Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

I Named Places in Allen County, Indiana

Ice Delivery, Inc.

1105 Cass Street, went out of buisness June 10, 1967. It was a consolidation of Consumers, Moran (started in 1860 using horse drawn wagons), and Centlivre ice companies. Home ice delivery was discussed February 24, 2017 and a photo of a July 7, 1967 The Journal Gazette newspaper article was posted and discussed September 24, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. See images of ice delivery items from the 1800s and early 1900s posted June 21, 2018 by The History Center on Facebook.

I. Jones Recycling

3651 North Clinton 2008 Street View photo of an empty lot not the current Street View showing Carmax from Google maps

Was located at 3651 North Clinton Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana in an A. M. Strauss designed building originally for Wayne Cooperative Milk Producers. The site occupied approximately 4.5 acres and was situated in a predominantly commercial and residential area. South of the large Glenbrook shopping mall. Four buildings were located on the site. The facility, formerly known as Hanchar Industrial Waste Management and Continental Waste Systems, began operations in 1980 as a waste recovery and reclamation facility, handling waste oils and solvents along with other hazardous wastes. On September 9, 1986, a chemical fire broke out at the site. The local fire department and Hazardous Materials Response Team extinguished the blaze which narrowly missed igniting approximately 525 drums of hazardous materials in an adjoining room. The City then asked for and was granted a restraining order against IJ Recycling, closing the facility. The building was torn down in 1993.

I. Jones Recycling, Inc Settlement Released for Public Comment: March 2004 on IN.gov now on Internet Archive Wayback Machine has the same description as the U.S. Department of the Interior settlement shown below. Not found on the current Indiana Department of Environmental Management site?
I. Jones Recycling Inc. Site at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Case Description

The I. Jones (IJ) site is located at 3651 North Clinton Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The site occupies approximately 4.5 acres and is situated in a predominantly commercial and residential area. The site is bordered on the southwest by Ernest Court, on the southeast by a parking lot adjacent to several small businesses, on the north by retail businesses including the large Glenbrook shopping mall, and on the west by a residence. Four buildings are located on the site.

The facility, formerly known as Hanchar Industrial Waste Management and Continental Waste Systems, began operations in 1980 as a waste recovery and reclamation facility, handling waste oils and solvents along with other hazardous wastes. Over the years, the owner/operators accepted waste from various industrial sources, and accumulated a substantial volume of partially treated and untreated hazardous substances. The facility ceased operations in 1984. While attempts were made to revive the facility, full operation was never achieved. Much of the waste was stored in tanks and drums, and an estimated 400,000 gallons of solvents and waste oils were awaiting treatment when the facility was sold. Some of the treatment methods formerly used on the site included oil/water separation, acid/base neutralization, heavy metal precipitation, and distillation.

In connection with the proposed sale of the site, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was asked by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct a site assessment following an inventory of the closed facility by Pollution Control Systems in January 1985. The SBA was concerned about potential threats to public health and the environment posed by the large number of drums and tanks at the inoperable facility. The EPA and its Technical Assistance Team (TAT) conducted the inspection on February 25, 1985, and recommended that the current owner activate the sprinkler system, implement security measures, and conduct daily inspections of the facility to detect leaking drums and other unsafe conditions until a new owner took over.

On December 24, 1985, a ceiling collapsed at the facility and sheared off a valve on a 10,000 gallon tank containing highly chlorinated hazardous ink solvents. Five to six thousand gallons of material were spilled and approximately 1,500 gallons entered the storm sewer system. The EPA investigated the spill on January 3, 1986. IJ Recycling contracted Pollution Control Systems to clean up the spill. Clean up delays and financial problems resulted in some of the material entering the St. Joseph River.

The State of Indiana obtained an Agreed Entry of a Preliminary Injunction for IJ Recycling on March 22, 1986. This order prevented them from accepting any additional hazardous material until they lowered their existing inventory. On September 9, 1986, a chemical fire broke out at the site. The local fire department and Hazardous Materials Response Team extinguished the blaze which narrowly missed igniting approximately 525 drums of hazardous materials in an adjoining room. The City then asked for and was granted a restraining order against IJ Recycling, closing the facility.
They’re moving a lot of dirt at 3705 N. Clinton, and by early next year the property just south of Glenbrook should be home to the CarMax store Indiana. CarMax, based in Richmond, VA., was founded in 1999 and operates about 195 locations, including Indianapolis and Merrillville, and had sales of more than $17 billion in 2017. A Fortune 500 company, CarMax has an extensive on-line presence and plans to erect a 7,600-square-foot facility on the former I.J. Recycling site. Copied from KEVIN LEININGER: Site of major 1986 fire finally redeveloped; trail and Fire Department concerns exposed published May 11, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
KEVIN LEININGER: Does redevelopment of contaminated sites mean Fort Wayne has learned history’s hard lessons? published December 28, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper says it was the I.J. Recycling plant torn down in 1993 after a chemical reaction forced the evacuation of 3,000 people in a 20-block area September 9, 1986 near Glenbrook Mall leading to a $9 million government-led environmental clean-up. With the help of a $2.3 million city-backed bond, Hanchar Industrial Waste Management converted the former Wayne Dairy Co-op at 3651 N. Clinton St. into a recycling facility before selling to I.J. Recycling in 1985. But when I.J.’s owners declared bankruptcy following the 1986 incident, Allen County government took possession of the property for non-payment of taxes and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took charge of the cleanup, declaring the plant a “superfund” site and spending about $8 million to remove contaminated soil. The EPA later billed GE and other companies millions of dollars because they had sent waste to I.J., and the county spent an additional $800,000 on remediation before it dropped plans to locate a juvenile detention facility there. Finally, in 2005, the county sold the vacant 5.3-acre site to Dar Highlen, whose porch and patio store is across the street, for $600,000. Listed for sale at nearly $1.4 million, it has been on the market ever since...

