A Bend in Time
The History Museum
The History Museum proudly presents “A Bend in Time,” a new podcast of curated histories of the greater South Bend, Indiana area. Hosted by Aaron Helman, the newest series, ”South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax” explores the astonishing achievements of South Bend’s most influential citizen, Vice President Schuyler Colfax. Visit https://www.historymuseumsb.org/see-do/a-bend-in-time/ for more information!
Episodes
Series 08-01: The Game They Didn't Know How To Play
Episode 1: The Game They Didn't Know How to Play In November 1887, the University of Michigan came to South Bend to play Notre Dame's first-ever football game — except Notre Dame didn't know how to play. The students had tried learning the sport from a rulebook, and it had not gone well, so the visitors spent the morning teaching it before anyone bothered to keep score. What they finally played lasted less than half a game and ended 8-0, but the record books still count it as the first meeting in one of college football's great rivalries. Part of Series 8: The Early Years of Notre Dame Football A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Janice & Larry Harding Family Fund. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-08: Famous Firsts
Episode 8: Coquillard's Folly This final episode rounds up the milestones that turned a handful of cabins into a real town: Horatio Chapin's dry goods store, Sunday school, and stint as the town's first board president; the county's first sheriff, treasurer, and jail; the courthouse Peter Johnson built for $6,000; and the marriages, births, and everyday lives that filled in the town Coquillard and Taylor had platted. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-07: The Trail of Death
Episode 7: The Trail of Death As the region's new settlements grew, the desire for land grew with it. The land, however, was already occupied. Most of the area's native peoples were coerced, threatened, and then mandated at gunpoint to give up their homelands and move west. This episode traces the forced removal of Chief Menominee's band from Twin Lakes in 1838, the 660-mile march that killed at least 42 people, and the far murkier story of Alexis Coquillard's own role in completing the removals. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-06: Coquillard's Folly
Episode 6: Coquillard's Folly Canal Fever swept the nation after the Erie Canal turned Buffalo mud into New York gold, and Alexis Coquillard caught it bad. With the fur trade dead and mill-powered boomtowns like Lowell and Rochester as his model, South Bend's founder staked his fortune on a four-mile mill race meant to divert the Kankakee into the St. Joseph and turn South Bend into an industrial powerhouse. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-05: The First Census
Episode 5: The First Census By 1831, South Bend is a real town of about 163 people, and this episode goes door to door to meet them: the innkeeper who built the courthouse, the man whose brick house made him "Frederick the Great," a keelboat captain who kept the town supplied before the railroads came, a young newspaperman who'd go on to run the U.S. Government Printing Office, a self-taught doctor who arrived knowing every soul in town, and eight Methodists who founded a church in the back of a Catholic tavern. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-04: Southold
Episode 4: Southold Follow Coquillard and Taylor from fur traders to town-builders: the swamp that rerouted Michigan Road straight through South Bend, the baffling choice of "Southold" for the new post office, the platted streets that still exist today, and the three-thousand-dollar bond that stole the county seat away from a town that existed only on paper. By the end of it, the South Bend finally has the name it’s going to keep. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-03: Fur Traders
Episode 3: Fur Traders Alexis Coquillard takes over Pierre Navarre's post in 1823, and a young rival, Lathrop Miner Taylor, arrives four years later. Learn how John Jacob Astor built America's first great monopoly by crushing foreign competitors and government trading posts alike, and how his agents in South Bend turned the portage into a two-sided hustle: shipping furs upstream to keep their bosses happy, while quietly buying cheap and selling dear to every traveler passing through. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-02: Indiana
Episode 2: Indiana South Bend almost wasn't Indiana at all. When the Northwest Ordinance drew the territory's northern boundary, the future river bend sat squarely inside Michigan Territory — until an 1816 statehood petition, driven by Indiana's fear of being landlocked, pushed the border ten miles further north and swept the portage in almost as an afterthought. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 07-01: The Portage
Episode 1: The Portage Twelve thousand years before Pierre Navarre built his cabin on the St. Joseph River, retreating glaciers carved a three-to-five-mile gap between two of the continent's great watersheds — and set South Bend's entire history in motion. In this episode, we trace the story of the St. Joseph-Kankakee portage from the last Ice Age through the arrival of French explorer Robert de LaSalle, the 1681 council beneath the Council Oak, and the fur traders who finally cashed in on one of North America's most valuable pieces of real estate. Part of Series 7: Early South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is presented in conjunction with The History Museum's America250 programming and the exhibit First Peoples, First Settlers: Indiana's Interwoven Roots, which explores the beginnings of settlement in the area and the interactions between European settlers and America's Native peoples. First Peoples, First Settlers is on display until January 31, 2027. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-08: Revolutionaries
