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, 2026.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

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, 2026.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

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