September 15, 2011 — Due to popular demand, additional guided architecture walking tours will be held on Fridays in downtown South Bend. Then & Now: A Downtown South Bend Architecture Walking Tour will be offered at Noon on October 7, October 21, and October 28. The tours will last one hour. Tours will also be available at 6:00 p.m. on September 30 and October 14 lasting approximately an hour and a half. All tours are free and open to the public, covering over twenty historical buildings and more than a half-dozen city blocks in the heart of downtown South Bend.

Beginning at the American Trust Company clock at the corner of Washington and Michigan streets, this guided tour allows participants to learn about South Bend’s origin as a trading post along the St. Joseph River. A wide variety of architectural styles will be viewed, with some buildings dating back to pre-civil war days.

The tours are guided by either Catherine Hostetler, director of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County (HPC); Elicia Feasel, assistant director of HPC; or Todd Zeiger, director of Indiana Landmarks Northern Regional Office. They provide insight about the visionaries, architects, and builders who helped bring the city’s treasures to life while also discussing the adaptive re-uses of many buildings and reliving the memories of those lost to urban renewal.

Reservations are requested for each tour. Contact Downtown South Bend, Inc. at 574-282-1110 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve a spot in this unforgettable lesson in history.

For those who are interested in the rich architecture of downtown South Bend but cannot make a guided tour, a cell phone tour is conveniently available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Pick up a printed tour guide at the Downtown South Bend, Inc. office, 217 S. Michigan Street, and call the designated telephone number for the tour. This easy to follow audio tour offers a description of the architecture and the story behind it for each stop. Experience the history of downtown at any pace, any time of day. Standard cell phone rates may apply.

Then & Now: A Downtown South Bend Architecture Walking Tour and accompanying guide booklet are made available through a partnership between the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana Landmarks and Downtown South Bend, Inc. with grant support from Indiana Humanities. For more information contact Downtown South Bend, Inc. at 574.282.1110.

Click here to download the Brochure containing Self-Guided Walking Tour & Cell Phone Tour Information

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