Episode 8: Revolutionaries In 1776, the United States' Founding Fathers launched a revolution. 250 years later, they're still here. They've been carved into marble and mountains. They are in your wallet. They have their own national holidays. And some of them have a street named after them in South Bend, Indiana. Learn about some famous revolutionaries' local ties, from Lafayette to Kosciuszcko, on this episode of A Bend in Time. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-07: Original People
Episode 7: Original People Depending on who's telling it, South Bend's story usually begins with the early fur traders coming to set up shop. But they came here because people were here, with lives, trade networks, and entire civilizations around the place that would become South Bend. Miami Street is named for the Miami people of the region, Parkovash for the bison who used to thunder across the plains, and Pokagon after a great leader of the local Potawatomi. Learn about all of these and more on this episode of A Bend in Time. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-06: Civil War Figures
Episode 6: Civil War Figures After the outbreak of war in 1861, President Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteers from the loyal northern states. Proud South Benders marched off to distant battlefields and unknown futures in defense of a nation not yet a hundred years old. Soon enough they would become martyrs, heroes, leaders, and legends - and some had streets named after them. Whether it was earned by being the first to die in the war from Indiana, or mainly because their name started with the right letter, learn about these Civil War namesakes on this episode of A Bend in Time. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-05: African American Heroes
Episode 5: African American Heroes As you walk, drive, or bike through St. Joseph County, you'll find roads named for trees, flowers, national heroes, and local figures. However, you'll be hard-pressed to find many named for African American individuals. Learn about three trailblazers who made a difference and the roads that were (re)named for them in this episode of A Bend in Time. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-04: Original Pioneers
Episode 4: Original Pioneers When you travel down Ireland Road, do you think of the green fields of Ireland? Or perhaps of the Fighting Irish? Think again! Samuel Irvin Houston Ireland was a very early Mishawaka resident and the first county assessor - our very own "Uncle Sam." Learn more about his family, along with the origins of Day Road and Navarre Street, in this episode of A Bend in Time. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-03: University Legends
Episode 3: University Legends You might know the story behind Rockne Boulevard or Sorin Street, but did you know the stones in Notre Dame's Grotto paid for a family’s mortgage? Or why there are so many streets named for saints near campus? Learn about these and more in this episode of A Bend in Time! Interested in learning more about notable Notre Dame figures? Search the University Archives collection here! Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-02: Forgotten Political Figures
Episode 2: Forgotten Political Figures Driving down Brick Road or Sample Street, one assumes their common names are references former brick pavers, or perhaps a free sample of something - and one would be wrong. Learn about the legendary political figures Samuel Sample and Abraham Lincoln Brick in this episode of A Bend in Time. While in Congress, Samuel Sample corresponded regularly regarding political matters with Schuyler Colfax, who ran the local Whig newspaper at the time. Read his letters at The History Museum's online collections portal. Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 06-01: Lathrop, Miner, Taylor
Episode 1: Lathrop, Miner, Taylor Join us as on A Bend In Time as we travel across South Bend to find the stories behind the names of Lathrop Street, Miner Street, and Taylor Street. See photos of Lathrop Taylor and Miner Listenberger, Taylor's original post office, and even the key to his general store at The History Museum's online artifact collection! Part of Series 6: Street Names, Volume 1 A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. This series is generously sponsored by the Doug Hunt Family. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-08: Ghosts of the Gilded Age
Episode 8: Ghosts of the Gilded Age A restored Birdsell Mansion, whispers of West Washington tunnels, Tippecanoe Place’s stairway specters, Studebaker’s after-hours echoes, and a doll named Lucy who might not like strangers. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-07: Shadows from the East
Episode 7: Shadows from the East From Bristol’s Opera House ghosts (Beth, Helen, and Percy) to Elkhart’s Old Bag Factory and Mishawaka’s original Hacienda mansion, we tour stages, shop floors, and dining rooms that refuse to sleep. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-06: Grave Warnings
Episode 6: Grave Warnings After-hours legends from Michiana’s cemeteries: Little Egypt’s angry spirits, Primrose’s Troll Bridge, Portage Prairie’s quiet Dunkards, and South Bend City Cemetery’s bridge to nowhere, where some swear they hear water that never flowed. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-05: Michigan Melonheads
Episode 5: Michigan Melonheads A beach party near Saugatuck goes dark: every light, every phone, every battery, just as a small, pale figure steps from the dunes. We chase Michigan legends: the buried town of Singapore, haunted shipwrecks off St. Joseph, and Allegan County’s infamous Melon Heads. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-04: Primrose Road