Indian Reservation

Several were in the Fort Wayne area. Mentioned in a 1904 Fort Wayne News newspaper article posted May 1, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. See our Indian - Native Americans page.

Indiana Feed & Seed

Old time pet store, feed mill, and seed seller was downtown. Discussed October 24, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

Indiana Hotel

Street View photo from Google map

Embassy Theatre: A VISION FOR THE EMBASSY! by fwembassytheatre posted April 28, 2015 on YouTube
Embassy updates A VISION FOR THE EMBASSY! Last summer Weigand Construction began the renovation of the Indiana Hotel. We will be keeping you up-to-date with the project with the help of Punch Films. Here is one our latest videos talking about the challenges of working in a historical faciity.

Hotel Indiana closed in 1971. The 1975 National Register link below lists the name as Indiana Hotel. Hotel Indiana opened in May 1928 at the intersection of Harrison Street and Jefferson Boulevard, on land that was once home to Plymouth Congregational Church. The hotel shared brick wall space with the Emboyd Theatre and is reputed to have opened soon after the theater gave its first show – a spectacular event that included an 11-man harmonica band. In the hotel, each of the 250-300 guestrooms had a sink with hot, cold and ice water. Most rooms offered either a half or full bath, too. Newspaper ads from May 13, 1928, state that the hotel’s box springs were made in Fort Wayne, probably by Wolf Bedding on Clinton Street, and that Eagle Laundry Service (phone number H-4117) would be taking care of the needs of “Fort Wayne’s Newest Hostelry.” Copied from Hotel Indiana: Old charm in a vanishing venue Donations may bring building rich with history back to life. Local News April 2, 2014 on The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Now part of the Embassy Theatre complex, their Majestic spaces. Exquisite events page referes to the hotel as the Indiana Hotel where the Photography section states: The Embassy Theatre Lobby and Indiana Hotel Lobby. and Building Regulations Decorative Materials states: The National Register of Historic Places recognizes the 1928 Embassy Theatre and Indiana Hotel Lobby.
The NPGallery Digital Asset Management System lists the Embassy Theater and Indiana Hotel on their NATIONAL REGISTER DIGITAL ASSETS page with application date September 5, 1975 at the National Park Service. Note that the Embassy Theatre currently spells their names as Theatre - "re" not "er" and Indiana Hotel, not Hotel Indiana as some references spell them.
Indiana Hotel rebirth reopened in 2016 after $10 million restoration article by Bonnie Blackburn published March 11th, 2016 in Fort Wayne Magazine
Inside Hotel Indiana Jerry Danielson shares photos from a tour of Hotel Indiana, sometimes commonly called the Indiana Hotel, which is attached in the Embassy Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne on The News-Sentinel newspaper.
The Emboyd Theatre and Hotel Indiana, Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930-1945 postcard at the Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collections Online.
An October 26, 2022 post by Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne on Facebook had over 60 photographs of their 100 Year Celebration at the Embassy Theatre Indiana Hotel.

Indiana Institute of Technology

A photo of an etching hand signed by Blake Hughes of the Administration Building at Indiana Institute of Technology erected in 1852 was posted May 31, 2018 for "Throwback Thursday" by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.

Indiana Magazine of History

Over 300 copies of this quarterly publication are on Archive.org.

Indiana Road Machine Company

Incorporated in 1896, owned by John Claus Peters, it was located corner of Osage and West Main from Comments posted when a photo of their stone crushing machine was posted and discussed August 3, 2018 then more photos and discussion August 4, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth

Fort Wayne State School (renamed 1931)

Fort Wayne Developmental Center (renamed before 1986? closed 2007)

Google map photo from Street View of the 1983 remnant column of The State School building on East State Blvd. There is a newer July 27, 2020 plaque on one side shown on page 66 of the FORT WAYNE MONUMENTS PLAQUES AND MARKERS IN CITY PARKS 2020. The original 1983 plaque with outdated language was removed to a collection at The History Center. Discussed around the 1:19 minute mark is the 1981 decision for the land to become Northside Park with a park administration building dedicated June 4, 1983. The State School administration building was demolished in August 1982, with 1983 dedication of the column around the 1:51 minute mark of The Forgotten PBS documentary.

Google map of the corner of St. Joe and Stellhorn Road 1960s location now the Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne campus. The Fort Wayne State Hospital & Training Center aka Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth Cemetery is at the northwest corner of the Purdue Fort Wayne St. Joe Road entrance. Address was 4900 St. Joe Road. As of September 28, 2022 MapCarta still labels the corner as Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center as does Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center on RoadOnMap.com.

