List of Historical Markers in Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana

THIS PAGE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS

Historical Markers and War Memorials in Fort Wayne, Indiana lists over 100 local markers while their sister page Historical Markers and War Memorials in Allen County, Indiana has those 100+ Fort Wayne markers plus several more county markers with photos, maps, and information at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org. Their markers include the 59 Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage) markers above plus many more. Along the Heritage Trail--Links for more study lists 59 markers by Nancy McCammon-Hansen posted June 10, 2014 by The History Center.

Page 95 lists Historic places in The Griswold-Phelps handbook and guide to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for 1913-1914 by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927, Publication date 1913 on Archive.org.

Zoomable Fort Wayne, Indiana, Street Map with Overlays Description: A street map of downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana from Archer Street to Jefferson Street and St Marys Avenue to Comparet Street. First overlay denotes early Fort Wayne settlements and historical sites. Second overlay denotes existing markers and proposed markers or interpretive devices. Not dated. At History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network.

Griswold's birdseye view of the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana indexed for ready reference by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927Hixon, W. W, Publication date 1907 on Archive.org.

A zoomable version of the 1907 Griswold's birdseye view of the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana indexed for ready reference by B. J. Griswold, (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927 is at The Library of Congress. Excellent map with indexed locations for seeing where things were in early 20th century Fort Wayne.

See our Maps page.

Little turtle 7-24-1911 Fort Wayne statues and monuments

Article from Jun 24, 1911 Fort Wayne Daily News (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

Monuments and Statues by Henry M. Williams in a full page 24 July 1911 Fort Wayne Daily News newspaper article. Were these 12 monuments ever built and placed in Fort Wayne?

List of public art in Fort Wayne, Indiana at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia .

September 15, 2022 1975 photo of a sign for PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD SHOPS was discussed on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook

1916 - To Erect Monument at Harmar's Ford - Clipped from Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel 26 Apr 1916, Wednesday, page 1. Clipped by StanFollisFW • 20 Feb 2022. Henry Trier Pioneer Citizen Claimed by Death photo is below this clip. June 6, 7, 8, and 9, 1916 Centennial Celebration poster too.

Mystery: photos of A. D. 1883 cornerstone block near The Landing on Dock Street.

1917  Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette image
clipping image

1917, March 18 - Annual Report of the Fort Wayne Park Board - lists several interesting topics such as St. Joe Dam for boating and a park, First Swimming Pool at Lawton Park, Planning for the Anthony Wayne Equestrian Statue at Hayden Park fronting the Lincoln Highway, Johnny Appleseed monument at Swinney Park, Lakeside Park monument to John Wyllys and brave soldiers killed at Harmar's Ford, Perry Randall monument at Swinney Park, and plan to build a Lincoln cabin replica. Clipped from The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette 18 Mar 1917, Sunday, page 7. Clipped by StanFollisFW on 19 Feb 2022.

1919 Fort Wayne Sentinel image
clipping image

  1919, March 3 - Park Board Makes Report for 1918 Showing Vast Volume of Work Done. Clipped from The Fort Wayne Sentinel 03 Mar 1919, Monday, page 16 Clipped by StanFollisFW on 20 Feb 2022. Hon. W. Sherman Cutshall, Mayor, 45 acres added to Swinney park, Memorial Park, Addition to Lawton Park, Water Supply for Lakes, Anthony Boulevard Pavement, Park Acreage of Indiana Cities, Dedication of Wayne Monument, A List of Fort Wayne Monuments: Soldier's Monument, Spanish War Monument, General Henry W. Lawton, Wayne Trace, Johnny Appleseed Monument, Harmar's Crossing, Perry A. Randall, Commodore Perry, General Anthony Wayne, Proposed Lawton Monument, Changes of Secretary.

