Saint Joseph

Formed January 29, 1830 (63^rd county)

Saint Joseph County (272,914), South Bend (103,436)

The masonry Beaux Arts courthouse for Saint Joseph County was built in 1897.  It is at Main and Washington streets.  Main Street is United States Highway 31 in the city.  The courthouse architect is Charles Allerton Coolidge.  A modern County Administration Center was built in 1969.  The courthouse building features a dome.  The grounds have veteran memorials and Statue of Liberty replica.  The county was formed on January 29, 1830 from Native American Territory as the 63^rd county.  Saint Joseph was the county seat until 1831 when South Bend assumed the role.  The county is named for the Saint Joseph River which flows through the county.  The county seat is named for the southern bend of the Saint Joseph River.  There was an 1855 version of the county courthouse in South Bend. 

Saint Joseph County government consists of a sheriff, 3 Commissioners, and 7 Council Members.  A Circuit Court Judge and Eight Superior Court Judge serve Saint Joseph County.  The county is on the northern border of Indiana with Michigan.  Gary, Indiana is west and Fort Wayne, Indiana is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.4 miles Southwest of South Bend.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Michigan and Elkhart, Marshall, Starke, and La Porte counties. 

The area of the county is 458 square miles.  It is 17 out of 92 in the state.  It ranks 5 out of 92 in population in the state.  It has a density of 595.9 persons per square mile making it 5 out of 92 in the state.  Saint Joseph County has 60.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highways 80/90 cross the county east to west from Elkhart County to La Porte County.  United States Highway 6 cuts the extreme southwest tip from east to west from Marshall County to La Porte County.  United States Highway 20 parallels Interstate Highways 80/90 from Elkhart to La Porte counties.  United States Highway 31 goes north to south from Michigan to Marshall County.  The county is overall rectangular with the western border having additions and deletions.  South Bend dominates the northern third of the county.  South Bend is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 37.9% of the county population.  This county is in the South Bend-Mishawaka Metropolitan Statistical Area.