Pages 517-518 in The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs Publication date 1917, on Archive.org.
Page 517 INDIANA SCHOOL FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTH. Page 517 The history of the great state institution known as the Indiana School for Feeble Minded Yotith, a model of its kind, dates from Page 518 the year 1879, when by a legislative act an asylum for feeble minded children was made an adjunct of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' home at Knightstown. In 1887 a separate institution was decided upon and Fort Wayne was chosen as the site, after a lively legislative controversy. The board of trustees, of which E. A. K. Hackett was the president, chose the present location, and in the following year the first appropriation of $50,000 was expended for the site and the erection of the main building. John F. Wing and M. S. Mahurin were the architects of the structure. The present magnificent institution has developed as a result of superior management and the earnest co-operation of the state authorities. The superintendents of the Indiana school from the beginning are John G. Blake, James H. Leonard, Alexander Johnson, Albert E. Carrrol and Dr. George S. Bliss.

A 60 acre property bounded by the Hicksville State Road (now State Street Blvd), Thomasetta (now Kentucky Ave), Charlotte and Parnell Avenues then out in the country in 1890. Designed by Marshall S. Mahurin. By the 1920’s the property housed about 1,600 patients as well as operating nearly 1,000 acres of farmland in Allen County including the property that is now the campus of Purdue and Indiana Universities on Coliseum Blvd. From photo and history by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorposted May, 4, 2017 on Fort Wayne Readerthen posted May 8, 2017 and May 6, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. Aka "State School" now Northside Park on State Blvd near North Side High School.

See Fort Wayne Developmental Center and Fort Wayne State Hospital & Training Center aka Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth Cemetery.

INDIANA DISABILITY HISTORY TIMELINE at Indiana University has lots of interesting items for Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center search.
The Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth in Fort Wayne opened its doors in 1890 on East State Street, in an area that was, at the time, in the country. The school's campus included the Administration Building, cottages, a school, an industrial arts building, a hospital, and a gymnasium. The vocational arts were divided by gender, with men learning carpentry, agriculture, painting, upholstering and the making of mattresses, shoes and bricks, and the women learning the domestic arts of cleaning, cooking, canning, dressmaking, loom weaving and laundry. Residents came from all over the state. In 1931, the 1130 resident capacity facility housed 172, and had a waiting list of 200. That same year, the legislature changed the school's name to Fort Wayne State School. In 1960, many residents moved to the new site at Stellhorn and St. Joe Roads, but some residents continued to live at the old school for about 20 years. After a number of years in which the State Street campus was inhabited by vagrants and rats, the Administration Building was demolished in 1982 to make way for North Side Park, which became Bob Arnold Northside Park. The Park Department saved a stone archway to leave as memorial to the former residents. These mortality lists are taken from the Annual Reports of the Fort Wayne State School to the Governor, and cover the time period from November 1912 to June 1937. (ACPL call number GC 977.202 F77fmy.) After that time, the reports did not list the deaths. The report includes name, age, date and cause of death, and evaluation grade. Actual death records were created for each individual and are part of the Allen County Death Records. Microfiche copies of the Allen County Death Records to 1932 are held at The Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library. Later death records can be obtained from the State Vital Records Office. Among other information, death records could provide birthplace and parents' names, when known. Also provided are burial places. Some deceased residents were buried in their hometowns, others in various cemeteries in Allen County, including the institution's cemetery, located in Section 19 of St. Joseph Township, on the west side of St. Joe Road, between Broyles and Canterbury Boulevards. There is one large stone, dated 1901 to 1967, but the graves were never marked. It is probable that some of those bodies supposedly buried at the school cemetery were instead donated for medical research. Many deceased inmates, however, were buried in other cemeteries or returned to their hometowns for burial. Copied from Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth -- Fort Wayne State School Mortality Lists at The Genealogy Center.
See the Fort Wayne State Hospital & Training Center aka Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth Cemetery on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus.
During 1879-1887 the Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children was located on the grounds of the Orphan's Home and the two organizations shared all communal facilities (dining hall, hospital, church, etc.). Complaints concerning the combination of the two homes, particularly by veteran's organizations, led to the transfer of the Asylum to Ft. Wayne in 1887. Copied from Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's home at the Indiana Archives and Records Administration at IN.gov.
Indiana’s second oldest mental health facility opened in 1879 at Knightstown. It was relocated to Fort Wayne in 1890. The first patient admitted that year was an eleven year old boy from Ossian, Wells County. It served mentally retarded children from throughout Indiana until 1939, when its service area was reduced to the northern half of the state. Its mission was expanded to include patients of all ages with other developmental disabilities. Before closure in 2007 the facility had admitted 12162 patients. The center’s admission registers, card index, and a nearly complete set of medical records on microfilm, are at the Indiana State Archives. Copied from Fort Wayne Developmental Center (Fort Wayne State School, Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth, and Asylum for Feeble Minded Children) at Central State Hospital Collection: Index at the Indiana Archives and Records Administration at IN.gov.
The Forgotten: A History of the State Developmental Institutions in Fort Wayne Special | 1h 59m 29s | Video has closed captioning. In 1879 Indiana decided to create an institution for children with mental disabilities. In 1890 a brand-new facility dedicated to this cause was opened. It was located just northeast of the city of Fort Wayne, on what would later become East State Boulevard. Aired: 09/26/22 Rating: TV-14.
Copied from PBS Fort Wayne and their September 29, 2022 post on Facebook. Around the 23 minute mark discusses the 1931 name change to Fort Wayne State School. 23:40 starts an 8-minute discussion of the 1907 The Eugenics Law to sterilize individuals to prevent their having children. 59 minute mark discusses converting the farm land into IPFW and converting Blackhawk Farms into a housing development and building new facities on the Parker Place site.Sponsored by AWS Foundation.

