South Bend 100 Years Ago: 1926

South Bend 100 Years Ago: 1926

From Round the Bend Now and Then by Matt Emery

January 31, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 47

About this episode

This episode explores life in South Bend in 1926 through stories shared by local historian Aaron Helman.

What was life really like in South Bend 100 years ago? In this episode, I sit down with local historian and author Aaron Helman to step back into 1926 South Bend - a year full of change, contradictions, and everyday moments that still echo today. January’s edition of Aaron’s website, The South Bend News-Times , features six stories from that year and we use them as our roadmap: from industry and public health to music, sports, and local characters you may have never heard of. On the surface, the stories couldn’t be more different, but as you’ll hear, they’re deeply connected. Aaron has a rare gift for digging into local history and sharing it in a way that’s thoughtful, accessible, and genuinely funny. If you enjoy stories that help you see South Bend a little differently, both then and now, this one’s for you! Check out the articles we discussed and MANY more at https://southbendnewstimes.com/issues/ Learn tons about our local history from Aaron’s books. Check them out at: https://www.aaronhelman.com/ Aaron also hosts and narrates a local history podcast called “A Bend in Time” Available wherever you get your podcasts or at the link below…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Emery

Guest: Aaron Helman

Topics covered

  • local history
  • South Bend
  • 1926
  • change
  • public health
  • music
  • sports

Keywords

  • South Bend
  • 1926
  • local history
  • Aaron Helman
  • public health
  • music
  • sports

Sponsors

Portage Township Trustee's Office

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The South Bend News-Times, A Bend in Time

Places: South Bend

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