Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Vandolah Nature Preserve

45 acres on 16151 Tother Road from Vandolah Nature Preserve - ACRES Land Trust on Facebook off Vandolah Road Street View photo from Google map

James and Rebecca Vandolah moved to the area in 1837, raising a large family on the homestead. The property remained in the family for four generations before the Vandolahs’ great-grandson, (Charles) Byron “Barney” Stellhorn, gifted the land to ACRES. Copied from Vandolah Nature Preserve at ACRES Land Trust. See Vandolah Family. An October 25, 2022 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. Vandolah Nature Preserve at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

VA, Veterans Hospital

More than 5,000 people came out for dedication ceremonies May 14, 1950, for the Veterans Administration Hospital at the corner of Lake Avenue and Randallia Drive. Speakers at the event included Maj. Gen. Carl R. Gray Jr., administrator of veterans affairs in Washington, D.C. “It is an abiding obligation that we must never lose sight of, that this hospital shall ever be devoted to the service of those men and women who offered themselves to the nation in her time of distress,” he said in his address, according to a story in The Journal Gazette the next day.VA Hospital dedicated in 1950 by Corey McMaken published March 31, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Van Orman Hotel

January 13, 1974 demolition profiled with images in Death of a Landmark in the February 1, 1974 the Dispatch on Wayne High School News in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library. 1974: Explosive demolitions of Van Orman, Keenan hotels by Corey McMaken published July 25, 2019 with photos and reprinted 1974 newspaper articles in The Journal Gazette newspaper archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

Venderly Bridge

August 18, 2009 IPFW Dedicates New Pedestrian Bridge on IPFW.edu. See photos of The Ron Venderly Family Pedestrian Bridge by American Galvanizers Association.

Vermilyea House

File:Vermilyea Inn closeup.jpg from Wikimedia Commons.org. See location on Google Maps

The Vermilyea Inn Historic District 003-021-70038 13501 Redding Drive for the Jesse Vermilyea House was signed onto the National Register of Historic Places on 10-20-2005 and nominated December 12, 2004 by the owner Todd Freeland for Indiana Register of Historic Places with its history on the nomation request. Built in 1839 by Jesse and Maria Vermilyea, deemed the most luxurious in the township and the center of social life in the settlement. It was an inn to canal travelers and a post office with Jesse Vermilyea as postmaster. An extensive history of the house and area begins on page 12 of the Vermilyea Family Places document by Carl Paker Vermilyea written in 2009. Formerly the location of the Vermilyea Cemetery.

1. The Vermilyea Inn Historic District on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia had the links to most of this information including the Vermilyea House blueprint and site drawing
2. The Vermilyea House web site
3. Vermilyea House a return to splendor 25 page booklet by Thomas E. Castalidi published May 21, 2004 by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage).
4. Vermilyea - The Maryland Settlement on The Wabash & Erie Canal Through Huntington County, Indiana by Terry Pepper.

Vera Bradley

Founded in Fort Wayne in 1982 makes handbags, purses, totes, luggage, stationary and accessories. www.verabradley.com, Facebook. Has a popular multil-day every April Vera Bradley Annual Sale from Visit Fort Wayne. Co-founder Barbara Bradley Baekgaard collaboratively designed The Bradley Hotel with Vera Bradley and Provenance, known for its collection of award-winning boutique hotels.

Vera Bradley Designs was established in 1982 by Pat Miller and Barbara Baekgaard and it quickly became an influential...

Posted by The History Center on Thursday, February 29, 2024

February 29, 2024 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Vera Bradley Designs was established in 1982 by Pat Miller and Barbara Baekgaard and it quickly became an influential new company, designing handbags, luggage, and other products in distinctive fabric designs that were marketed nationally. The company, named after Barbara’s mother, also created the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer, raising over $25 million for breast cancer research. The business grew quickly and moved to a headquarters on Production Road in 1987. An annual outlet sale at the Memorial Coliseum draws tens of thousands of visitors to Fort Wayne. After outgrowing their headquarters, they moved in 2012 to large new facility off of I-69 near the General Motors plant. In 2012, Vera Bradley donated several items to the Historical Society for use in our renovated gallery, “Allen County Innovation” (today called Innovation & Technology). This tote style bag in the Chanticleer pattern was first introduced in January 1998 and was retired in July 2002. The small wallet was made in the New Hope pattern and was produced by the company from January 2004 to July 2007. The last bag is the Alice handbag, in the Java Blue pattern which is a field of brown decorated with blue, teal and white floral designs. It closes securely with a kiss lock clasp. One of the company’s longest-lasting patterns, it launched in January 2006 and was carried in the line until November 2010. #sociallyhistory

Visit Fort Wayne

The Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the nonprofit organization whose purpose is to expand Fort Wayne's economy by attracting convention and leisure visitors. Has many blog posts about things to do in Fort Wayne.
927 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802 
Phone: (260) 424-3700 
Toll-free: (800) 767-7752 
Website: www.visitfortwayne.com
YouTubechannel.
Books list

Vodermark Mansion

Torn down after Vodermark Addition was built in the Pittsburg and Dubois area from May 24, 2013 post formerly onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

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