The newspaper article Days of a forgotten school Stories sought about memories of state center by Terri Richardson published March 08, 2020 in The Journal Gazette newspaper had a section titled New Sign stating:

The stories received will be used in a documentary by WFWA-TV PBS Fort Wayne.

In addition, the History Center will have a temporary exhibit this fall that focuses on the center, how the region has understood the people at the school and artifacts from the school.

Hays is also hoping to change the sign on the column stone that marks where the original school stood along East State Boulevard to make it more politically correct. Currently, the marker uses the words “retarded,” “idiot” and “feeble minded” to describe the residents at the school. She says that unfortunately these were medical terms used at that time. “You can't erase history.”

The old sign would be given to the History Center to exhibit.

A September 25, 2022 post on Facebook promoted The Forgotten A History of the State Developmental Institutions in Fort Wayne documentary broadcast September 26, 2022 by PBS39 WFWA Fort Wayne. The webpage states: A History of the State Developmental Institutions in Fort Wayne In 1879 Indiana decided to create an institution for children with mental disabilities. In 1890 a brand-new facility dedicated to this cause was opened. It was located just northeast of the city of Fort Wayne, on what would later become East State Boulevard. Advances in medical and behavioral treatments, as well as overcrowding partly due to an aging population, led to a new modern complex being built by Saint Joe and Stellhorn roads in northeast Fort Wayne. Using interviews, newspaper accounts, and archival photos and videos from these facilities, this 2-hour historical documentary tells the story of these forgotten places and those that inhabited them. A September 26, 2022 then a September 27, 2022 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook generated over 140 comments on the first airing of the show.

