 
I frequently have buyers tell me that they want a home in an historic district. They want the charm and character of an older home and also the knowledge that their house is unique. South Bend was very fortunate in the late 1800s and early 1900s to be home to many manufacturing companies; Studebaker wagons then cars, Oliver Plow, South Bend Toys, Singer Brothers, South Bend Lathe Works, Bendix and more. While these companies are all gone now their legacy lives on in many ways. We have wonderful commercial and residential buildings that have been maintained over the years and are still going strong. Popular areas to look for “historic” homes in South Bend include: Riverside Dr, a lovely tree lined street on the west bank of the St Joseph River, Chapin Parkwhich is immediately northeast of Riverside Dr and features Ernest Young designed homes, Queen Anne’s, Gothic Revival, Bungalows and more, West North Shore is actually along the northeast side of the river at this point as it curves around South Bend and was the home of South Bend’s first suburbs ,North St. Joseph St is a residential street lined with classic examples of 20th century middle class homes, East Wayne St is a graceful tree lined street with various styles of architecture and plenty of green space, Lincolnway East is a mix of residences and offices today and was started in 1888 after the subdivision of the Leer farm, Edgewater Place, started in 1871, is located in a tiny niche area on the west side of the river just southeast of downtown,Taylor’s Field was an upper middle class neighborhood developed after 1887, and River Bend, once the site of the Kankakee Mill Race, was developed residentially between 1903 and 1921 and has many examples of American Foursquare, Prairie and Period Revival styles. The St Joseph County official website has a wealth of information on our area’s historic sites both commercial and residential. I highly recommend it if you are considering a move to an historic home in our area. http://www.stjosephcountyindiana.com/departments/SJCHP/index.htm Contact me and I would be happy to set up a search for you with more specific information and have new historic listings emailed to you in real time. Happy home hunting! |