Our neighborhood consists of vibrant people, unique character, and an emerging community of like-minded neighbors.

About

Located in Northwest Indiana, the Near West Side Neighborhood is South Bend’s original neighborhood with West Washington showing up on maps before the town was officially founded in 1835.

Included in the National Register of Historic Places since 1975, it is one of the city’s oldest and best preserved historic districts.

Our neighborhood is diverse, creative, inclusive, welcoming and friendly, While rooted in history, we are actively engaged in the creation of South Bend’s future.

Meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 7 pm. Meetings rotate and the location is announced in the newsletter. There is no meeting in August each year.

Boundaries

History

The first neighborhood in South Bend to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places is West Washington. This area includes some of the oldest and most prominent buildings in the city. Located directly north of where the manufacturing district of South Bend once was, West Washington is an upper and upper middle class neighborhood surrounded by middle and working class homes. Originally the main artery through South Bend’s expanding west side, West Washington was where many prominent homes, such as Joseph Oliver’s 1896 Copshaholm were located. Clement Studebaker, cofounder of Studebaker Manufacturing Company with his brother John Mohler Studebaker, also built his home here. It is now adaptively reused and houses Tippecanoe Place Restaurant. West Washington National Register District showcases the work of many local and nationally known architects. The DeRhodes House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1906, exhibits the architect's notable and idiosyncratic Prairie Style while Ennis Austin, W.W. Schneider, Ernest Young, Freyermuth & Maurer have also built several notable buildings in the district.

During the 1950s and 1960s, West Washington fell into disrepair and some of the fine homes were torn down or lost to arson. The neighborhood has been experiencing a continued revitalization. Many homes have been restored and renovated into single family residences, while others have been repurposed. Several bed and breakfasts have been established and Copshaholm, now The History Museum, is an anchor to the neighborhood along with IUSB’s Civil Rights Heritage Center in the former Natatorium and Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation in the former Hansel Center.

For more information about the history of the neighborhood, visit:

https://buildingsouthbend.nd.edu/historic-districts/west-washington/

http://westwashington.org/History.html

Officers

Recent Past Officers: Marty Mechtenberg - President; Lily Kiunga - VP; Tammy Bell - VP; Karl Edmonson - Treasurer

Board

Current Members: Marty Mechtenberg (2023), Noreen Deane-Moran (2023), Rayjai Jones (2023), Jose Arevalo (2023), Micah Towery (2023), Bill Merryfield (2022), Donnie Rogers (2022), Dan Newton (2023),

Recent Past: Wendy Udell (2020), Alan Larkin (2020), Phillip Blain (2020), Anne Mannix (2020), David Relos (2020)

The board meets on the second Tuesday of every other month starting in January.

To view board meeting minutes, please visit our archive page.

Committees

Each committee coordinates projects, events and activities. Committees are made up of officers, board members and active community members. You do not need to be a board member or attend board meetings or regular meetings to participate on a committee.  Each committee decides how and when they will meet.

We need volunteers and are flexible! Commit to as little or as much as you can.  Please contact us for more information!

***UPDATE - 3-30-21*** New board members were elected at tonight’s meeting and committee members will shift at a future board meeting and be updated at that time. Please stay tuned for updates.

CURRENT COMMITTEES:

Acts of Kindness

Communications

Diversity & Inclusion

Events & Fundraising

Green/Open Space

Outreach

Youth