Episode 4: Primrose Road After dark, Primrose Road turns from a sleepy backroad into South Bend’s most storied haunt—tires that mysteriously deflate, engines that die, ritual rumors in the woods, and the ever-watchful lady in white. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-03: Hauntings on Campus
Episode 3: Hauntings on Campus A midnight walk across Notre Dame and St. Mary’s uncovers campus legends: Father Sorin’s lingering presence, the Gipper at Washington Hall, Potawatomi warriors at Columba Hall, and the faceless nun of Le Mans. Eerie history meets enduring hauntings. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-02: Giants of Walkerton
Episode 2: Giants of Walkerton In 1925, a Walkerton farmer uncovered giant skeletons clad in copper armor. The bones vanished, but the legend never did. This is the mystery of Walkerton’s lost giants. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 05-01: Potawatomi Legends
Episode 1: Potawatomi Legacy A chilling night beneath South Bend’s Darden Bridge sets the stage for legends of the Wendigo, the mysterious Sheggwe, and the tragic tale of Pau-Koo-Shuk. Ghosts, myths, and history converge on the banks of the St. Joseph River. Part of Series 5: Spooky South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 04-08: Legacy
Episode 8: Legacy On a -30° morning in Mankato, Minnesota, Schuyler Colfax took his final steps. This episode begins with his sudden death at a snowy train station and ends with the legacy he left behind. Was Colfax ruined by scandal or simply ready to go home? Did he miss his shot at the presidency, or choose the life he truly wanted in South Bend? We trace his post-political life, his final days, and the echo of a man who stood at the heart of American history… and walked away. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-07: Private Life
Episode 7: Private Life Schuyler Colfax was ready to retire — until the country called him back. This episode explores his reluctant reentry into politics, the bruising 1872 campaign, and the Credit Mobilier scandal that clouded his exit. But Colfax wasn’t done. From business ventures in South Bend to becoming one of America’s most beloved public speakers, he found a second act on the lecture stage. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-06: Vice President
Episode 6: Vice President In 1868, Schuyler Colfax wins the girl and the nation — marrying Ellen Wade and being elected Vice President alongside Ulysses S. Grant. This episode traces Colfax’s dramatic rise to national office, his unconventional partnership with Grant, and the surprising decision that stunned Washington: his early retirement from politics. But was it really goodbye? Or just the calm before a final campaign storm? Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-05: Across the Continent
Episode 5: Across the Continent In 1865, freshly widowed and free of congressional duties, Speaker Schuyler Colfax hits the trail on America’s first great political road trip. From dusty stagecoach roads and Rocky-Mountain mining camps to a cautious handshake with Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, Colfax sells a war-weary nation on a new idea: the West can mend the Union and power its future. Follow his wagon across plains, peaks, and Pacific vistas — and see how the goodwill he earns in frontier towns propels him toward a spot on the 1868 presidential ticket. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-04: Speaker of the House
Episode 4: Speaker of the House As the Civil War erupts, Schuyler Colfax rises to national power — missing a cabinet seat but gaining the gavel. From his leadership in wartime Congress to the proposals of the 13th and 14th Amendments, Colfax helps reshape the nation in its most turbulent hour. This episode chronicles his years as Speaker of the House: the battles with Andrew Johnson, the impeachment crisis, and the radical redefinition of American freedom. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-03: A Brewing Conflict
Episode 3: A Brewing Conflict As the Whig Party collapses and the nation fractures over slavery, Schuyler Colfax steps into the chaos of Congress. From a House locked in gridlock to a fiery speech that propels him into the national spotlight, Colfax becomes a rising star in a country teetering on the brink. This episode traces his early years in Washington, his role in the Kansas crisis, and his front-row seat to the unraveling of the Union… and the rise of Abraham Lincoln. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-02: Newspaper Man
Episode 2: Newspaper Man As a young newspaper editor, Schuyler Colfax made South Bend his home—and his launching pad. In this episode, we explore Colfax’s rise from local publisher to national political voice, his unwavering moral compass, and the moment the Kansas-Nebraska Act ignited his first run for Congress. A party was collapsing. A new one was forming. And Colfax was ready to lead. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 04-01: Origin Story
Episode 1: Origin Story Before he became the 17th Vice President of the United States, Schuyler Colfax was a child of tragedy, born to a widowed teenager in a modest brick house in New York City. In this debut episode, we trace Colfax’s early life — from Revolutionary War ancestry and formative years in New York to his coming-of-age in frontier Indiana. Discover how a self-educated teenager in New Carlisle built a foundation in politics, journalism, and reform that would one day take him to the Capitol steps. Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.