October 3, 2022 discussion of Hannas Ford 1819-1919 stone on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. Photo on page 29 of FORT WAYNE MONUMENTS PLAQUES AND MARKERS IN CITY PARKS 2020 states: NATURAL GRANITE STONE AT 1500 ST. JOE RIVER DRIVE COMMEMORATING THE LOCATION OF HANNA’S FORD ALONG THE RIVER 1819-1919 DEDICATED JUNE 11, 1920. Fort Wayne, Indiana, Navigation Chart & Historical Sites created by the City Plan Commission 1964-1971 on Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov referrs to the map Fort Wayne, Indiana, Navigation Chart & Historical Sites at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network. Indiana Memory Description: Chart of navigation routes for Fort Wayne, Indiana established following the 1964 river cleanup program. This image file is a 300 dpi, jpg2000 file, converted using Photoshop CS2 software from a 400 dpi, 24-bit, uncompressed TIFF image scanned on a Graphtec CS500 Pro Scanner Fort Wayne, Indiana. During its two centuries as a center of midwestern commerce and settlement, Fort Wayne has owed much of its heritage to the Three Rivers which course through it. From the earliest Indian barks to the continuing industrial and cultural progress, the St. Joseph, St. Marys and the Maumee have played integral roles. We are pleased that it is now possible for anyone with a boat to travel the same streams where so much history was made. The Three Rivers helped determine the city's past, and they play an important role in making Fort Wayne the great and growing city it is today. Harold S. Zeis, Mayor. Scale in miles. City Plan Commission. It then goes to list all the locations on the map.

December 20, 2022 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

1946, December 20 - the first official Indiana state historical marker was installed, which commemorated the history of the State Capitol as it moved from Corydon to Indianapolis in 1825. The Indiana Historical Bureau had worked with the WPA on a series of markers in the 1930s and early 1940s that featured white painted signs with black lettering. These markers quickly began to show deterioration from weathering and needed to be replaced. After World War II ended, many expressed interest in a more permanent marker program to commemorate the people, places, events, and organizations that shaped the development of the state. This led to the standard design and format we know today: a cast aluminum marker featuring the outline of the state in the crest, a dark navy background, and gold lettering, mounted on a post. Since the installation of the State Capitol marker in 1946, nearly 750 other markers have been installed across Indiana. Find a complete listing of the topics that are commemorated here: https://www.in.gov/.../state-historical.../find-a-marker/ The image below is courtesy of the Indianapolis News, December 25, 1946.

IHB is now accepting applications for new state markers! A key part of the application process is finding primary...

Posted by Indiana Historical Bureau on Thursday, April 6, 2023

Thursday, April 6, 2023 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

IHB is now accepting applications for new state markers! A key part of the application process is finding primary sources to support your topic. Throughout the month, we’ll share examples of types of primary sources that might help as you complete your application.

One source that can prove useful in highlighting where a business or residence was located is Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. These maps were created to provide detailed drawings of the buildings in a city to assess the fire risk for insurance companies. They can also show us how areas developed over time. While working on the Leedy Manufacturing Company marker in Indianapolis in 2021, we used Sanborn maps to confirm the plant’s exact location, see when additions were built, and learn what was housed inside as well as how the different floors were organized. The maps also allowed us to understand what existed in the surrounding neighborhood at the time.

You can access Sanborn maps through the Fire Insurance Maps Online Database while inside the Indiana State Library or search the maps on ISL microfilm. Learn more about Sanborn maps through this Indiana State Library blog post: Get started in historical business research!.

The Sanborn map featured below is Indianapolis Sanborn Map #159, 1915, courtesy of the Indianapolis Sanborn Map and Baist Atlas Collection.

The perfect storm is brewing in Fort Wayne about whose statue is standing in which park named what. As far as I can understand it, Foster’s statue is in Swinney Park instead of Foster Park, Lawton’s statue is located in Lakeside Park instead of Lawton Park, Chief Little Turtle is hidden in Headwaters Park, the Civil War memorial is in Lawton Park, Anthony Wayne’s statue is overwhelmed by trees in Freimann Square, and the Memory statue in Memorial Park is of a woman whose head is missing. Copied from Let’s rename the city’s parks so they match the statues that are in them by Nancy Carlson Dodd posted August 16, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

2021-2022 Storm Drain Murals in Fort Wayne October 5, 2022 post by Friends of the Rivers on Facebook.

