South Bend's Canal That Never Was: Coquillard's Folly

In South Bend's historic City Cemetery, there is a bridge that looks completely out of place and literally crosses over nothing.  It crosses no stream, creek, or road -just a VERY old stone arch bridge.  

Turns out it was one bridge of many, built in the 1830s, that was meant to cross a waterway. This waterway was to be called the Kankakee Mill Race. This mill race was meant to connect the St. Joseph River to the Kankakee River.  The water from the mill race was meant to provide hydroelectric energy to the brand new city of South Bend and surrounding areas. 

The Kankakee Mill Race was built by one of South Bend’s founding father’s, the very respected businessman & trader, Alexis Coquillard.  It was a sure fire way for him and his many investors to harness the energy of the newly built waterway and sell it to industrial buildings and mills that would be built along the canal.  The four mile canal stretched from the St. Joe River, near Memorial Hospital, to the far West Side of South Bend.

All was going to plan until the moment Alexis Coquillard realized that he and his investors lost everything on what would become known as "Coquillard's Folly."

In this episode, I meet with local historian and author Aaron Helman. Within Aaron's most recent book, Ride the Jack Rabbit: More of the People, Places, & Events That Make Michiana Fascinating, is a chapter that details "Coquillard's Folly." Aaron and I discuss that chapter and all of the WILD details surrounding the "The Dry Ditch and South Bend's Bridge to Nowhere."

Be sure to visit Aaron's website and check out his books!

Website Link: https://www.aaronhelman.com/

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