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N" Fare 104064 ON9 AFpwef N0. 1024-M if (Nq United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet E 5 East Bank Multiple Property Listing Section number Page St. Joseph County, Indiana Thus, it was left to the out-of-towners, Joseph Fellows, Garrett V. Dennison and others to build a dam across the St. Joseph at South Bend and harness its power for local use. Unfortunately, they did not progress rapidly and when the Panic of 1837 disrupted the national economy, they ceased operations altogether. Mr. Coquillard's venture did not turn out too well either. " By 1842 the newly incorporated South Bend Manufacturing Company's officers, A. R. Harper, W. H. Patteson and L. M: Taylor were authorized to complete the dam at South Bend. They became the owner of one half of the water power of that part of the river, with the east half going to Samuel L. Cottrell (later transferred to the South Bend Hydraulic Company.) Work on the dam began in earnest in 1843 and was completed in 1844. Two races were contemplated, one on the west and another in the crook of the river bend, on the east. The South Bend Hydraulic Company built the east race in 1842 and by 1845, both races were operating, setting the stage for manufacturing development. 12 At first, water power along the river ran grist and saw mills. These naturally drew upon the prevalent farm crops, and relyed upon farmers who patronized the mills. Most combined the trip with visits to merchants, blacksmiths and other shops. With a concentration of such mills, demand for farm implements and other products grew -- thus spurring further manufacturing. South Bend grew more than tenfold between 1830 and 1850, from 128 to 1,652 people. The 1850s would see the west bank of South Bend begin to tap its manufacturing potential. Developments on the East Bank While economic activity was growing on the west bank, the east bank of the St. Joseph River was also coming to life. Town father Alexis Coquillard sold a considerable amount of land on.the East Bank to Christopher W. Emrick, who laid out the original plat of the town of Lowell in 1837. The town was named for*New England's renown riverside manufacturing center, probably in the hope that it would emulate its namesake. 14 The town first encompassed a two block strip in the 11 Howard, P. 229. 12 Howard, p. 229; City of South Bend Summary Report, p. 34. 13 Cit of South Bend Summary Report, p. 34. • 14 Ibid.