October 9, 2022 photo by Canal Society of Indiana of the sign on a trail for The Wabash & Erie Canal at the summit level in Fort Wayne, IN was supplied with water from the St Joseph River. A dam was constructed on the river and a 6 1/2 mile feeder dug to the main canal line just west of the town. That feeder supplied water for 47 miles east to Defiance, OH and 27 miles to the west to Huntington, IN. The signage above marrks the route of that feeder near Beckett's Run.

A November 7, 2022 share of the November 7, 2019 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook of the Sufi Ahmed sculpture made to honor the people "Who saved the City of Fort Wayne" in March of 1982! on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. Sufi Ahmed sculpture fort wayne Google search results. Fort Wayne’s culture wars seen anew this Thanksgiving through statues Ann Votaw | Wednesday, November 11, 2020 on Input Fort Wayne. List of public art in Fort Wayne, Indiana This is a list of public art in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This list applies only to works of public art accessible in an outdoor public space. For example, this does not include artwork visible inside a museum. on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Fort Wayne Public Art on Google map is very interesting but who made it?

Lots of photos on Monuments Paques Markers in City Parks in Indiana. Fort Wayne by Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection Publication date 1963 on Archive.org.

List of Local Markers

January 2, 2024 post by Downtown Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Kiosks are currently being reviewed throughout DTFW to make them attractive, current, and relevant.

A sign of the times: How wayfinding reflects the city’s past, present and future 

January 6, 2024 post by Input Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Downtown Fort Wayne and the City of Fort Wayne are currently engaged in a process to review and ultimately update signs and kiosks to make them attractive, current and relevant. The city has secured supplemental grant funding that will cover the costs of design and implementation, though the size and scope of the project are still to be determined.

Enter wayfinding, a process that Downtown Fort Wayne President/CEO Michael Galbraith says helps define a city’s sense of place.

According to the Global Design Cities Initiative, “Wayfinding systems should encourage walking and transit usage by providing multimodal information and adopting the pedestrian perspective. Wayfinding works with other visual cues to help people orient themselves and provide confidence in navigating the geography of a city. Wayfinding can increase people’s comfort in choosing to walk when they understand a destination proximity.”

Galbraith says that’s what they hope to accomplish by updating and installing new signs around the city.

Why now and what does this project mean to the city’s future as a tourist destination and place to call home?

Find out here:  A sign of the times: How wayfinding reflects the city’s past, present and future

Photo Courtesy of the City of Fort Wayne.

Story written by Lauren Caggiano.

There are 59 historical markers in Downtown Fort Wayne on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage) labeled (Stop # ) split into the:

  1. Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)
  2. Kekionga Trail 11 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)
  3. South Central Trail 12 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)
  4. West Central Trail 17 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)
  1. Anthony Wayne Statue (Stop #1) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Anthony Wayne page
  2. Journal Gazette Building (Stop #2) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Journal Gazette information
  3. Transfer Corner (Stop #3) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Transfer Corner information
  4. Allen County Courthouse (Stop #4) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Allen County Courthouse information
  5. The Lincoln Tower (Stop #5) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Lincoln Tower information
  6. Elektron Building (Stop #6) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Elecktron Building information
  7. Old City Hall (The History Center) (Stop #7) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Old City Hall information
  8. Eliza “Mother” George (Stop #8) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Eliza “Mother” George information
  9. McCulloch-Weatherhogg House / First Presbyterian Church (Stop #9) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our McCulloch-Weatherhogg House / First Presbyterian Church information
  10. Anthony Wayne’s Fort (Stop #10) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Forts of Fort Wayne page
  11. Last Two American Forts (Stop #11) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Forts of Fort Wayne page
  12. Pirogue Landing (Stop #12) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Pirogue Landing information
  13. Headwaters Park (Stop #13) on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage), go to our Headwates Park information
  14. Lincoln Highway (Stop #14)
  15. The Landing (Stop #15)
  16. Canal House (Stop #16)
  17. Wabash and Erie Canal (Stop #17)
  18. Nickel Plate Railroad (Stop #18)
  19. The Beginnings of Fort Wayne (Stop #19)

July 15, 2022 a sculpture of Chief Blue Jacket was dedicated at 2826 S Calhoun Street next to Blue Jacket, Inc.

