Maple Lane, Indiana
Maple Lane is an unincorporated community in Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka metropolitan area. The area uses ZIP code 46637 and area code 574.
History highlights:
- In 1922 a real estate company started selling one- to five-acre lots in Maple Lane and offered incentives like $500 in gold, a free homesite, a band, and a free lunch.
- The population grew from about 200 in 1928 to about 3,238 by 1971.
- Ponader Park, the first public park in St. Joseph County, was established in 1937 after land was donated by William J. Ponader of Maple Lane Realty; the park was donated to the South Bend Board of Park Commissioners in 1961.
- Maple Lane and the Wilmette Civic Association fought an attempted annexation by South Bend in 1939.
- Transportation services improved in 1945. By 1957 the area covered about 950 acres, with around 1,800 homes and at least 5,500 residents.
- In September 1957, the Maple Lane Business Men's Association (22 local businesses) met to discuss wells, septic tanks, and annexation with South Bend.
- South Bend voted to annex Maple Lane in 1971. More than 1,000 residents attended a public hearing opposing it, and some supporters suggested giving county control if annexation did not happen. The process lingered in court for several years, and the annexation was rescinded in 1977.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:19 (CET).