Aaron Helman

Aaron Helman is a Midwestern historian, author, and storyteller whose work spans narrative nonfiction, regional history, and fiction. His books explore the surprising, forgotten, and fascinating corners of American history — often with a focus on the Great Lakes region and the communities that shaped it.

His work has earned recognition as a finalist in both the US History and Travel categories of the 2025 American Writing Awards, and has been featured on multiple NPR affiliates and in documentary productions on WNIT. He speaks regularly at libraries, historical societies, museums, and civic organizations across the region.

Aaron is the host of A Bend in Time, a history podcast produced in partnership with The History Museum in South Bend, and he is the founder and primary writer of the South Bend News-Times, an independent publication dedicated to local and regional history.

When he's not writing or researching, he's probably wandering through a museum, hiking a lakeside trail, or drinking too much coffee while planning his next deep dive into something most people forgot to care about.