In State Developmental Center Documentary Season 2022 Episode 3033 | 27m 32s | Video has closed captioning. Guests: Patti Hays (CEO - AWS Foundation) & Nancy Louraine (Retired CEO - Turnstone). This area’s only in-depth, live, weekly news, analysis and cultural update forum, PrimeTime airs Fridays at 7:30pm. This program is hosted by PBS Fort Wayne’s President/General Manager Bruce Haines. Aired: 09/23/22 on PrimeTime39 on PBS39 WFWA Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center Friendsprivate Facebook group
Photo Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth, Fort Wayne IN: later known as the State School. Side view from a distance. 1898. reproduced from a printed source. at Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
Deaths at Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth, Fort Wayne, Indiana (1891-1917) from annual reports at the Indiana Genenealogical Society.
Annual report of the Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth Fort Wayne Indiana on Archive.org
1. Twenty-first Annual Report October 31, 1899
2. Twenty-seventh Annual Report October 31, 1905
3. Thirty-third Annual Report September 30, 1911
4. Forty-first Annual Report September 30, 1919
5. Forty-second Annual Report September 30, 1920
6. Forty-fourth Annual Report September 30, 1922
7. Forty-fifth Annual Report September 30, 1923
"Annual report of the Fort Wayne State School, Fort Wayne, Indiana." search results Annual report of the Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, for the fiscal year ending October 31 ..1909-1915 and 1906/07 at Hathi Trust Digital Library with Google digitized copies: 1909-1915 (original from The Ohio State University) or 1919-1924 (original from The Ohio State University)
Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth search results and Fort Wayne State School search results at Google eBookshows lots of annual reports only a few are listed here
1. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School Issue 4, 1882
2. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School Issue 9, 1887
3. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1908
4. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School, Fort Wayne, Indiana 1935
5. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School, 1948
6. Annual Report of the Fort Wayne State School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1950
7. Annual Report by Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center · 1966
Family And Social Services Administration. Disability And Rehabilitative Services, Division of Fort Wayne State Developmental Center at Research Indiana.
Old Fort News Volume 83 - Number 2 -2020 The Fort Wayne State Developmental Center The Pace of Educational Change at The History Center. See cover photo at Google.com
Old State School Cemetery Located On IPFW Grounds Feeble-Minded at IPFW An Historic Look at the Grounds was published January 11, 2012 in Vol. 42 Issue 15 of the IPFW student newspaper The Communicator on Purdue University Fort Wayne Helmke Library.mDON: mastodom Digital Object Network .
Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center, 1879-1979 book by Bette Peterson and Employee handbook, Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center at Indiana State Library from WorldCat.org.
Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center 1975 and Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center 1979 at Google eBook.
Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training Center, 1879-1979 images Google search results without dates
The history of the Fort Wayne State School for the Feebleminded : Fort Wayne Indiana, 1889-1942 by Evelyn G. Bell, M.A. University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration 1947 on WorldCat.org.
Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth ca. 1900 with photo by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublished May 4, 2017 at Fort Wayne Reader.
Fort Wayne, IN: Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth (State School) with several photos published July 29, 2020 on Towns and Nature blog.
2011 and vintage photos on February 23, 2014discussion and album on Vintage Fort Wayne on Facebook
May 29, 2017 post on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
1915 legislation to pay $300 to injured brickyard laborer Keith Dickson at a May 22, 1912 incident at the school was the subject in a January 21, 2014 Tuesday Tidbit on Indiana Genealogical Society on Facebook.
Fort Wayne Developmental Center at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
A Real Classic, Right Here in 'Your Country' by Eric Olson 21Country at ABC WPTA21.com TV station Indiana NewsCenter March 25, 2013.
An August 2, 1919 photograph of Scenes on State School Farm Friday When Thousands of Farmers Gathered for Tractor Demonstration on the front page of The News-Sentinel newspaper sparked an August 2, 2014 discussion on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
A color postcard was posted April 19, 2019 by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.
“We Cannot Make a Silk PurseOut of a Sow’s Ear”Eugenics in the Hoosier Heartland by Alexandra Minna Stern published in the Indiana Magazine of History 103 (March 2007) online at Scholar Works Indiana University.
Fort Wayne is mentioned 36 times in the 92 page THE EUGENIC ORIGINS OF INDIANA’S MUSCATATUCK COLONY: 1920-2005 Abigail Nicole Bragg Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Department of History Indiana University September 2020 online at Scholar Works Indiana University.
Annual report of the Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, for the fiscal year ending .. by Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth Publication date 1905. There are several more reports online.
At Richmond, between 1887 and 1890, three of the completed buildings were occupied by "The School for Feeble Minded Youth." In 1890, these patients were transferred to what is now known as the "Fort Wayne Developmental Center." The buildings were refurbished and the hospital formally opened on July 29, 1890, with the first patient admitted on August 4, 1890. copied from Family and Social Services Administration on IN.gov.
Cornerstone photos of 1898 cornerstone, several photos, and historical information at 200 @ 200 2016 Bicentennial items at The History Center.
Google Search shows lots of photos from various sources.
Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth ca. 1900 by Randy Harter Fort Wayne Reader 2017-05-04.
Read the history Indiana School for Feeble-Minded Youth -- Fort Wayne State School Mortality Lists then search the Index on the The Genealogy Center with names and causes of death.
Fort Wayne State School photo with brief information at the Indiana Disability History Project.
The Asylum Projects.org Wiki has a history and several photos.
A postcard of the school and September 14, 2013 discussion on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
Jerry Henry, son of social worker Jerome Henry, who lived in an old farm house on the school property in the 1950s-60s recalls growing up near the school and the cemetery that existed at that time. Research shows more than 200 graves existed, possibly more. The History Center was hoping to team with PFW archaeology students in the summer of 2020 before the COVID-19 Pandemic started to identify the boundaries of the cemetery. The AWS Foundation and the History Center as part of a project to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act are researching and documenting the history of the school and center to show how far society has progressed when it comes to people with disabilities. They are hoping to collect stories to used in a documentary by WFWA-TV PBS Fort Wayne. In addition, the History Center will have a temporary exhibit the fall of 2020 that focuses on the center, how the region has understood the people at the school and artifacts from the school. Read more in Days of a forgotten school Stories sought about memories of state center by Terri Richardson published March 08, 2020 in The Journal Gazette newspaper .
Photos posted and discussed February 24, 2023 by Ancient America on Facebook.

Indiana Theater

Discussed May 12, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

International Harvester

Now called Navistar, construction began in 1922 at the intersection of East Pontiac and Bueter Road. Production began in 1923 and a milestone was reached at the plant forty years later in 1963 when the one-millionth truck, a semi-tractor, rolled off the assembly line. September 28, 1982 on the front page of The Journal Gazette newspaper. Harvester announced it would shut the Fort Wayne plant laying off 2,100 workers. Early in 1979, 10,600 people worked for Harvester. The engineering and parts distribution center would remain with about 2,000 employed in 1984. The city assembled a $31 million aid package for the 60-year-old local plant compared to the $27.6 million package offered for the 17-year-old successful Springfield, Ohio facility.The last truck rolled off Fort Wayne assembly line July 15, 1983. See photos on Throwback Thursday: July 15, 1983 – Last truck rolls off line at Harvester plant published June 29, 2017 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Lifted Life TV posted a video to playlist Real Throwback, June 21, 2018, Golden, CO., on Facebook.
1960's video of International Scout was posted and discussed August 21, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook

Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library has the Fort Wayne Operations News , International Harvester Employee Publications, and International Harvester Company-Navistar Photographs Collection with images.
IH News (1963.09.27) photo copy of the IH News showing the One Millionth Truck Produced by Fort Wayne Works in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
German web site has information on military trucks.
1944 photo of International Harvester 4x4 ambulances in Fort Wayne, IN preparing to be shipped to Europe for D-Day posted October 23, 2018 by Best of Indiana on Facebook.
June 19, 2016 photo album of 1950s International Harvester Employess and International Harvester Retirees and Tower Talk newsletter online at Allen County Public Library discussion July 20, 2017 posted on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
Scout advertisement posted November 1, 2017 on 20th Century Advertising.
50th anniversary newspaper articles from June 1, 1972 were posted December 13, 2016 and November 25, 2016 discussion by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and author60 photos February 4, 2017 March 1, 1966 newspaper photo of first truck off the new "A" line posted February 24, 2017 and , then March 7, 2017 , March 22, 2017 and July 9, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
1945 photo of electric trolleys lined up on Bueter Road loading employees from Allen County Public Library posted May 3, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
Scouts were considered by many to be the first SUV, between 1960 and 1980, over 500,000 International Harvester Scouts were made here shown in an advertisement photo posted July 11, 2017 on Fort Wayne Food Tour on Facebook.
Tiny houses near the factory for WWII veterans discussed January 2, 2017, May 8, 2017 and January 4, 2018 long discussion on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. See also Tin Village on our World War II Military page. Similar small houses were built in the 1930s by the Fort Wayne Housing Authority.
1922/23 photo of workers in front of the plant was posted September 21, 2017 and a photo of initials found in concrete posted September 26, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
December 28, 2017 post of Harvester's exit still reverberates editorial in July 6, 2003 The Journal Gazette newspaper by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.
Driven by love for Scouts Vehicle search reveals loyalty to city product by Ryan Duvall published December 16, 2018 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Harvester Homecoming on Facebook, now an annual event setting up a museum at the former factory site. The original event was discussed on PrimeTime39 - June 7, 2019 Season 2019 Episode 20 Harvester Homecoming. Guests - Creager Smith and Jerry Betley.
Photos of a current display, when by the mid-twentieth century, Fort Wayne became known as the Heavy-Duty Truck Capital of the World were posted August 7, 2019 by The History Center on Facebook.
McCardell Resigns as Chairman of Harvester by James L. Rowe Jr. published May 4, 1982 now on Washington Post.com.
From the Farm Equipment History Files ... Why Did International Harvester Break Up? by Paul Wallem, former IH executive and dealer-principal posted on August 28, 2019 in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues on Farm-equipment.com.
Volkswagen truck unit Traton finalises $3.7 billion Navistar acquisition deal by Reuters Staff published November 7, 2020 on reuters.com.
Volkswagen May Bring Back the International Harvester Scout The legendary SUV may return as an all-electric off-roader to take on Wrangler and Bronco. by Scott Evans posted Sep 20, 2021 on MotorTrend.com.
November 15, 2021 Facebook post and discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook was an article called Archie McCardell, former International Harvester CEO is the worst CEO in history by Yves Smith originally posted in Naked Capitalism on October 8, 2019.
August 11, 2022 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook:

Exciting times, indeed! The Drive

Scott Keogh CEO at Scout Motors visits Fort Wayne
August 24, 2022 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook:

So glad we have been welcomed to be a part of the new Scout coming to life! post

Scott Keogh CEO at Scout Motors LinkedIn review of his August 6, 2022 visit to Fort Wayne.
May 21, 2022 some interesting history and commentary about the Scout, International Harvester, and Volkswagen by Autoline.TV.

VW’s Golden Opportunity with The Scout Brand posted May 21, 2022 by Autoline Network on YouTube

Autoline provides daily global automotive news. Top auto executive interviews. Automotive insight & analysis. EV, AV & ICE technology, car sales & financial earnings, new car reviews. Volkswagen used to be the number one import brand in the American market but then it lost it all. Today, it sells fewer cars in the U.S. than it did in 1970. But with its acquisition of the Scout brand from International Harvester, VW can claw its way back. In fact, Scout could become the equivalent of the Jeep brand for Volkswagen.
Around 40 aerial photos were posted May 23, 2020 of International Harvester Park by Above the Land on Facebook.
February 6, 2023 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook shared Emily Dwire WANE 15 post February 6, 2023:

POSITIVELY FORT WAYNE: International truck enthusiasts of all ages and from all over spent a recent weekend in Fort Wayne tuning up dozens of vehicles in Harvester Homecoming's collection including a 1907 Auto Buggy. Check it out!

International enthusiasts restore dozens of Harvester Homecoming trucks during annual wrenching weekend by Emily Dwire, February 6, 2023 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
February 14, 2023 post by 3Rivers Federal Credit Union on Facebook:

It's our 88th birthday! On February 14, 1935, 3Rivers opened our doors as International Harvester Company Fort Wayne Works Employees Federal Credit Union. While our name has gotten shorter, we’ve grown in every other way!

We’ve expanded our footprint, currently operating 22 branches throughout northeast, central, and east central Indiana, and St. Marys, Ohio. We’ve gone from $250 in assets to $2.2B and three employees to nearly 500.

Most importantly, though, is the longstanding trust our now 110,000 members have put in us to help them reach their financial goals over the decades. Helping our members and celebrating their achievements is what inspires us to continue growing.

Getting the keys to their first cars and first homes, traveling the world, earning degrees, starting families, opening businesses, living debt free, retiring early… each of our members has their own, unique dreams, and we’re here to support all of them!

Thank you to our members, our employees, and our community for allowing us to be a part of your stories. We appreciate you!

[Check out our transformation: Our headquarters at the International Harvester campus in 1935 and our corporate office at Northland Blvd. today!]
February 19, 2023 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook:

We are proud to help with this endeavor and hope everyone will contribute to PBS Fort Wayne to make it happen. Funding has been secured to keep the ball rolling!

