQUAD CAR. NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES WERE DOWN ACROSS TOWN AND ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTY. ONE TREE FELL ONTO A HOME ALONG AUTEN ROAD WHICH CAUSED MODERATE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE HOME. |
| August 2007 | Lightning | South Bend | $120,000 | Two (2) separate bolts of lightning struck 2 South Bend residences during the morning hours. A house was struck, causing a fire that destroyed the top floor. The 2 occupants of the house were able to escape without injury. Damage is estimated at $80,000. Lightning struck an apartment, causing significant damage to a kitchen and two bathrooms. A woman and her 4 sons were able to escape unharmed. Damage is estimated at $40,000. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Twin Branch Jct | $100,000 | Drone footage of eight power poles snapped or bent at the base on Harrison Rd between Beacon Dr and Cedar Wood Ln. |
| July 2006 | Heavy Rain | South Bend | $100,000 | A 100 foot by 30 foot section of a flat roof at the AJ Wright Factory collapsed as a result of torrential rainfall. The building was unoccupied at the time. Work was suspended that day as a result of the damages. In addition, heavy rain flooded the Steel Warehouse, where a tank used to store hydrochloric acid was knocked loose. The tank was nearly empty with no leakage of any of the contents occurring. |
| May 2000 | Lightning | Osceola | $100,000 | A power line down caused by lightning set a church on fire. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mishawaka | $50,000 | Numerous tree damage reports from Mishawaka. There is roof damage and significant shingle loss from a building at Smith and 8th. There are trees down blocking EB Mishawaka and Liberty Rd. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Granger | $50,000 | Numerous reports of trees down and branches down in an area from Mishawaka High School to Granger. Some instances of property damage, including shingles blown off a church. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sportsman Arpt | $50,000 | Local broadcast media reported a large 100 year old tree being blown down by thunderstorm winds, destroying the second story of a residence. Damage is estimated at $50,000. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Granger | $50,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down in Granger, along State Road 23. Damage amounts are estimated. |
| August 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | $50,000 | SEVERAL POWER POLES SNAPPED OFF BY HIGH WINDS. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $50,000 | WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Indian Vlg | $25,000 | Numerous large tree limbs down in the Arlington Heights Subdivision. One residence sustained roof damage. |
| September 2024 | Tornado (EF0) | Indian Vlg | $25,000 | The combination of video relayed by local media and an NWS storm survey concluded that a weak tornado occurred. The tornado began in the vicinity of the east side of the Meier store parking lot. Medium sized tree branches were downed near the beginning of the tornado path. The tornado tracked east and affected the La-Z-Boy Furniture store and the Potbelly restaurant where some large tree branches were downed. The tornado crossed North Main Street with some additional medium sized tree limbs downed near Raising Cane`s restaurant. The tornado then dissipated over an adjacent|field to the west of the St. Joseph Health System medical facility. Maximum sustained winds were estimated at around 70 mph. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Liberty | $25,000 | A building collapsed in North Liberty. This building was damaged by a fire in February. |
| June 1969 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1968 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1958 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | $20,000 | Large trees uprooted or downed. Healthy branches of 6 to 12 inches in diameter. One tree snapped, landing on a vehicle. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Roseland | $20,000 | Tree down at Kenilworth Rd and Elizabeth Street. A car then struck the tree. Injuries unknown. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mishawaka | $20,000 | Trees and powerlines down on a house. |
| March 2023 | Hail | Lakeville | $20,000 | Photo on Twitter shows approximately golf ball sized hail at Lakeville High School. Several vehicles were damaged. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Plainfield | $20,000 | A tree was down at the intersection of US 20 and Smilax Rd. A vehicle struck the downed tree. No injuries reported. |
