Round the Bend Now and Then

In the 1970s, students at Notre Dame organized multiple blues festivals that brought students, locals, rich, poor, African American and white folks together, to share their common love of the blues. 

In 1971, Perry Aberli, a grad student at the time, approached the administration of the University of Notre Dame and pitched an idea that had never been done on campus.  He proposed a 3 day blues festival to be held in the Stepan Center, which at the time was a popular venue for all types of events on campus.  Little did he know that the blues festival would be the first of many more throughout the 1970s and would bring popular blues artists by the likes of Muddy Waters, Albert King, Johnny Lee Hooker, Howlin Wolf, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells, to name a few, to South Bend. 

In this episode, I meet with Perry Aberli and he shares why the Midwest Blues Festival was MORE than just a few concerts. The story behind the festival series is so multi-layered that I felt I must try to share the story: College students organizing & leading a three day blues festival, with all African American performers, at a conservative mostly white Catholic university, set in a diverse city, in the turbulent times of the early 1970s.... and EVERYONE enjoyed their time together surrounding a common love of the blues.

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

The History Museum has seen many changes in its almost 150 year existence, but one thing is for sure, the entire area is blessed to have one of the oldest and largest historical societies in our state, right here in our own back yard.  

In this episode, I meet with the Deputy Executive Director of The History Museum, Kristie Erickson.  We start our talk in her museum office, where we discuss the history of the museum and EVERYTHING that it offers our community. You would be amazed to find out all of the things that go on behind the scenes to bring the beautiful exhibits to life!  We end our chat actually walking on the museum floor, highlighting some of their cool (and CREEPY) exhibits!

Be sure to visit The History Museum's website for ALL types of information: https://www.historymuseumsb.org/

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this episode, I meet with LONGTIME South Bend Tribune columnist Bill Moor.  Bill started at the Tribune in 1973 and spent almost 50 years serving in numerous roles including a sports writer, editor, and human interest columnist.

During our conversation, we get into his years at the Tribune, our common love of the Chicago Cubs, and even his experiences flying on top of airplanes and riding on the back of garbage trucks.  

We also talk about Bill’s new book titled Kissing the Frog.  As you’ll hear, the fiction book is told through the eyes of a 15 year old boy named Spanky.  It’s set in South Bend and references to local streets, places, schools, names, etc. are littered throughout. It will definitely bring you back to your childhood!

Check out Bill's website for interesting articles and more! You can purchase Kissing the Frog here as well! https://moorandmore.net/

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

“The Lake” is a nickname for the LaSalle Park neighborhood on the far West Side of South Bend, IN. The history of the neighborhood and everything it has experienced are so unbelievable, the story simply must be told. Longtime city leader Lynn Coleman joins me and helps tell the neighborhood's story.

The neighborhood is situated near a city park called LaSalle Park. Within LaSalle park is a small body of water called, "Beck's Lake". Currently, the park looks just like any other city park with a playground, shelter, community center, etc. However, prior to the 1920s, Beck's Lake was a much larger lake ecosystem thriving with hunting, wildlife, fishing, etc. In the 1920s, the lake was drained for a sewer project, leaving the shallow marsh type area we see today. From the 1930s until the 1950s, it was an official city trash dump called Beck's Lake Dump. ALL types of unsafe, toxic materials and trash were deposited in the dump. After the dump officially closed, people continued illegally dumping here for years after that.

Even though there was a city dump nearby, houses were still built and a community formed. This community has had a positive impact on many South Bend residents, including Lynn Coleman.

In this episode, I meet with Lynn Coleman. Lynn is a lifelong South Bend resident, retired police officer, former assistant to the mayor, local leader, family man, and he owes ALL of that, to growing up on The Lake.  

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

Four Winds Field & the South Bend Cubs are a thriving minor league baseball stadium and franchise! Many fans probably do not know how close we came to losing baseball in South Bend altogether.

In this episode, I meet longtime South Bend lawyer Dick Nussbaum.  Dick shares his memories of professional baseball’s journey in South Bend as he has played an integral role in its growth here over the last thirty years. 

In the late 1980s, Dick served as South Bend’s City Attorney in Mayor Joe Kernan’s administration. As city attorney, he was in charge of handling the relationship between the city, the minor league franchise, and its owners.  In the early 1990s, he became the general counsel for the Midwest Baseball League and from 2014 - 2020 he served as the Midwest League’s President. So.... the man knows his baseball! He also knows the ins and outs of the relationship between a city and its sports franchise.  By the end of this episode, you’ll know why Dick should be proud and hold his head high for ALL of his work in helping minor league baseball in South Bend thrive! 

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this episode, I meet with author Lisa Kelly. Lisa has written numerous Notre Dame related books, including the Echoes from Notre Dame series, cookbook Domer Dishes, and her new children's book, Clover Goes to Notre Dame.

