South Bend, city in northern Indiana and seat of Saint Joseph County. The city is located on the southern bend of the Saint Joseph River from which its name is derived. South Bend is a regional center for educational, financial, medical, and professional services; local products include aircraft and motor-vehicle parts and military vehicles. Air transportation is through Michiana Regional Airport.
South Bend is home to a campus of Indiana University (established in 1940), and the University of Notre Dame (1842) and Saint Mary's College (1844) are located in nearby Notre Dame. South Bend has a symphony orchestra and a large civic, cultural, and convention center. Notable attractions in the city are the Northern Indiana Center for History, with separate galleries focusing on aspects of the region's development; the College Football Hall of Fame; and the East Race Waterway, an artificial white-water raceway.