July 29, 2022 a photo of the St. Lawrence River Continental Divide selfie sign was posted by Little River Wetlands Project on Facebook and a link to learn more about the continental divide on their YouTube channel video: 3 - Current of Time: The Little River Wetlands Story - Modern Geology and Invasive Carp CC. See our Three Rivers page for more information.

August 23, 2022 - Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass on Facebook posted Bill Blass Bridge photos: IT’S OFFICIAL! The bridge sign is up and fully marked for viewing. Commissioner Nelson Peters joined the official unveiling of the permanent sign and marker with several members of our Bill Blass Committee. UPDATE ON LOCATION: On south side of Ft. Wayne over St. Marys river on Bostick Road off Hwy 27S. (See attached pic for map).

New Haven Fun Fact: Canal Landing is a 1/3rd acre pocket park on Broadway between Main and Bell. Its historic plaque tells the importance of the canal in New Haven’s development. From Moser Park, the canal traveled northeast along the north side of Main Street and through town to cross Green Street between Bell and Canal. It then followed the route of U.S. 24 East. The canal bed is very apparent on the south side of U.S. 24 driving east. Copied from a September 1, 2022 post by City of New Haven Indiana on Facebook.

Link Chapman memorial parkway, Miss Virginia and others?

  1. Abraham Lincoln • The Hoosier Youth
  2. Allen County and Fort Wayne W.W. I Memorial
  3. The Allen County Courthouse
  4. Allen County Revolutionary War Memorial
  5. Allen County Veterans Memorial
  6. Arthur R. Smith
  7. Barr And Columbia - Where Allen County Began
  8. The Barr Street Market
  9. The Bicentennial Heritage Trail
  10. Billon/Keegan House
  11. Camp Allen 1861-64
  12. The Canal House
  13. Carole Lombard
  14. Cathedral of Immaculate Conception
  15. Cemetery of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
  16. Chief Little Turtle
  17. Columbia Street
  18. The Concrete Restoration Walls
  19. Duck Creek: Early Industry and Business Development
  20. Earliest Railroad
  21. Early Effort To Build A Park
  22. Early Masonic Lodge
  23. The Elektron Building
  24. The Embassy Theater
  25. Emboyd Theatre
  26. Emerine Jane Holman Hamilton
  27. Fire Station #3
  28. First Americans
  29. The First French Fort / The First Playground in Fort Wayne
  30. The First Police Station
  31. First Presbyterian Church
  32. First Wayne Street United Methodist Church
  33. Flood Retention Walls
  34. The Floods
  35. Fort Miamis
  36. Fort Wayne ~ Fort Dearborn Trail
  37. Fort Wayne Historic District
  38. Fort Wayne Masonic Temple
  39. Fort Wayne Printing Building
  40. Fort Wayne Public High SchoolAnthis Career Center 1971 Central High School 1922 Public High School 1904 Dedicated on July 16, 2014
  41. Forty et Eight Veterans Honor Degree of the American Legion
  42. The Fur Traders and the Military at Fort Wayne The French built Fort St. Philippe (Fort Miamis) west of this area by 1722, to command the land portage here between the Maumee and Wabash Rivers.
  43. Grabill, IndianaPlatted February 15, 1902
  44. Gronauer Lock No. 2 Wabash and Erie Canal lock was discovered here June 1991 during excavation for highway construction. It was built 1838–1840 by Henry Lotz and named for lock keeper Joseph Gronauer.
  45. Harlan, Indiana Platted 1853 On north bank of prehistoric Lake Maumee. The ridge formed by the bank was part of the pioneer overland trace from Detroit to Fort Wayne. This route was surveyed as early as 1837 for the ridge road
  46. Harlan Park Veterans Memorial Dedicated to honor our veterans who have served in the armed forces August 1991
  47. The Battle of Harmar's Ford To the Memory of Major John Wyllys And His Brave Soldiers Who Were Killed Near this Spot In The Battle of Harmar's Ford Oct. 22, 1790 . Newspaper articles: Monuments in Memory of Heroes of Former Years - Belated Honor to Johnny Appleseed - Monument to His Memory to Be Unveiled in Swinney Park, May 5. To Erect Monument at Harmar's Ford - Homer Gordon Davissson is Given Commission by the D.A.R.'s. Clipped from The Fort Wayne Sentinel 25 Apr 1916, Tuesday, page 1. Clipped by StanFollisFW on 19 Feb 2022. 1916 - To Erect Monument at Harmar's Ford Clipped from Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel26 Apr 1916, Wednesday, Page 1. Clipped by StanFollisFW on 20 Feb 2022. Also Fort Wayne Centennial poster couple columns to the right.