You'll hear that Lisa's story is a true, one thing leads to another journey. One thing wouldn’t lead to another however, if Lisa didn’t dive right in, take a few risks, and follow her passions.  And thank goodness she did! As you'll hear, her journey has led her to experiences beyond anything she could have imagined, including forming relationships with many Notre Dame football greats.

Check out Lisa's website for her books, events, contact information, and more! https://www.echoesfromnotredamebooks.com/

Check out her weekly column on One Foot Down: https://www.onefootdown.com/authors/lisa-kelly

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this episode, I meet w/Mishawaka High School head football coach Keith Kinder deep in the bowels of historic Steele Stadium. Hear how he balances the rich tradition of the program with today’s kids, & how he hopes the relationships they build propel them to success! You'll hear Coach Kinder's passion shine as we talk about his journey, the football team, and its relationship with a tradition filled passionate community.

Last week, you heard all about Mishawaka High School’s Steele Stadium.  We learned that it was built by Mishawaka residents at a time when many families were uncertain where their next meal was coming from… during the Great Depression.  It provided Mishawaka with something bright to rally around, when everything else seemed so dark.  What they might not have known, is that they were building the foundation of a tradition… the tradition of a high school football stadium that 80 plus years later still stands tall just a stones throw from Mishawaka High School.

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this episode, our listeners and I learn all about how a mid 1930s Great Depression era program created by President Roosevelt’s administration to provide jobs to the unemployed, was used to build a local high school football stadium that on Friday nights 80 plus years later still fills an entire residential neighborhood up with the sounds of a school band playing, helmets and pads crashing into each other, and rabid Mishawaka Cavemen fans cheering on their Maroon and White.

Mishawaka High School’s Steele Stadium is a prime historic example of exactly what the Great Depression era program titled, Works Progress Administration, or WPA for short, intended. 

In Mishawaka historian Pete DeKever’s book titled: Hidden History of Mishawaka, there is a chapter within titled “Mishawaka’s Battleground: Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Steele Stadium’s WPA Bleachers.”  With football season on the horizon and the passion that I know the Mishawaka fans display, I knew that I wanted to share this story.  

In this episode, I meet with Pete and we learn all about why Mishawaka High School’s Steele Stadium is so beloved by, literally, generations students, former players, and Mishawaka residents.

Listen to the episode first, then head to 121 S. Main St. in Mishawaka and check out the museum! All for the price of a pack of gum and a bag of chips!

Be sure to check out next week's episode as I meet with Mishawaka High School Head Football Coach Keith Kinder.  We had great time meeting in his office, right in the bowels of historic Steele Stadium. 

Visit the Mishawaka Historical Museum's Website: https://mishawakamuseum.org

Or check them out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mishawakamuseum

Purchase Pete DeKever's book, The Hidden History of Mishawaka, here: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-History-Mishawaka-Peter-Kever/dp/1540250288

Check out our You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this week’s episode, we try a first: I recorded an entire interview on site away from my basement studio. I felt that this would be the best way to authentically shine a spotlight on one of the South Bend and Mishawaka area’s gems: the Studebaker National Museum!  I met with Archivist Andy Beckman, and he was so gracious with his time, as he shared some history behind the museum and highlighted all of the great things that it offers.  

We met in his office first, where I asked him some questions about the history behind the Studebaker National Museum and its various homes over the years until it landed at its final destination in 2005 at 201 Chapin St. South Bend IN 46601

We then hit the museum floor and Andy describes to us some of the wonderful exhibits, beautiful cars, one of a kind pieces, and tons of historical information telling the story of Studebaker.

Be sure to visit the Studebaker National Museum! For information on upcoming events, hours, ways to donate, etc., check out their website: https://www.studebakermuseum.org/ 

Check out our new You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!

In this episode, Roger Parent joins us again & shares his memories leading the city in bringing professional baseball to South Bend, IN.

In what started as a meeting pushed by a very insistent Michiana Area Planning Commission Director in February of 1985, ended 10 days later with former South Bend Mayor Roger Parent announcing to the citizens of South Bend that they would be the hometown of a professional minor league baseball team.

All of this sparked quite the drama in the South Bend & Mishawaka area in the mid 1980s. There were tons of arguments for and against building the stadium.  There were articles in the newspaper touting the benefits and naysayers standing up at meetings telling anyone who would listen that it was a bad idea.  

Thank you Roger Parent for sharing your memories!

Folks: Check out Roger's new book (and others) on his website! https://rogerparent.org/

Check out our new You Tube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe! Narrated videos of some of the locations that are discussed in the episodes will be posted! Link below!

You Tube Link: https://youtube.com/@RoundtheBend574

Be sure to follow Round the Bend Now and Then on Twitter: @roundthebendpod

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roundthebendnowandthen

To contact the show, you can email at [email protected] or message on Twitter.

For current & historical pictures and commentary on the South Bend & Mishawaka area, follow @roundthebend574 on Twitter.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the episode, be sure to share Round the Bend Now and Then with somebody who you think will appreciate it!