Series 03-08: Whispers of the Beautiful Game
Episode 8: Whispers of the Beautiful Game The AAGPBL folded at the end of the 1954 season, but that didn’t mean that the Blue Sox were done making an impact in South Bend. We close out the series by following up on the players who remained in town after their playing days were over and continued to touch the community during the years and decades to come. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-07: The End of an Era
Episode 7: The End of an Era By 1954, the writing was on the wall, and the end of the AAGPBL was fast approaching. But that didn’t mean that the Blue Sox didn’t want to win. Follow the South Bend squad as they follow the league toward its end and try to bring one last hurrah to the home fans. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-06: The Dutiful Dozen
Episode 6: The Dutiful Dozen 1952 was the most dramatic year in the history of the Blue Sox – a season filled with strife, interpersonal drama, and a player walkout that left the Blue Sox massively shorthanded heading into the playoffs. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-05: Chase for a Championship
Episode 5: Chase for a Championship The Blue Sox had experienced plenty of success during their early seasons but had yet to deliver an elusive championship to South Bend. By the late 1940s, it looked like they had the necessary pieces to deliver playoff glory, including a budding superstar in Jean Faut. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-04: League in Transition
Episode 4: League in Transition World War II ended in 1945 and left players, owners, and fans wondering what would happen with the All-American League. The women kept playing, but their game kept changing – transitioning from underhand to sidearm to overhand pitching. Every year, the game looked more and more like baseball, and if the Blue Sox were going to bring a championship to South Bend, they’d have to adapt along with their sport. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-03: The War Years
Episode 3: The War Years The All-American League was imagined as a way to keep baseball alive during the war, and that’s exactly what it did in 1944 and 1945. Follow the Blue Sox as they provide a welcome distraction for South Bend during the worst and ugliest parts of World War II. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-02: The Inaugural Season
Episode 2: The Inaugural Season The rosters were set, the uniforms were ordered, and the managers were assigned. Now there was only one thing left to do: Play Ball. No one – not even the players – quite knew what that first season would look like, and no one was sure if the fans would turn out. Follow the 1943 Blue Sox through their first season in the AAGPBL. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 03-01: Birth of the AAGPBL
Episode 1: Birth of the AAGPBL Come with us and relive the heyday of the South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. In this episode, we’re exploring the beginnings of the league from tryouts to train rides to the decision to land a team in South Bend, Indiana. Sources include The South Bend Blue Sox by Jim Sargent; The Dutiful Dozen by W.C. Madden; archived newspapers including (but not limited to) the South Bend Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Kenosha News, and Racine Journal-Times; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players' Association (aagpbl.org); and Grand Valley State University Digital Collections. Part of Series 3: South Bend Blue Sox and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-08: South Bend Watch Company
Episode 8: South Bend Watch Ice-block watches, arctic expeditions, and dishonest postcards and more in this episode about the South Bend Watch Company. In this final episode of A Bend in Time's series on forgotten businesses, we chronicle the rise and fall of this trailblazing watchmaker that dared to challenge the giants of its industry. From marketing brilliance and luxurious railroad-grade timepieces to its tragic downfall in the Great Depression, this episode highlights a company whose innovation and legacy still tick on today. Don’t miss this fascinating finale! Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-07: George Cutter Company
Episode 7: George Cutter Company What do New Orleans’ flickering streetlights and South Bend’s industrial past have in common? The George Cutter Company. In this episode of A Bend in Time, we illuminate the story of the man who brought style to streetlights across the U.S. and beyond. From his collaborations with Alexander Graham Bell to crafting iconic Arcadian lamps still standing in historic districts, George Cutter’s legacy is a beacon of innovation and design. Learn about his remarkable journey, the rise of his company, and its eventual assimilation into Westinghouse. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-06: Birdsell Manufacturing Company