  48. Headwaters Park Architect Eric R. Kuhne was commissioned to design a flood control plan that would provide for a park and premier festival center.
  49. Headwaters ParkGeorge Kessler's plan of 1912 envisioned a greenspace
  50. The Historic Canton LaundryOver the course of the last hundred & twenty-five years this building has been the home to various neighborhood businesses
  51. Home of Philo T. Farnsworth Home 1948-1967 of Farnsworth, inventor of television. Farnsworth (1906-1971) was instrumental in perfecting the image formation mechanism which enabled the first effective image transmission in 1927. Farnsworth Radio and Television Corporation. Photo titled Farnsworth house plaque gets touch-up October 11, 2022 on The Journal Gazette newspaper. The state historical marker in front of the Philo T. Farnsworth house on East State Boulevard gets a fresh coat of paint Monday. Farnsworth, a Utah native, was an inventor and early television pioneer who lived for decades in Fort Wayne and founded the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corp. Shelby Tackett
  52. The Home Of Sion Bass, Civil War Hero John Grimes constructed a house on this lot in 1842, and on March 13, 1854, he sold the place to Sion S. Bass and his wife, Eliza. Sion Bass had come to Fort Wayne in 1848 from Salem, Kentucky, and worked for the Ewing fur-trading enterprise.
  53. Huntertown, Indiana Platted 1869 First called "The Opening", a natural clearing in the forest, settled about 1837. On the old Lima Plank Road connecting Howe (Lima) and Fort Wayne. Home of the Perry Centre Seminary, founded 1856 and closed 1861
  54. I Have A Dream
  55. Imagine the Untold Stories
  56. Indiana Hotel Indiana Hotel opened May 24, 1928 acquired by the Embassy Theatre Foundation December 2, 1974
  57. In Greatful Recognition Of Valor New Haven In honor and in memory of the sons and daughters who served their country
  58. Jail FlatsBecause of the often soggy conditions that discouraged use as either residential or commercial property, the area of Headwaters Park became known as the Jail Flats. The first jail in Allen County was a two-story hewn-log structure
  59. John B. Franke 1866 – 1927 “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Ft. Wayne Chamber of Commerce – Jan. 7, 2927) J.B. Franke dedicated his live to service of others. He donated 80 acres to the City of Fort Wayne, which is now known as Franke park.
  60. "Johnny Appleseed" [ John Chapman ] Born in Massachusetts, 1776 Died near Fort Wayne, 1843. Buried in the David Archer Cemetery Pioneer apple grower of Indiana and Ohio.
  61. Johnny Appleseed 1774-1845 Johnny Appleseed legendary planter of orchards across Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, was a real person named John Chapman. He was a friend to all God's creatures and a missionary for the Swedenborgian religion, a Christian denomination.
  62. Journal Gazette Building This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior
  63. Kekionga This area of the Three Rivers was a site of settlement of Native Americans for as much as 10,000 years. The collection of villages known as Kekionga, located in the present-day Lakeside neighborhood, was a center of the Miami nation in historic
  64. The Battle of Kekionga The Battle of Kekionga in October 1790 was the first battle fought by the United States Army after the War for Independence. The campaign had been ordered by President Washington against the Miami settlement of Kekionga, the center of Indian
  65. Kim Linker New Haven Artist - Kim Linker The New Haven Community Foundation was officially founded in March 2015 with the purpose to enhance the lives of our residents and to invest in our community's future.
  66. Kresge-Groth Building Kresge-Groth Building c. 1926 has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior
  67. The Last Two American Forts / The Siege of 1812The Last Two American Forts In 1798, Col. Thomas Hunt began construction on this site of the second American fort at the Three Rivers. this fort, which was completed in 1800, replaced the first, hastily built one erected nearby