| June 2021 | Tornado (EF1) | Woodland | $20,000 | NWS storm survey confirms EF-1 tornado with path length 1 mile and maximum width of 100 yards. Estimated peak wind 100 mph. Duration 2 minutes. Many healthy trees were snapped or uprooted along the damage path and a barn lost its roof. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Nutwood | $20,000 | The local newspaper reported numerous trees down with some structural damage east of US 31 as well as south of Kern Road, near the Southlawn Cemetery. A large tree was uprooted, falling onto a house, causing extensive roof damage to one side of the home. At least one vehicle was damaged from a downed tree. Damage is estimated at $20,000. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Bend | $20,000 | Numerous trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles were blown down in and around the South Bend/Mishawaka area. A spire from the basilica on the Notre Dame campus was knocked off. |
The Survey's mineral resources record lists 14 workings inside this county. 10 still produce and 4 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 12 |
| Stone | 2 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Futa Marl Quarry | Stone | Producer | ||
| South Bend S & G Corp. | Stone | Producer | ||
| Albert Rupple Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Bendix Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Bills Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Dry Island Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Mc Carthy Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Saint Joseph Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| South Bend Sand & Gravel Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Plant | ||
| South Bend Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| St. Joseph Co. Hwy. Dept. | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| St. Joseph Materials Co. | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| St. Joseph Materials Co., Inc. | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Steenburg Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
A History of St. Joseph County, Indiana devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. All 11 are reproduced here in full. Each row shows the township's own shape and where it lies in the county, drawn from the Census Bureau's boundary. Which settlements belong to which township is computed from that same boundary, not taken from the book.
| Shape and position in the county | Township | Settlements in it | Length | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre Township | Crest Manor Addition, Gilmer Park, Miami Trails Addition, Nutwood, Orchard Heights Addition | 3,998 words | 2 | |
| Clay Township | Dreamwold Heights, Georgetown, Indian Village, Maple Lane, Roseland, State Line | 17,425 words | 11 | |
| Harris Township | Granger | 2,276 words | 1 | |
| Liberty Township | North Liberty | 6,497 words | 4 | |
| Lincoln Township | Walkerton | 8,050 words | 1 | |
| Madison Township | Woodland, Wyatt | 5,407 words | 3 | |
| Olive Township | Hamilton, Hubbard, New Carlisle, Olive, Terre Coupee, Zeigler | 11,271 words | 7 | |
| Penn Township | Hi-View Addition, Mishawaka, Osceola, Pleasant Valley, Tamarack Grange | 25,242 words | 10 | |
| Portage Township | Ardmore, South Bend | 17,994 words | 42 | |
| Union Township | Colburn, Lakeville, Midway Corners, Pine Station | 7,729 words | 4 | |
| Warren Township | Chain-O-Lakes, Crumstown, Lydick, Westfield | 3,503 words | 1 |
2 books written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 33 chapters in all. Every chapter is public domain, machine-read from the scan and reproduced complete. A chapter already given under one of the county's towns is not repeated in this list.
| Chapter | Length |
|---|---|
| Chapter 14: Military History | 756 words |
| Chapter 1: Topography | 11,375 words |
| Chapter 2: Early History | 25,349 words in 2 parts |
| The State of Indiana | 46,589 words in 3 parts |
| Chapter 4: The St. Joseph County Pioneers | 17,938 words in 2 parts |
| Chapter 5: Organization of St. Joseph County | 15,870 words |
| Chapter 6: County Business | 23,341 words in 2 parts |
| Chapter 7: Public Improvements | 29,713 words in 2 parts |
| Chapter 8: The Townships | 18,109 words in 2 parts |
| Chapter 9: The Towns | 9,405 words |
| Chapter 10: The City of Mishawaka | 14,679 words |
| The City of South Bend | 163,481 words in 11 parts |
Everyone A History of St. Joseph County, Indiana stops to write about, with the section that describes them. Among them are the men who founded the place and governed the Territory. Each name opens the passage itself, in the words of 1907.
Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
Penn township · 46544 · On Willow Creek · South Bend East quadrangle
14 sheets, 1953 to 1992
Liberty township · 46554 · On Kartoffel Creek · North Liberty quadrangle
12 sheets, 1953 to 1983
Portage township · 46601 · On Bowman Creek · South Bend West quadrangle
13 sheets, 1953 to 1983
Lincoln township · 46574 · On Jordans Creek · Walkerton quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1984
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