South Bend, Indiana, is slightly more than 100 uneventful miles from Chicago, across the skyway to the Indiana Tollroad on Interstate 90. With the 65-mile-an-hour speed limit in effect once the toll road is joined by I-80, the drive can be done in about 90 minutes–two hours with traffic on the Chicago side. Traveling east, you get off on exit 77–the second of two South Bend exits–which places you directly north of South Bend, on U.S. 31-33, the main drag into town traveling south.
The point is soon lost, however, as the entire collection is almost literally overshadowed by the huge mural on the wall of the nearby Hesburgh Library. The work may have some other title, but it is known to the studentry and to others around the world as Touchdown Jesus, for it faces directly into the football stadium–it can, in fact, be seen from most of the seats–and pictures the redeemer in the act of raising his arms to signal another Irish score. It remains a source of speculation whether the artist was intentionally lampooning the supposed priorities of the university administration. It brings to mind, however, that weekend travelers should be aware of the possibility of encountering large crowds of Irish football fans from September on through November. Of course, it’s said that some enjoy this sort of thing; to each his or her own.
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The town also has a number of old buildings rehabilitated and turned into something new. Chief among these is Tippecanoe Place (620 W. Washington, 219-234-9077), a monstrous 40-room mansion, Romanesque in design and granite fieldstone in construction, originally built for the Studebakers. It’s now probably the finest restaurant in town, with meals of that sturdy quality that will have a diner commenting on them without asking who is the chef. The East Bank Emporium (121 S. Niles, 219-234-9000) is the other quality place in town, located along the river and with a decor of cut-glass windows and brass railings. Nice. Less so but still quality is The Wharf, On the River (320 E. Colfax, 219-234-4477), an Indiana fish restaurant with a salad bar in the shape of a boat. For the hoi polloi, there’s the Georgia-Style Bar-B-Que (525 N. Eddy, 219-232-1177), a place run by a little old man of the hills–white beard and all–who refuses to allow the African-American help to make change, but who oversees the cooking of succulent ribs, with tender meat that literally falls off the bone.
South Bend’s unique claim to fame is the East Race Waterway (219-233-6121), again along the river, a facility of man-made white water authentic enough to be a training ground for Olympic kayakers. Inner-tubing and rafting are open to the public. The Mid-American Slalom will be held there the Fourth of July weekend, and the East Race Slalom August 20 and 21.