Fill out the donor application placed in the comments section here to be a part of this: https://vimeo.com/586431955

PBS Fort Wayne, the northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio PBS station plans to create a historical documentary bringing to life the history of International Harvester in our community. The documentary, with Ryan DuVall serving as executive producer, will be thoroughly researched not just using archival information from newspaper, broadcast news reports, International Harvester resources, and anecdotal information, it will be told by those who worked there.

The documentary will be produced by the award-winning production team at PBS Fort Wayne.

The story of International Harvester in Fort Wayne starts with construction on the production facility in 1922 with the first trucks rolling off the assembly line in 1923. The Fort Wayne plant (known as The Fort Wayne Truck Works) was a big producer of trucks and wartime vehicles during WWII employing more than 10,500 people at its peak.

Harvester ceased production of the Scout in 1980 and in July 1983 all truck manufacturing operations were moved to Springfield, OH with the last truck rolling off the Fort Wayne Works assembly line.

PBS Fort Wayne, Northeast Indiana’s unofficial historian will tell the story of trial and triumph, of invention and innovation in this planned documentary.

This story will be revealed through conversations with former employees along with owners and collectors of International Harvester Scouts and Heavy-Duty Trucks. Some stories have already been recorded. With your help we will be able to bring this story of how multiple generations of families worked and played alongside their Harvester family leaving an indelible mark on Fort Wayne.

PBS Fort Wayne welcomes your contributions to help bring this story to life. Your donation (no matter the size) will help fund this large undertaking and cement your commitment of quality television programming to the community of PBS viewers. Contributors to this special project will be recognized at the beginning and end of the documentary. Major corporate donations are being sought as well. The program will air multiple times on PBS Fort Wayne and its sub-channel PBS Explore and will be offered for broadcast at other PBS stations upon completion. Copies of the program will also be available for purchase following its premier.

HARVESTER DOCUMENTARY TRAILER.mp4 from PBS Fort Wayne on Vimeo.
International Harvestor Refrigerator

February 28, 2023 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook:

But do these recipes work in other refrigerators or only under the magic cooling power of a Harvester? Also, Shrimp Tomato Mold for the win. Big thanks to Steve Tiny Michaels for the donation!
March 3, 2023 post by Harvester Homecoming on Facebook:

😪 the dream is gone for #fortwayneindiana. But we are still excited about the future if this company and its vision. Hopefully we can help and play a role in some way going forward.

Internet Archive

Includes the Wayback Machine that archives web sites no longer online. The company has been archiving Public Domain pre-1923 books from the Allen County Public Libraryand The Genealogy Center for many years then placed online at archive.org. Many of our links go to archived web pages on the Wayback Machines and local history books archived on Internet Archiveare found embeded in some of our pages.

Internet Archive from Deepspeed media on Vimeo.

Interurban Railways

See Interurban Railways on our Railroad page and Transfer Corner.

IPFW - Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne

https://www.pfw.edu/. A January 14, 2016 post by Purdue University Fort Wayneon Facebook photo stated: No photo description available. This aerial view of the IPFW campus in 1970 shows the Education Building, later renamed Kettler Hall. Can you spot Allen County War Memorial Coliseum? #IPFWtbt #ThrowbackThursday. After many years of offering courses at separate locations in Fort Wayne, Indiana University and Purdue University opened the combined campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in 1964. Read their 1917-1964 IU History and Purdue History, History This is our Story. Indiana and Purdue Universities were officially split into two compuses July 1, 2018 into Indiana University Fort Wayne and Purdue Fort Wayne. Process of changing IPFW to Purdue Fort Wayne ramping up gradually by Kevin Kilbane published March 29, 2018 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. See Mastodons on Parade art project in 2005. Where have IPFW's sculpted mastodons gone? The Dons of a decade past still adorn Fort Wayne by Jonathan Robison published January 8, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. 40th Anniversary of IPFW - Mastodons on Parade . See January 10, 2017 discussion, photos August 27, 2017 or search multiple dates on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. The Omnibus Lecture Series Past Speakersas an alphabetical list and their videos on the ipfwhelmkelibrary YouTube channel with various speaker videos back to 2009. See Indiana University Fort Wayne, Purdue University Fort Wayne, and Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. For "Throwback Thursday" we share another Mastodon picture. In 2004 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of IPFW, many businesses and organizations painted these Mastodons On Parade and many are scattered about Fort Wayne til this day. Here is Science Central Don! with photo posted January 9, 2020 by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook

Irene Byron Hospital - Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanitorium

Formerly at 12101 Lima Road, Street View photo from Google map shows current view. A new facility Byron Health Center broke ground in 2018 at Lake Avenue and Beacon Street. See the Tuberculosis section of our Diseases of Allen County page.

At the end of the 19th century, one in seven people around the world had died of tuberculosis, and the disease ranked as the third leading cause of death in the United States. While physicians had begun to accept German physician Robert Koch’s scientific confirmation that TB was caused by bacteria, this understanding was slow to catch on among the general public, and most people gave little attention to the behaviors that contributed to disease transmission. They didn’t understand that things they did could make them sick. Copied from the beginning of the article: How Epidemics of the Past Changed the Way Americans Lived Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate by Katherine A. Foss, Zócalo Public Square posted April 1, 2020 on SmithsonianMagazine.com shared October 20, 2022 on Smithsonian Magazine on Facebook.