  68. League Park The first professional organized league baseball game was played here on May 4, 1871 ending in a victory for the Fort Wayne Kekiongas over the Cleveland Forest Citys by a score of 2-0. A wooden structure was built in 1883 and rebuilt numerous times
  69. The Lincoln Highway New Haven The Lincoln Highway was the first auto road across the United States. Promoted by Carl G. Fisher, of Indianapolis, the Lincoln Highway route was announced in 1913. From Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco. This New Haven marker is shown September 4, 2022 a photo and Fun Fact: On display in front of City Hall is a restored 1928 Lincoln Highway concrete marker and descriptive plaque, only a few feet from the road’s original route. The New Haven marker is believed to have been one of two that stood near what is now the Harrison Street bridge just north of downtown Fort Wayne. It’s one of only 15 markers in the state. post by City of New Haven Indiana on Facebook.
  70. The Lincoln Tower Construction of the Lincoln Tower began less than a month before the stock market crash of October 1929 that signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. Completed in November 1930, the 312-foot Tower was for many years Indiana's tallest building
  71. Lindenwood Cemetery Founded 1859 - Dedicated May 30, 1860, was enrolled on the National Register of Historic Places February 17, 1978 by the U.S. Department of Interior. Here in Lindenwood thousands of memorials relate to local, state and national history.
  72. Little Turtle Miami Chief Mishikinakwa or Me-she-kin-no-quah, known to the Euro-Americans as Little Turtle, born circa 1747, played a significant role in the settlement of the area surrounding the confluence of the Three Rivers. He was the most successful Native
  73. Little TurtleLittle Turtle Me-She-Kin-No-Quah Chief of Miami Indian Nation In Commemoration of our nation's Bicentennial
  74. Louis Mohr BlockLouis Mohr Block has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior Built 1891
  75. Major General Anthony Wayne In the early 1790s, the United States Army suffered two serious defeats at the hands of Indians under the leadership of Little Turtle, war chief of the Miami nation. In response, President George Washington sent Revolutionary War hero Gen
  76. Maumee - Wabash Portage "Glorious Gate" Only land barrier on shortest trade route between Quebec and New Orleans. Eastern landing of eight- mile carry from St. Mary's to Little River. Used by Indians, French, British and American traders.
  77. Meshekinnoquah(Chief Little Turtle)Chief Little Turtle was one of the most feared and respected leaders during the frontier wars of the 1780s and 1790s when Fort Wayne was born. Known to his people as Meshekinnoquah, Little Turtle is thought to have been born in 1752 in a village
  78. Miami Legend of the Sandhill Crane Long before settlers appeared on the scene, the American Indian people here used the sandhill crane as a symbol for their tribe. Early British and American officials referred to the people we know as Miami as “Twightwees” in various
  79. Mother George Civil War Nurse — 1808-1865 The first Fort Wayne home of Mrs. Eliza E. George was near this spot. At the age of 54 she helped make Civil War nursing history. Mother George, as she was known to thousands of Union soldiers, served with front line troops in Mississippi,
  80. The News-Sentinel Building The News-Sentinel Building was constructed in 1925 by Oscar Foellinger, the publisher of the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. The News Sentinel traces its history to the first newspaper in Fort Wayne, The Sentinel, which began publication as a
  81. The Nickel Plate Railroad In 1880, the New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad, known commonly as "The Nickel Plate Road,” purchased from the Wabash & Erie Canal the right-of-way through central Fort Wayne.
  82. Old Aqueduct Club Memorial The Aqueduct Carrying the Wabash and Erie Canal across the St. Marys River was located just north of the bridge about where the Nickle Plate Railroad crosses the river and was the playground and swimminghole for the West End Boys.
  83. The Old City Hall The Fort Wayne City Building, later called "The Old City Hall,” was designed by local architects John Wing and Marshall Mahurin and was dedicated on April 20, 1893, by Mayor Charles Zollinger.
