The West Side Recreation Club
From Round the Bend Now and Then by Matt Emery
February 15, 2026 · 30 min · Episode 48
About this episode
This episode explores the history and significance of the West Side Recreation Club in South Bend's African American community.
In this episode, we tell the story of 1415 West Washington Street, a building that’s easy to overlook today but for over 50 years served as the West Side Recreation Club, a vital gathering place and social hub for South Bend’s African American community. I meet with George Garner, the Assistant Director and Curator at Indiana University South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center, and he does such a great job sharing the club's story. The West Side Recreation Club is featured in South Bend’s African American Landmark Tour, developed by the Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center, and later expanded in George Garner’s book Placing History . Upstairs, the building housed offices of prominent African American professionals and leaders; downstairs, a pool hall that was frequently targeted by police. That contrast sheds light on how African American leadership and community grew in South Bend within a broader and often complicated civic landscape. Learn more about the African American Landmark Tour and the book, Placing History , at the link below: https://aalt.iusb.edu/index.html ______________________________________________________ Thank you to the Portage Township…
People in this episode
Host: Matt Emery
Guest: George Garner
Topics covered
- African American history
- community gathering
- social hub
- civil rights
- local culture
- historical landmarks
Keywords
- West Side Recreation Club
- South Bend
- African American community
- civil rights
- George Garner
- Placing History
- community leadership
Sponsors
Portage Township Trustee's Office
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Indiana University South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center
Books & works: Placing History
Places: South Bend, West Washington Street
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