Irene Byron books at the Allen County Public Library
1. Irene Byron Hospital, 362 F77
2. Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, 977.202 F77IBB, 1926
3. Minutes of board of managers' meetings of Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium : from January 1, 1927 to Dec 15, 1931, 977.202 F77IBC
4. Record Book, 977.202 F77IBA, 1996
5. Report, 1923, 977.202 F77ib
6. Transactions of the board of managers of the Allen County Tuberculosis Hospital, later the Irene Byron Tuberculosis Hospital1915-1919, 1919-1926, 2 volumes, 977.202 F77ibe, 977.202 F77IBEA
1938 photos of the Main Building, Sunny-side, and the West Hall Girl's Building from the Joan Hostetler Collection at The Indiana Album were posted June 12, 2019 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
Sixteen photos from Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanitarium search are similar to Indiana Album photos above at the Ball State Digital Media Repository.
Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium (Fort Wayne, Ind.) book titles but no previews as Google eBook
Named for Irene Byron, the land was a well known home to a large county-owned facility for tuberculosis patients between 1919 and 1976. One proposed move was to Wells Street. Byron Health Center move to old YWCA campus could boost sale of county land by Kevin Leininger published February 8, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
The original grounds on Lima Road had at least one graveyard. In 2020, the county hired American Locating Services of Indianapolis, to use ground-penetrating radar to look for caskets or bodies according to the newspaper article County to look for possible graves Commissioners hire surveyor to study Byron property by Rosa Salter Rodriguez published February 22, 2020 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. It also stated: The need for the study came a few months ago when a longtime area resident told county officials he remembered seeing a second graveyard on the site when he was a teenager in the 1960s to 1970s.
Collection # M 0384, OMB 0003 AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION OF INDIANA RECORDS, 1904–1980 shows Box 17, Folders 1-7, and OMB 0003, Folder 1 are for the Fort Wayne Irene Byron TB Sanitorium or Allen Co. TB Assoc. at the Indiana Historical Society.
Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium-Physician Residences, also known as the Kidder and Draper-Sherwood Houses, were two historic homes located in Perry Township, Allen County, Indiana. They were designed by architect Charles R. Weatherhogg and built in 1934-1935 as housing for the medical director and head staff physician. Weatherhogg had earlier designed the sanatarium complex. The Kidder house was a two-story, Tudor Revival style frame dwelling with brick and stone cladding. The Draper-Sherwood House was a two-story, Colonial Revival style frame dwelling with one-story side wings. Surrounding the houses was a contributing formal landscape design. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004and delisted in 2013. Copied from Irene Byron Tuberculosis Sanatorium at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
See Inside Abandoned Indiana Hospital Before Its Demolished by Melissa Awesome, Published: April 13, 2022, has videos and photos.
Commissioners: Former Irene Byron site on Lima Road set to be sold after demolition by Jamie Duffy, posted: Jul 15, 2022 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

Irene Byron Health Center (1.2022) image taken January 1, 2022 from the Fort Wayne: Irene Byron Health Center series of photos by Daniel Baker on flickr.
Over 70 interior photos posted February 4, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
Another 80 photos taken in 2021 were posted February 4, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

7-minute video Byron Health Center last days presented by Andy Goodwin exclusive last pictures by Honor Rolls March 1, 2023 on YouTube.

24-minute video Abandoned building explore & demolition of County old TB Hospital by Honor Rolls December 18, 2022 on YouTube.
The Byron Healthcare Facility was established in this location in 1916 in Fort Wayne Indiana Allen County. It was an anti Tuberculosis unit. Evolved into a show case facility in the 1930s but fell on hard times until 1954 when the Allen County Home as it was called. In 1974 Allen County Health Center merged with Byron Health Care Center

Founded in 1892, closed August 31, 2014. Constructed some of the city’s most prominent buildings including the Embassy Theatre; the Fort Wayne Water Treatment Plant; the former Waterfield/Wolf & Dessauer/Lincoln Financial building now known as Citizens Square; North Side, Bishop Luers and Paul Harding high schools; projects at Trine University and the University of Saint Francis; the Mizpah Shrine; the (former) GTE building; and many buildings and expansions at and around St. Joseph, Lutheran and Parkview hospitals. From Irmscher built to last Contractor on Embassy, many major projects, closes by Linda Lipp published September 12, 2014 in Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly.

Irving & Blanche Pinkus House

January 26, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

The Irving & Blanche Pinkus House on Kensington Boulevard is the subject of this week’s Throwback Thursday post. This c. 1925 Streamline Moderne house has smooth stucco walls with three bands of trim, corner slider windows and a recessed entry with original door. The Austrian-born Mr. Pinkus was a vice-president of the Fort Wayne Tailoring Company.

Isaly Creamery

A January 13, 2020 post with a photo by Foellinger Foundation on Facebook stated: This photo was taken on January 13, 1955, before the demolition of Isaly's Creamery. Soon after, construction began on the existing Fort Wayne Newspaper building, where Helene R. Foellinger was owner and publisher from 1936 to 1980. Berry Cafe and Deluxe Glass are now Henry's Restaurant. #downtownfortwayne #history