Episode 6: Birdsell Manufacturing Company Lawsuits, poetry, and a game-changing machine! This episode of A Bend in Time dives into the story of the Birdsell Manufacturing Company, the pioneering South Bend firm that revolutionized farming with the Birdsell Clover Huller. Follow the epic battles of J.C. Birdsell as he fought to protect his patent, built an industrial empire, and turned a niche invention into an international success. From factory whistles heard miles away to unhinged marketing poetry and extravagant galas, this episode reveals the innovation and drama behind one of South Bend’s most colorful enterprises. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-05: The South Bend News-Times
Episode 5: The South Bend News-Times Rivalries, rising stars, and the race for readers! Explore the history of the South Bend News-Times, a scrappy underdog that nurtured talents like Ring Lardner and Charles Butterworth while battling its rival, the South Bend Tribune. Discover tales of journalistic pranks, political feuds, and how a little basement graffiti launched a cartoonist’s career. Despite its legacy of incredible local coverage, the News-Times struggled against changing times and shifting reader loyalties, leading to its poignant farewell in 1938. Relive the story of a newspaper that gave South Bend its voice—and its heart. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-04: Muessel Brewing Company
Episode 4: Muessel Brewing In this episode of A Bend in Time, we follow the fascinating journey of the Muessel Brewing Company—from its Bavarian roots to its rise as a South Bend institution. Discover how this family-owned brewery thrived amidst temperance movements, tragic headlines, and the devastating effects of Prohibition. With tales of championship football teams, daring robberies, and enduring community landmarks like Muessel Grove Park, this is more than a story about beer—it's a story about resilience, legacy, and the surprising ways history lingers. Cheers to that! Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-03: Stephenson Underwear
Episode 3: Stephenson Underwear Murder, mayhem, and long johns! Step back in time to explore the scandalous rise and fall of the Stephenson Underwear Mills, one of South Bend’s most influential—yet controversial—businesses. From woolen suits worn by President Benjamin Harrison to battles over land, labor, and tariffs, this episode of A Bend in Time delves into the company’s storied past. Discover how a factory pet bear, dynamite publicity stunts, and whispers of murder made the tale of Stephenson Underwear anything but ordinary. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-02: South Bend Toy Company
Episode 2: South Bend Toy Company From croquet sets and baseball bats to doll carriages and record-breaking wagons, the South Bend Toy Company once ruled as a global toy titan. But behind the success were fiery factory disasters, wartime contributions, and a remarkable legacy of craftsmanship. Join A Bend in Time as we uncover how this iconic toy maker rose to international fame, broke sales records, won accolades—and ultimately faced the challenges of changing times and a high-tech toy market. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 02-01: South Bend Bait Company
Episode 1: South Bend Bait Company What do lures, bamboo rods, and a scandalous escape to Sandusky have in common? Dive into the story of the South Bend Bait Company—once a fishing industry titan and now a collector's dream. From deer-hair hooks to million-dollar sales, this episode of A Bend in Time unravels the dramatic history of innovation, scandal, and resilience behind one of South Bend’s most fascinating forgotten businesses. Part of Series 2: Forgotten Businesses of South Bend A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org
Series 01-08: William Longley
Episode 8: William Longley William Longley was mayor of South Bend from 1888-1892, and if he would have had his own way, he would have never been mayor at all. The reluctant city leader won a reluctant campaign that left him overseeing a growing city with growing industry. He also was left to administrate a soap opera involving the establishment of city parks, high profile fires, and the largest and most prestigious international delegation that had ever come to South Bend. Part of Series 1: Dawn of the City of South Bend Looking for something in particular? 05:27 Brief biography of William Longley 12:57 Longley elected as Mayor against his will 20:00 City Council drama with the South Bend Railway 22:12 President Benjamin Harrison wears underwear made in South Bend! 23:50 The city decides on brick roads 25:54 The city receives to controversial land donations for city parks 30:42 The Pan-American Congress visits South Bend 34:42 Accusations of political dishonesty derail the Oliver Hotel 35:34 Singer threatens to leave South Bend 36:33 The annexation of Myler 37:27 Mayor Longley’s legacy and death A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman. Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org