Episode 8: Legacy

On a -30° morning in Mankato, Minnesota, Schuyler Colfax took his final steps. This episode begins with his sudden death at a snowy train station and ends with the legacy he left behind. Was Colfax ruined by scandal or simply ready to go home? Did he miss his shot at the presidency, or choose the life he truly wanted in South Bend? We trace his post-political life, his final days, and the echo of a man who stood at the heart of American history… and walked away.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 7: Private Life

Schuyler Colfax was ready to retire — until the country called him back. This episode explores his reluctant reentry into politics, the bruising 1872 campaign, and the Credit Mobilier scandal that clouded his exit. But Colfax wasn’t done. From business ventures in South Bend to becoming one of America’s most beloved public speakers, he found a second act on the lecture stage.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 6: Vice President

In 1868, Schuyler Colfax wins the girl and the nation — marrying Ellen Wade and being elected Vice President alongside Ulysses S. Grant. This episode traces Colfax’s dramatic rise to national office, his unconventional partnership with Grant, and the surprising decision that stunned Washington: his early retirement from politics. But was it really goodbye? Or just the calm before a final campaign storm?

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 5: Across the Continent

In 1865, freshly widowed and free of congressional duties, Speaker Schuyler Colfax hits the trail on America’s first great political road trip. From dusty stagecoach roads and Rocky-Mountain mining camps to a cautious handshake with Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, Colfax sells a war-weary nation on a new idea: the West can mend the Union and power its future. Follow his wagon across plains, peaks, and Pacific vistas — and see how the goodwill he earns in frontier towns propels him toward a spot on the 1868 presidential ticket.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 4: Speaker of the House

As the Civil War erupts, Schuyler Colfax rises to national power — missing a cabinet seat but gaining the gavel. From his leadership in wartime Congress to the proposals of the 13th and 14th Amendments, Colfax helps reshape the nation in its most turbulent hour. This episode chronicles his years as Speaker of the House: the battles with Andrew Johnson, the impeachment crisis, and the radical redefinition of American freedom.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 3: A Brewing Conflict

As the Whig Party collapses and the nation fractures over slavery, Schuyler Colfax steps into the chaos of Congress. From a House locked in gridlock to a fiery speech that propels him into the national spotlight, Colfax becomes a rising star in a country teetering on the brink. This episode traces his early years in Washington, his role in the Kansas crisis, and his front-row seat to the unraveling of the Union… and the rise of Abraham Lincoln.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 2: Newspaper Man

As a young newspaper editor, Schuyler Colfax made South Bend his home—and his launching pad. In this episode, we explore Colfax’s rise from local publisher to national political voice, his unwavering moral compass, and the moment the Kansas-Nebraska Act ignited his first run for Congress. A party was collapsing. A new one was forming. And Colfax was ready to lead.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.

Episode 1: Origin Story

Before he became the 17th Vice President of the United States, Schuyler Colfax was a child of tragedy, born to a widowed teenager in a modest brick house in New York City. In this debut episode, we trace Colfax’s early life — from Revolutionary War ancestry and formative years in New York to his coming-of-age in frontier Indiana. Discover how a self-educated teenager in New Carlisle built a foundation in politics, journalism, and reform that would one day take him to the Capitol steps.

Part of Series 4: South Bend’s Own: Schuyler Colfax

A Bend in Time is presented by The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and hosted by Aaron Helman.

Visit The History Museum's website at historymuseumsb.org

View the museum’s online Schuyler Colfax collection here.