  84. Old Fort Wayne Well The "Old Well," an important factor in the existence of the fort and its people, saved the fort from Indian fire brands in 1812. Fort Wayne was first built, near by, in 1794. It was rebuilt, on this site, in 1804, and 1815.
  85. Old Maysville Cemetery Harlan This cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always. [Names listed on the back of the marker sharing the names of the interred.]
  86. Olen J. Pond Memorial Memorial to Olen J. Pond and to The veterans of the World War Erected by Mrs. O. J. Pond
  87. Operation MP-125 Veterans Memorial Honoring local military personnel lost in WWI. one-hundred twenty-five trees were planted to revitalize memorial grove and replace each tree first planted in their memory one-hundred years ago lists the 125 names
  88. Pirogue LandingTerminal point where French-Canadian boats, hollowed from 30-60 foot poplar logs, brought families and cargo up the Maumee River from Toledo and Detroit, and returned furs to Lake Erie in exchange for traders' supplies, from the late 1700's
  89. Purple Heart Tribute MemorialThis Purple Heart tribute is provided in remembrance of all combat wounded veterans who have made the supreme sacrifice for their country. May their noble virtues live forever in our memory.
  90. Richardville 1761 - 1841 Made Chief of the Miamis for his Daring rescue of a White prisoner from Burning at the Stak
  91. The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Paul The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Paul was established at this site in 1864 for German-speaking Catholics of the then northwestern part of Fort Wayne. Over the course of 138 years, this property also served the needs of St. Paul .
  92. The Rotary Club Of Fort Wayne Celebrating 100 Years of "Service Above Self"
  93. Schmitz Block Schmitz Block c. 1888 has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior
  94. Shanty Town And The Great Depression South Clinton Street gained notoriety as a Depression era "Shanty town.” The "hobo heaven” or "hobo jungle” that sprang up on the "Jail Flats” became home to hundreds of families at its peak in 1933, filling the area with tarpaper shacks and smoke.
  95. Site of the Fort Wayne College Better known as the old M.E. College Established in 1846 as the Fort Wayne Female College on grounds donated by Wm. Rockhill. In 1855 the college consolidated with the Fort Wayne Collegiate Institute for Young Men and it was then call the M.E. College.
  96. The Site of General Wayne's Fort Dedicated October 22nd 1794 It was the first United States fort near "Three Rivers". This fort commanded the shortest portage between the St. Lawrence and Mississippi systems a portage known to the Indians as "Glorious Gate" and a strategic cross-roads in early trade
  97. Site of Hardin’s Defeat Churubusco, Colonel John Hardin, of the Kentucky Militia, with 180 men and Captain John Armstrong, U.S. Army, with 30 men, were routed here on October 19, 1790, by Indians under Miami Chief Little Turtle during General Harmar's Campaign.
  98. Site of Last French Fort Erected, 1750, by Captain Raimond Surrendered to the British under Lieutenant Butler in 1760. Ensign Richard Holmes and British garrison massacred by Miami Indians in 1763.
  99. St. Mother Theodore Guerin St. Mother Theodore Guerin founded the first catholic school in Fort Wayne on this site in 1846. Her community, The Sisters of Providence, taught young people of Fort Wayne for over 125 years. She was canonized a Saint October 15, 2006.
  100. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Organized by Rev. Jesse Hoover on October 14, 1837, with a congregation of 24 families, it was the first Lutheran church in the Fort Wayne area. A school was organized by Rev. Hoover the same year. Originally known as the First Evangelical Lutheran.
  101. These are the Hamilton Women of Fort Wayne
  102. This Barr And Columbia Street Intersection This Barr and Columbia Street intersection is the center from which Civic Fort Wayne Grew North West Barnett-Hanna Trading Post 1819 First Post Office 1820 North East Suttenfield Tavern 1823 South West
  103. This clock tower This clock tower, along with Woodburn Plaza, is dedicated in honor of Harry and Jeanette Henney for a lifetime of involvement and commitment to the people and city of Woodburn.
  104. The Transfer Corner The intersection of Main and Calhoun streets was the busiest corner in Fort Wayne between the 1890s and the 1960s, for it was here, at the "Transfer Corner,” that all the trolleys (and later buses) converged from their various routes.
  105. Trinity English Lutheran Church Henry Rudisill, whose efforts had resulted in the establishment of Fort Wayne's first German Lutheran congregation in 1837, also initiated the founding of the community's first English-speaking Lutheran parish, the English Lutheran Church of the
  106. Trinity Episcopal Churh The Protestant Episcopal Assembly met May 26, 1839 with 17 charter members in Fort Wayne's courthouse. They built First Trinity Episcopal Church in 1847 on the northwest corner, Berry and Harrison Streets. Present Trinity Church built 1865,
  107. Veterans Memorial New Haven,
  108. The Wabash And Erie Canal Past this point flowed the Wabash and Erie Canal begun at Fort Wayne in 1832 and dedicated at Fort Wayne July 4, 1843. in its final phase the canal ran from Maumee Bay on Lake Erie, through Fort Wayne and southwestward to Lafayette and thence
  109. Wabash and Erie Canal Groundbreaking On February 22, 1832, ground was broken two blocks north for the canal, which would link Lake Erie at Toledo with the Ohio River at Evansville. Jordan Vigus, Canal Commissioner, Charles W. Ewing, Samuel Hanna, Elias Murray participated in the
  110. The Wabash & Erie Canal Anchoring the southern edge of the Headwaters Park “Thumb” until circa 1874, the Wabash & Erie Canal’s importance to transportation to the western part of the United States and to the growth of Fort Wayne was substantial. Headwaters Park - A sign for Aqueduct No. 1 on the St. Mary's river, just a few hundred feet North from the Main Street bridge was posted July 30, 2022 on Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group.
  111. The Wabash & Erie Canal New Haven, Past this point flowed the Wabash and Erie Canal begun in 1832 and dedicated July 4, 1843 at Fort Wayne. In its final phase the canal extended 459 miles from Maumee Bay to Toledo, through New Havens southwestward to Layette and then to
  112. Wayne Trace Wayne Trace Once the Indian trail to Cincinnati The route Of General Harmer's Army in 1790 Of General Wayne's When leaving the stockade Christened by Major Hamtramck "Fort Wayne" in 1794 Also of General Harrison's Army
  113. We celebrate the heritage of the YMCA with these cornerstones. This YMCA logo, established in the late 1800's combined the YMCA's Christian emphasis with an equilateral triangle which stood for man's essential spirit, mind and body.
  114. What Is Rotary? Rotary was officially started on February 23, 1905, when a young attorney named Paul P. Harris met with
  115. William Wells A tract of 320 acres of land extending west of the St. Joseph River (the modern Bloomingdale and Spy Run neighborhoods) was set aside by an act of Congress in 1808 for the Indian agent William Wells in recognition of his many services to the U.S.
  116. Woodburn, Indiana Platted 1865 First town incorporated in Maumee Township. Once called "Phelps Station" on the Wabash Railroad. A strategic point in a vast woodland of timber unsurpassed in the United States for variety and condition. Incorporated as a 5th class city in
  117. Yoshino Cherry Tree donated to the City of Fort Wayne by Consul-General of Japan in Chicago Naoki Ito Sunday, May 20, 2018 as a gesture of goodwill and friendship to celebrate the Fort Wayne Cherry Blossom Festival Sign donated by: Japanese American

A December 29, 2022 post about a photo labeled Wabash & Erie Canal, Lock No. 2, 8 miles east of Fort Wayne, adjacent to U.S. Route 24, New Haven, Allen County on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook comment by Lee Garza There used to be a marker at that site I don't think it's there anymore I'm pretty sure it was taken out when the new exit ramp was put in on 24 and 469 it was still there when 24 was turned into four lanes back in 2012. Response by John VanHorn Lee Garza hey Lee, that marker is at the west end of Harper road at the culdesac.[Google map Street View does not go down that section of Harper Road and not quite visible from I-469 on ramp.

Back to top

Page updated: