Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana Places

Fort Wayne Named Places

See our Fort Wayne Resources page or Forts of Fort Wayne page.

Fort Wayne History and How to See Fort Wayne on Foot: Walking Tours by Katherine D. published July 31, 2017 at Visit Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Time Periods by the News-Sentinel newspaper from their series I Remember Fort Wayne online tour of Summit City History and Fort Wayne 1910-1919: The Industrialization Era - News-Sentinel article by Blake Sebring

  1. Fort Wayne Government Access - City TV
  2. Over 5,000 City of Fort Wayne publications on Internet Archive
  3. 1968 publication The burgeoning interest in local history in Fort Wayne 1887-1894 by Potterf, Rex M; Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County; Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society
  4. Fort Wayne year book, 1906 by Fort Wayne (Ind.). Commercial Club has historical sketches and photos promoting Fort Wayne places
  5. Indiana. Fort Wayne scrapbook by Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
  6. Industrial survey of Fort Wayne, Indiana by Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce (Ind.)
  7. Report of Charles Mulford Robinson for Fort Wayne Civic Improvement Association by Robinson, Charles Mulford, 1869-1917; Fort Wayne Civic Improvement Association published in 1910

Forts of Fort Wayne on Wikipedia

Fort Wayne Bible College

800 West Rudisill Boulevard. Street View photo on Google Maps

Buildings of the Fort Wayne Campus by FW Alumni Center published June 16, 2014 on YouTube
This video is review of the Buildings of the Fort Wayne Campus of Fort Wayne Bible Training School/Fort Wayne Bible Institute/Fort Wayne Bible College/Summit Christian College and Taylor University Fort Wayne-five names for one institution. The dates given with the images are when the buildings were occupied, not when building was started.

  1. The Light Tower was the name of the yearbook of Fort Wayne Bible Training School (1928-1931), Fort Wayne Bible Institute (1932-1950) and Fort Wayne Bible College (1951-1972);The Vine was the name of the yearbook from 1973-1989, and Summit Christian College (1990-1992); Taylor University Fort Wayne continued naming the yearbook, The Vine (1993-2003); The Vine DVDs were produced in the years 2004, 2005, 2006; No yearbooks were produced in 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934, 2007 or 2008;The Horizon Line was the last yearbook, 2009; The 1956 dedicated to Professor Oliver E. Steiner in his memory; Elaine Perry, editor; Founded Theta Beta; Nurses Training course. Copied from the 1956 ebook below: Fort Wayne Bible College Light Tower Yearbook .
  2. Fort Wayne Bible College publications on Internet Archive.
  3. Fort Wayne Bible College-97 Years of Memories 1, Memories-2, Memories-3, Memories-4 on YouTube.

June 15, 2023 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

A significant chunk of local history will soon disappear when multiple buildings from the former Fort Wayne Bible College come down.
Demolition slated for former Fort Wayne Bible College; three dorms and Hausser Hall

August 6, 2023 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Over the past few weeks, the former Fort Wayne Bible Training School buildings were demolished at the corner of Rudisill and South Wayne. With its founding in the early 1900s, it was once stated that “Fort Wayne has every reason to be proud of this institution” as the school trained “men and women to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ to our world in need.” Today is the story of its founding.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the country was amid the Third Great Awakening, a historical period marked by religious activism in American history. This Awakening significantly influenced the development of colleges and universities across the country, including in Northeast Indiana. Many denominations began to build colleges and universities to train the next generation. What was once a world requiring frontier and pioneer skills was rapidly transforming due to the Second Industrial Revolution.

At the time, the area was seeing the founding of Huntington University by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Goshen College and Bluffton University by the Mennonite Church USA, and eventually Anderson University by the Church of God Ministries - Anderson, Indiana, and Indiana Wesleyan University by the Wesleyan Church. The Missionary Church, headquartered in Fort Wayne, decided to establish a bible training institute for missionaries, purchasing a four-acre grove on South Wayne for $1,800 in 1904. Initially known as the Fort Wayne Bible Training Institute, this school was developed to train missionaries.

While the first commencement occurred in 1909, the Institute sent missionaries to far-off places such as India as early as 1906. Schultz Hall was built in 1905, with Bethany Hall in 1930 to support this rapidly growing school. By 1946 the campus expanded South with a $60,000 purchase of the additional property. While the names changed over time, in 1992, the then Summit Christian College became Taylor University, Fort Wayne. In 2009, the campus officially closed its doors.

Fort Wayne Bible College Alumni and Attendees

Fort Wayne Box Company

The former box company built in 1904 was located on the northwest corner of Superior and Calhoun Streets. It produced cardboard art and business calendars, wood and glass souvenirs, leather goods, signs, and novelties. In 1910 the company bought out the Fort Wayne Engraving Company and moved its operations into the building. Graphic Packaging was the last owner to utilize the building before closing it in 2010. It is currently being converted into apartments called the Superior Lofts.

July 12, 2023 post by Genealogy Center on Facebook:

It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at these Fort Wayne then and now photos, courtesy of the Daniel A. Baker collection from our Community Album. The first photo shows the Fort Wayne Box Co. circa 1913. It was later known as Wayne Box and Printing; Container Corp of America, Smurfit-Stone Container, Altivity Packaging, and Graphic Packaging. The second photo shows the former Fort Wayne Box Company undergoing renovation into apartments called Superior Lofts in 2017.

View these images and more in our Community Album: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/

Fort Wayne Breweries

See Breweries in Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne Building Loan Fund & Savings Association

First of many associations in late 19th century Fort Wayne. After 25 years loaning money to build around 2,000 homes in Fort Wayne for Pennsylvania Shop railroad employees was disbanded in 1905. See July 30, 1905 article in The Journal Gazette newspaper published July 30, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce

See History of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, Allen County, Indiana on The Genealogy Center.

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Fort Wayne Childrens Home

Also known as the Reformed Orphans Home, 2525 Lake Avenue, now Crossroad Child & Family Services at 1825 Beacon Street.

The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana has a Fort Wayne Children's Home / Crossroad history 1880s-1950s by G. Benge on their Members Only section.

See our Crossroad Child & Family Services section.

September 29, 2022 post by Crossroad Child & Family Services on Facebook:

A photo from their archives labeled Children and staff from the Fort Wayne Children's Home pose for a group picture in the winter of 1920 was posted

January 19, 2023 post by Crossroad Child & Family Services on Facebook:

#TBT from the #CrossroadArchives: In this clipping from the Fort Wayne News Sentinel in March 1945, Richard Sunderman, the new head of the Fort Wayne Childrens Home and his wife (known as the matron of the home), were officially installed. The text of the article is as follows:

"Pictured above at left are Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Sunderman, newly-chosen superintendent and matron of the Fort Wayne Children's Home of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, who were installed Sunday evening at St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church.

"Others, starting from third from left, are Dr. John W. Myers, St. John's Church; Dr. Karl Koepke, Salem Church; the Rev. John W. Heistand, Wadsworth, O[hio], and the Rev. B. E. Reemsnyder, Grace Church; Dr. Koepke gave the charge to Mr. and Mrs. Sunderman. A reception followed the installation.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sunderman came to Fort Wayne from Wadsworth, O[hio]. Mr Sunderman is a graduate of the University of Michigan and for 20 years taught at Wadsworth High School and more recently was municipal director of recreation there.

"Mrs. Sunderman has been active in church women's work for the last 15 years. For several years she served as the president of Akron Region Women's Guild, as well as president of the guild in the Wadsworth Trinity Church. She was organist of Trinity Church for six years and is a member of the American Guild of Organists. She was active in the Federated Women's Clubs and served as a member of the of the Medina, O[hio] county YWCA.

"The Sundermans have two children, Elizabeth, 12, and Duane, 17, a senior at North Side High School. Both have been active in music groups and Duane is a member of the North Side High School Band."

  1. A Genealogy.com question: Allen County Children's Home in the 1940's and 1950's By Jennifer Phillips December 20, 2003 at 09:17:22 I am looking for information on the Allen County Children's Home that was torn down. I am trying to get original records from the late 1940's and early 1950's. My father and his siblings were residents there until their father came and got them out. My father remembers them taking a photo of him and his siblings. This is the only photo that exists of my father and his brothers and sisters. Shortly after their father got them out of the children's home one of his sisters died. I would love to be able to get that photo for my Dad. I would truly appreciate any help.
  2. On the Indiana Genealogical Society Blog a September 27, 2012 post Information Sought On Allen County Children's Home in Fort Wayne Author Dean Jensen is seeking information about the Allen County Children's Home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In particular, he wants to gain a sense of what the children's daily lives were like (schooling, play, jobs), as well as the layout of the grounds and what it looked like inside and out. Information from anyone who has knowledge of what the institution was like - including janitors, kitchen helpers and groundskeepers - would be appreciated, particularly from the years 1929-1932.
  3. A photo of the home was discussed March 23, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  4. Pity the Poor Orphan: Children's Homes in America July 29, 2017 event by the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  5. See Allen County Children's Home, Allen County Orphan Home, Allen County Poor Farm, Crossroad Child & Family Services, Fort Wayne Developmental Center, Reformed Orphans Home, and St. Vincent Villa Catholic Orphanage.

Fort Wayne City County Building

See our City-County Buidling section.

Fort Wayne City Hall

See Old City Hall. Designed by Marshall S. Mahurin.

Fort Wayne City Hospital

Opened October 31, 1878 evolving into Parkview Regional Meidcal Center shown in the 2012 PBS39 documentary video. See Parkview section.

Fort Wayne Civic Theater

April 21, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

Did you know that our digital collections include Fort Wayne Civic Theater programs? The Fort Wayne Civic Theatre has located and archived over 600 program books from seasons dating back to 1933. The archive contains a nearly* complete history of program books from the 1943-1944 season forward, with thirty-five books from various seasons dating back to 1933. A complete list of productions by season can be found at fwcivic.org.

Established in 1927, the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre has performed over 700 productions and remains one of the region’s most popular downtown entertainment destinations.

View the collection here: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/.../collection/FWCT/search

Fort Wayne State Developmental Center

Aka Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth. 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 12,162 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 Other Indiana Hospitals for the Mentally Ill and Developmentally Disabled at the Indiana Archives. See also Fort Wayne State Hospital & Training Center aka Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth Cemetery. The name change was discussed around the 1:22 minute mark and closed April 18, 2007 (1:46 minute mark) when the last resident left during Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels administration, 2005 to 2013, from the 1:43 minute mark of The Forgotten PBS documentary.

Fort Wayne Developmental Center on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

See also Allen County Children's Home, Allen County Orphan Home, Allen County Poor Farm, Fort Wayne Children's Home, and St. Vincent Villa Catholic Orphanage.

February 7, 2023 post by Indiana Archives and Records Administration on Facebook:

Please welcome our first ever shared intern!

Sam is working on an extensive project to get the physical and digital records of the Fort Wayne State Developmental Center building sites converted and transferred to the Archives.

We are excited to have her on board!

#BallState #Intern #Indiana #Archives

Fort Wayne Dump

There were many dumps around Fort Wayne. Some were discussed March 17, 2015 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

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Fort Wayne Electric Light, Coroporation, and Works

The Fort Wayne Electric Light Co. was incorporated in 1881 to sell a dynamo and arc lamps patented by James Jenney. Ronald T. McDonald was the founder and president of this company. From History of Meter Companies and Fort Wayne Electric (1881-1915) at watthourmeters.com.

  1. The officers of the new company, the Fort Wayne Electric Works, organized in May, 1899, were: Henry C. Paul, president; S. D. Green, vice-president; M. F. Westover, secretary, and Fred S. Hunting, treasurer and sales manager, while Mr. Wood continued his services as factory manager and chief electrician. From Fort Wayne Electric Works on VintageMachinery.org. The Fort Wayne lamp works of the Edison Lamp Works of General Electric was opened in September 1906.
  2. Several photos and a brief history on Fort Wayne on LampTech.com/uk.
  3. A Fort Wayne 12" Antique Desk Fan is discussed at Vintage Fans.com made by General Electric for FWEW .
  4. Photo and discussion September 29, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

See General Electric and Electric Works for more information.

The Fort Wayne Electric Corporation-The Wood Dynamos-(See page 219) Scientific American Volume 71 Number 14 (October 1894) Publication date 1894-10-06 on Archive.org.

Fort Wayne Electric meters

Photos of similar Fort Wayne Electric Corporation amp meter and Fort Wayne Electric Works volt meter posted April 18, 2024 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

Fort Wayne Farmers Market

McCulloch Park, 285 West Douglas Street, http://ftwaynesfarmersmarket.com, Ft. Wayne's Farmers Market on Facebook. Fort Wayne Farmers Market makes McCulloch Park home for summer 2021 ahead of permanent move by Corinne Moore posted: Mar 25, 2021, updated: Mar 25, 2021 at CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15. 10 Years of Fort Wayne's Farmers Market Updated: Sep. 20, 2022 on 21AliveNews.com. FORT WAYNE FARMERS MARKETS by Visit Fort Wayne. See also Barr Street Market, YLNI Farmers Market, Southside Market, and Fort Wayne’s Farmers Markets at Visit Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne Federal Building

See E. Ross Adair Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

Fort Wayne Female College

Stone marker shown below is on Thieme Drive along the river close to Wayne Street. Street View photo from Google maps.

Old M.E. College plaque
Unknown photographer of this image found online.

Established in 1846 as The Fort Wayne Female College on grounds donated by Wm. Rockhill. In 1855 it consolidated with the Fort Wayne Collegiate Institute for Young Men and was called the M.E. (Methodist) College. In 1890 the college grounds were deeded to Taylor University, and in 1893 it moved to Upland, Indiana home of Taylor University. Erected by the M.E. College Association - 1936.

Site of the Fort Wayne College Better known as the old M.E. College  at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org.

Fort Wayne Methodist College by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage).

The Fort Wayne Methodist College by Tom Castaldi posted September 5, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog.

  1. A short historical tour of central Fort Wayne by Nancy McCammon-Hansen June 28, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog.
  2. Fort Wayne Female College to Taylor University by Shirley Slater, Allen County Lines newsletter from the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana, June 2013, Volume 37, Number 4, page 97.
  3. 1864 photo posted May 12, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook appears to be a screenshot of the Indiana Album image on the Methodist College section.

March 3, 2015 post by West Central Neighborhood on Facebook:

I located this 1876 map. It looks like Wayne Street ended at the Methodist College, so I wonder if Wayne was a two-way street at that time or one had to come around in front of the College and head east on Wayne. So fascinating!

 

This zoomable 1876 map is available on our Map page.

This map shows why the 1936 memorial stone is on Thieme Drive along the St. Marys River.

Fort Wayne Fire Department

Fort Wayne Gas Works

In the era of gas lighting, Fort Wayne Gas Works, located on the site of today’s Hall’s Gas House restaurant on Superior Street between Barr and Lafayette streets, was the central public utilities operation in Fort Wayne. Copied from Under the Gas Lights by Tom Castaldi published May 23, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog. For more see Old Gas House.

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Fort Wayne Housing Authority

The Fort Wayne Experiment discussed on pages 36-37 in The prefabrication of houses
by Albert Farwell Bemis Foundation; Kelly, Burnham Publication date 1951

During the Great Depression in the late 1930s prefabricated plywood-panel homes were built with WPA labor at the rate of one-a-day! One reference is labeled "Fifty Plywood-Panel Houses Built at Rate of One a Day," Architectural Record, LXXXV (March, 1939), 38–40 (this contains excellent photographs of the housing, examples of which appear on pages 362 and 363) from Fort Wayne and the Great Depression: The New Deal Years, 1933–1940 Iwan Morgan on Indiana Magazine of History, Volume 80, Issue 4, pp 348-378. There are photos on page 362 and 363 of their pdf download file or view the pdf here. These homes were discussed May 3, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. Similar Tiny Houses also known as Tin Village barracks were built after World War II for returning war veterans.

Fort Wayne Manhole Covers

#FunFactFriday Being an organization that preserves architectural and cultural history, we keep a library of everything...

Posted by ARCH, Inc. on Friday, September 8, 2017

Friday, September 8, 2017 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

#FunFactFriday Being an organization that preserves architectural and cultural history, we keep a library of everything from blueprints, newspaper articles, and neat gems like this study done on manhole covers of Fort Wayne! "Manhole Covers of Fort Wayne, Indiana" was published in 1988 by Kathryn Moore. It includes illustrations of local manhole covers, information about their origins, and poems that highlight their often forgotten historic significance! #history #fortwayne #preservation

Manhole Covers of Ft. Wayne - a 128 page book by Kathryn Moore published in 1988 available on Google books was a FunFactFriday Facebook post on September 8, 2017 by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)

Fort Wayne Methodist College

See Methodist College.

Fort Wayne Municipal Beach

See the Fort Wayne Municipal Beach page.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art

311 East Main Street, Street View photo from Google maps with over 1,000 photos

Website: https://fwmoa.org/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fwmoa

Though the Fort Wayne Museum of Art had been around for many years, it moved to its current home in 1984 after a two-year, $4 million construction project that created a 39,000-square-foot building. The museum moved to its new structure on Main Street from the B. Paul Mossman mansion, 1202 W. Wayne St., which is now the home of Castle Gallery Fine Art. The new building had about five times more floor space and a 108-seat auditorium. Copied from 1982 to 1984: Fort Wayne Museum of Art construction, opening Corey McMaken June 23, 2019 Updated Jun 6, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Fort Wayne National Bank

110 West Berry Street Street View photo from Google Maps

Descendant bank of 1835 opening of the State Bank of Indiana. September 17, 1969: Construction underway on the Fort Wayne National Bank Building (now known as PNC Center) downtown. The Lincoln Bank Tower was previously the tallest building in Fort Wayne and had been the tallest in Indiana until 1968. The Fort Wayne National Bank Building (now known as PNC Center) was Fort Wayne's tallest from 1970 to 1982 when the building now known as the Indiana Michigan Power Center opened. Throwback Thursday: Construction of Fort Wayne National Bank Building, 1969 Corey McMaken Dec 13, 2018 Updated Jun 6, 2022 The Journal Gazette newspaper. Ten Years of Progress 1933 to 1943, Fort Wayne National Bank, Fort Wayne, Indiana at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

August 25, 2022 post by The History Centeron Facebook:

Financial security and prosperity have long been sought by the people that call Fort Wayne home. From 1794 until 1835, our city did not have an established banking institution, primarily relying on banks in the more populous Ohio River Valley and Eastern States. With the creation of the State Bank of Indiana in 1833, this all changed and the Fort Wayne branch of the bank was officially established on August 25, 1835, exactly 187 years ago today. The list of principals who organized the bank reads like a “who’s who” of prominent men of the era: Allen Hamilton (president), Hugh McCulloch (cashier) and directors William Rockhill, Asa Fairfield, Jesse Vermilyea, Francis Comparet and William G. Ewing, among others. This branch operated until the charter of the bank was revoked in 1859 and the state allowed the creation of the privately held Second Bank of Indiana, which took over local operations. This bank operated in Fort Wayne until 1865 when it merged with another local bank, which in 1885 changed its named to Old National Bank. In 1863, First National Bank was the first bank in Indiana to receive a charter under the new national banking system, through several events Fort Wayne’s first banks and this second would join together and be important institutions in our community. In 1905, First National consolidated with White National Bank and in 1917 with Hamilton National Bank. Now known as First and Hamilton National Bank, the institution merged with Old National and became Old-First National Bank. In 1933, Old-First National closed in March, but was reorganized and reopened in October as the new Fort Wayne National Bank. Fort Wayne National operated as an independent banking institution until its acquisition by National City Bank in 1998. Through its most recent incarnation, it continues to serve the citizens of Fort Wayne & Allen County as PNC. ts most recent incarnation, it continues to serve the citizens of Fort Wayne & Allen County as PNC. #sociallyhistory

June 25, 2015 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

Throwback Thursday from the H & D Scrapbook. On November 2, 1966 ground was broken for the 26 story Fort Wayne National Bank Building, by the way.... Hofer and Davis, Inc. provided the boundary and topographic survey for FWNB!

January 27, 2022 post by The Journal Gazette on Facebook:

HISTORY JOURNAL Fort Wayne National Bank building (now PNC Center) opened in 1970 and surpassed Lincoln Bank Tower as the tallest building in Fort Wayne. It held that title until 1982. Construction on the building is seen in these photos. See more: Bank building became city's tallest in 1970

#fortwayne #indiana #skyline #construction #buildings #history

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Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Shop

Website: https://www.fwoutfitters.com/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fwoutfitters.

Cass Street depot home to Fort Wayne Outfitters Rod King Dec 7, 2007 at KPCNews.com.

1004 Cass Street, Street View photo from Google Maps

November 12, 2017 post by Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society on Facebook:

It's pretty incredible what a few passionate citizens can accomplish. 45 years ago this weekend, our organization was officially formed with the goal of restoring and operating a historic steam locomotive on display in Downtown Fort Wayne. In two years, the engine would be removed from Lawton Park and by 1979, it would become the living, breathing time machine we all know and love today. Not bad for a bunch of dreamers. [Depot is shown in a September 1974 photo when the old New York Central line railroad tracks were still in front of the station! It was the first passenger station in Fort Wayne and briefly known as "Union Station."]

August 15, 2019 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

For "Throwback Thursday" we share this picture of the old Depot. It is located across the street from last weeks LAKE SHORE HOTEL at the corner of Wells and Cass Streets. It is still in existence and used by Fort Wayne Outfitters, owned by Hall's Drive-Ins, Inc. right across from Promenade Park. BTW...Hofer and Davis, Inc. surveyed the depot for Bud Hall from Hall's Drive-Ins, Inc.

Fort Wayne Paper Box Company

Northwest corner of Superior and Calhoun. Founded as Fort Wayne Paper Box Company by Andrew Burry and Joel Welty in 1897 and incorporated the next year (1898) as Wayne Paper Box & Printing, it would later become Wayne Paper Box Corp. The company made a variety of paper products including folding corrugated boxes, gift boxes, mailing tubes, stationary, calendars and even postcards (many of which depicted Fort Wayne scenes). The building was constructed in two phases with the first phase at the corner in 1904 and the section to the west of that in 1923. Reborn as Superior Lofts.

Fort Wayne Paper Mill

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.

Page 476, Activities of 1864

A mill for the manufacture of "print" paper, and a better quality of paper for book printing, was established by the Fort Wayne Paper Company, composed of Messrs. Freeman, Bard and Dublinski. A. G. Barnett became interested in the venture in 1867. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1871 and was not rebuilt. The mill was located about five miles north of Fort Wayne on the right bank of the St. Joseph river. It was operated by water power.

Page 615, St. Joseph Township

However, in 1835 the inevitable "first saw mill" was built by Klinger and Comparet, on Becket's Run from which stream the power was derived. Six years afterwards, in 1841, Henry Rudisill built the first steam saw mill on the St. Joseph river, and after that, indefatigable mill builder that he was, added a second story to the building and conducted a carding mill there. At the death of Mr. Rudisill the property passed to his son-in-law, N. B. Freeman, who continued the business until 1866, when with two partners he built a dam and erected a paper mill about four miles up the river, and devoted his energies to the newer enterprise. The paper mill was completely destroyed by fire in 1871, but in spite of very heavy loss, it was immediately rebuilt on a larger scale and continued its successful career. In all these ventures, the settlers bore a part, for they were laborers in the building and operation of these mills, and without their participation in many occupations other than clearing and farming, many fine things had gone undone.


Randy Harter image

A September 20, 2022 post with photos of the bridge remnants by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authoron True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook is copied below. See Google map of Paper Mill Bluff and former bridge area on Upper St. Joe Center Road:

The Fort Wayne Paper Mill As you drive east from North Clinton on Washington Center Road, on the right you will pass the Paper Mill Bluffs housing addition and the Paper Mill Office Park. At first blush you may think it’s another one of those corny names that builders give housing additions a’la the “Falls At Beaver Creek”. Hummmm?

But you are actually headed down the hill towards where the old Fort Wayne Paper Mill operated on the St. Joe River from 1866 until 1889. The paper mill sat the equivalent of about a couple city blocks up the river to the north of the current 1963 concrete Paper Mill Bridge on Washington Center/St. Joe Center Roads. While I’ve not run across any images of the paper mill or its dam, we know from newspaper accounts that there were two buildings along the river that were each two stories high, one was 25’ x 80’ and the other 40’ x 60’, as well as a residence being there. One of these large buildings would have been connected to the water wheel in the river that powered the mill’s machinery. The paper produced at the mill was made, initially at least (as most paper mills did of that era) from linen and cotton rags. The company ran advertisements in the local papers that they had a buying office for rags and a sales office for paper at 51 East Columbia Street. With the new street numbering system the city had put in place in 1902 that would put their offices in the block where Freimann Square is today. In the mill’s first year of operation the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette touted that it was now being printed on Fort Wayne Paper Mill paper, and so no longer had to get their paper from Cleveland or Dayton; however it appears the most of the paper manufactured at the mill was brown Kraft type butcher wrapping paper which they supplied to local stores and markets from their offices on Columbia Street. The mill appears to have been a success and in April of 1880 communicated to the Fort Wayne Daily News that they had set a new record of producing 2542 lbs. of paper in a single day.

Prior to our current 1963 concrete bridge (since widened) there was an iron bridge over the river per the attached pictures. However, as you can see from the aerial photographs it was not lined up with Washington Center/St. Joe Center Roads as ours is today. You can see that Washington Center Road had a one block jog north and then crossed the iron bridge and then angled back south to link up with St. Joe Center Road on the other side of the river. Before the iron bridge there had been a wooden suspension bridge at that location that had been built in 1872 and that then collapsed in 1882 necessitating the pictured iron bridge being built in 1883. Today as you drive back west across the new bridge if you look to your right you can see the old stone bridge abutment about a city block north on the west side of the river.

The paper mill dam, just north of the mill, ran all the way across the St. Joe River and it was frequently reported in the paper that it was once again needing repairs or had partially washed away. Additionally, in 1881 an entirely new dam had to be constructed across the river as the winter ice and high spring waters had so badly damaged the old one. I would imagine with equipment of that time that this would have been no mean feat. Yet, despite a new dam being built it also had a number of large breaks over the ensuing years including a 75’ gap torn in the dam in March of 1897. I was unable to find reference as to when the last of the dam finally disappeared.

In 1877 wealthy Fort Wayne industrialist William Fleming gained control of the eleven year old paper mill and operated it for twelve years before closing it in 1889 and selling all of the equipment to a new mill being built in Hartford City in which he was a major stockholder. Thus, the 23 year run of the Fort Wayne Paper Mill came to an end. However for a number of years after the demise of the mill, articles continued to appear in the local papers about social events and the great fishing around “picturesque” paper mill dam. 

February 12, 2023 ten photos were posted by Roger Bireley taken along the river where the paper mill and road were located on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

BridgeHunter page for Paper Mill Bridge states: Built ca.1882 by the Morse Bridge Company; removed sometime after a new bridge was built to the South in 1963. Also called: Upper St Joe Center Road Bridge.

The new bridge was built in 1962 from ST JOSEPH CENTER R over ST JOSEPH RIVER on BridgeReports.com.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: February 28 in photos at The News-Sentinel newspaperphoto:

News-Sentinel This Day in History: February 28 in photos

1936 - Ice jammed the St. Joseph River on Feb. 28, 1936, threatening the structure of the Paper Mill Bridge. The old iron bridge was limited to one lane of traffic, and the approach from the west includes a sharp dogleg in Washington Center Road. A new bridge was built to replace this one, connecting Washington Center and St. Joe Center roads and straightening out the traffic hazard. The new bridge was officially opened to traffic Dec. 4, 1963.

Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation

See our separate page Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation.

Fort Wayne Philharmonic

826 Ewing Street Street View photo from Google Maps

April 2, 2013 A History of The Phil by History Center Notes & Queries blog.

I Am the American Flag

As the Fourth of July Holiday approaches, the Philharmonic’s Musicians, Staff, and Youth Orchestra Students are thinking of you. While we are not able to gather together this year, we wanted to offer you this moving piece by Indianapolis based composer Jim Beckel Music - Composer. Using the composer’s at home recording we created a special patriotic video incorporating local area imagery obtained in cooperation with The History Center, The US National Archives, local photographers Ray Steup, John McGauley and Allen County Public Library Community Album. Narration is provided by Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Orchestras members. We hope you enjoy “I am the American Flag.”

Posted by Fort Wayne Philharmonic on Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Wednesday, July 1, 2020 post by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic on Facebook:

As the Fourth of July Holiday approaches, the Philharmonic’s Musicians, Staff, and Youth Orchestra Students are thinking of you. While we are not able to gather together this year, we wanted to offer you this moving piece by Indianapolis based composer Jim Beckel Music - Composer. Using the composer’s at home recording we created a special patriotic video incorporating local area imagery obtained in cooperation with The History Center, The US National Archives, local photographers Ray Steup, John McGauley and Allen County Public Library Community Album. Narration is provided by Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Orchestras members.

We hope you enjoy “I am the American Flag.”

We're excited to announce plans for a new home downtown! 🌟 Today, we turn a new chapter as we prepare to embark on our...

Posted by Fort Wayne Philharmonic on Monday, June 24, 2024

Monday, June 24, 2024 post by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic on Facebook:

We're excited to announce plans for a new home downtown! 🌟 Today, we turn a new chapter as we prepare to embark on our 82nd season, marking a vibrant new era for our beloved orchestra.

We are thrilled to announce the purchase of our new home, 826 Ewing Street, right here in the heart of downtown. Our new home will be more than just a physical space—it will be a dynamic hub for the arts, nestled within the expanding arts corridor of our growing downtown landscape.

Check out the story from the announcement earlier today >> University of Saint Francis announces future of Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center

Ferguson teamed up with University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne, IN , Chuck and Lisa Surack, and Fort Wayne...

Posted by Ferguson on Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 post by Ferguson on Facebook:

Ferguson teamed up with University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne, IN , Chuck and Lisa Surack, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic to announce a new chapter for the arts in downtown Fort Wayne. A permanent new home for the Phil is coming soon! 🏛️🎶

The Fort Wayne Philharmonic announced Monday they will be moving to a new home downtown. The plan is to repurpose a...

Posted by 89.1 WBOI on Thursday, June 27, 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024 post by 89.1 WBOI on Facebook:

The Fort Wayne Philharmonic announced Monday they will be moving to a new home downtown. The plan is to repurpose a downtown building once owned by the University of St. Francis.

To learn more about the move, check out the full story by WBOI's Ella Abbott.

Fort Wayne Philharmonic to establish downtown home

Fort Wayne Post Office

Fort Wayne Post Office 1889 – 1932 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublished October 5, 2018 in Fort Wayne Reader .

Fort Wayne Printing Building

Ca. 1911, 114 W. Washington Blvd. was added to the National Historic Register in 1988 and to the Local Historic Register in 1989. See Fort Wayne Printing Building history with photos and timeline on midtowncrossing.net.

Fort Wayne Reader

Independent newspaper which often had interesting history articles stopped publication in December 2018. Their Archive page shows 344 issues were posted at www.fortwaynereader.com. The Wayback Machine has several pages: calendar of monthly site searches since January 10, 2004 through December 2018, as urls captured for this domain, Randy Harter history articles and a details page shows 4,999 urls.

Fort Wayne Speedway

The Fort Wayne Speedway posted Sep 19, 2022 by WANE 15 News on YouTube
The Fort Wayne Speedway built in 1928 was once one of the most vaunted tracks in the country, Ethan Dahlen. Nine deaths from danger of racing is one reason it closed from the book BIG TRACK LITTLE TRACK by J Daniel Heath (Author), Kenny Barr (Foreword) at Amazon.com. An informative historical account of two legendary speedways in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A five-eighths mile high banked "big track" that existed from 1930 until 1964 and a three-eighths mile "little track" that existed from 1951 until 1964. This book describes the events and people that made up the Fort Wayne Speedway and South Anthony Speedway. [September 2023]
The Fort Wayne Speedway built in 1928 was once one of the most vaunted tracks in the country, Ethan Dahlen. From ‘Man killer’: Remembering Fort Wayne’s forgotten speedway by: Ethan Dahlen Posted: Sep 19, 2022, Updated: Sep 20, 2022 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

Was built in 1928 by Frank Funk on farmland along the dirt California Road north of where Glenbrook Square on Coliseum Boulevard is today.

1928 - FORT WAYNE SPEEDWAY with several photos on speedwayandroadracehistory.com states: Fort Wayne speedway was built in 1928 by Frank Funk within the local Fairgrounds, Funk also built Winchester Speedway and Dayton Speedway as well as others, The Fort Wayne track was described as high banked, fast and treacherous, The track was 5/8th of a mile in length.

In 1946 two further tracks were added inside the 5/8th mile oval, these tracks were concidered by some as the fastest dirt oval tracks around, The 1/2 mile track utilized both straights but had shorter corners, while the 1/4 mile Midget track utilized part of the front sraight only.

The track surface was not kind to the drivers with many dips and hollows across its width and length, The outer safety rails were very low and cars would often launch out of the arena. The Fairgrounds closed in 1964 and the land was sold off to become Industrial land.

  1. 1955 Ft. Wayne Speedway ticket
    Fort Wayne Speedway Advertisement - 1955 posted November 19, 2024 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  2. October 2, 1960 photos and story "On This Day"... forgotten Fort Wayne Speedway lives on posted October 2, 2015 ARCAracing.com now on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
  3. Fort Wayne Speedway Google search results.
  4. Fort Wayne Speedway-Go Karts, 4550 Speedway Drive, is in the same general area. Website: https://fwspeedway.wixsite.com/mysite, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fwspeedway.
  5. Long description of local racetracks includes Fort Wayne Speedway in a comment dated 8/31/09 on indianaopenwheel.com.
  6. April 1, 2015 posted Fort Wayne Speedway 1949 five photo album Thanks Claude Bell on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  7. Forgotten Fort Wayne Speedway September 23 2019 on imgur.com.
  8. Forgotten Fort Wayne Speedway and the History Behind it on Reddit.com.
  9. Merkler Machine built cars from scratch. The road behind Halls Hollywood is called Merkler St. from a comment December 24, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. Glenn “Pee Wee” Northern in the #4042 Merkler Special has several photos at various speedways on Kansas Racing History. Merkler Spl. Machine Works Ft. Wayne, Ind. is the PHOTO OF THE DAY Thursday, July 19, 2020 Jackie Holmes looks a little dejected sitting in Franklin Merkler’s Frank Kurtis built 1953 Indy entry number 71 after he couldn’t qualify the car. posted July 9, 2022 on American Hot Rod Foundation on Facebook.
  10. AAA Dirt car Researcher Project on Facebook has several Fort Wayne Speedway discussions.
  11. February 28, 2023 post by Ron Verash on Facebook, showing the Fort Wayne Speedway then shared February 28, 2023 on Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group:

    Still cool to see this at the Hall's in Fort Wayne off Lima Road. To think that track is about where the Hall's is at... alot of Memories way back then.

    Hall's Hollywood Drive-In on Facebook:

    4416 Lima Road, The fabulous 50's live on forever at Hall's Hollywood! Located right next to the Roller Dome North, www.facebook.com/HallsHollywood

  12. Photos and more on Some History About Former Fort Wayne Speedway "A place called Fort Wayne Speedway operated on the north side of Fort Wayne just north of what is now Coliseum Boulevard and Glenbrook Square mall at KPC.news. It's now a place adjacent to a Putt Putt where little kids go to drive (very) small vehicles. The track was built in 1928 by Frank Funk, who also built other racetracks, including the former Jungle Park at Rockville and the Winchester Speedway, still operating. When the Fort Wayne Speedway was built in 1928, the area was farmland; it remained so for most of the track's existence. Coliseum Boulevard was California Road -- a dirt road then -- and neighboring farmers probably constituted what little traffic there was. From 1951 to 1964, another race track broke the silence on the south side of town. South Anthony Speedway ran two nights a week on a 3/8-mile asphalt oval. The homes in Victoria Park are in that spot now. Race tracks may come and go, but people's memories of them do not fade. The Fort Wayne Speedway especially is remembered for its track, which was said to be the highest-banked and fastest 5/8-mile track in the world."

  13. "On This Day"... forgotten Fort Wayne Speedway lives on by Don Radebaugh published October 2, 2015 on ARA Racing Series.
  14. Similar photos were posted and discussed December 7, 2017 and 1957 aerial photos were posted December 10, 2017 with a 1938 map thru present maps timelapse video by Scott Krumwiede in Comments to Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and author
  15. Ft Wayne Big Track_Title01.flv by Kevin Allgire uploaded May 7, 2011 on YouTube
    This video is from The former Fort Wayne,Indiana Speedway and the former South Anthony Speedway(Fort Wayne,IN.). A Big Thank-You goes out to former racer and Founder of The Northeastern Indiana Racing Museum(Auburn,IN.) Paul Ladd for supplying this video so I could post it on Youtube. Also there's no sound.

Fort Wayne Sports

Birthplace for some surprising sports history. History that resonates even today. We love sports. We love our teams: Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Fort Wayne Komets, Fort Wayne TinCaps. We are a true sports city. Copied from the April 28, 2017 post on Fort Wayne Magazineon Facebook. See their article Team Spirit Fort Wayne is rich in sports history by Jeff Wiehe published April 28th, 2017 in Fort Wayne Magazine. Video below is a look at Fort Wayne Sports History by Chris Treft for his photo journalism class at IPFW.

The Top Ten of Fort Wayne Sports History Photo Story published July 20, 2014 by Chris Treft on YouTube
A top ten list of things Fort Wayne Sports History has produced all time. This is in the form of a photo story with all pictures taken by myself, Chris Treft. This project was completed for my photo journalism class at IPFW.

April 14, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

Just for fun. These are not in the book. Wonder how many afternoons at work I just ruined! LOL

See Blake Sebring.

Fort Wayne Sports Club

Web site: www.fortwaynesportclub.com, since 1927, see Fort Wayne Sport Club celebrates 90 years with video by Sam Bauman published Mary 13, 2017 on 21AliveNews.com. Fort Wayne Sports Corp. stopping operation Group helped bring in numerous events over 27 years by Blake Sebring was published September 14, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Fort Wayne Theaters

See local Theaters such as the Broadway Theatre, Clyde Theatre, Embassy Theatre, Holiday Theater, Jefferson Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Majestic Theatre, Palace Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Rialto Theatre, and Strand Theatre. Theatre versus Theater trivia. Some say the spelling Theatre refers to a focus on live performances while Theater refers to the physical place. Others say it is the British spelling versus American spelling.

Fort Wayne Trails

Trails page has a current Map by the City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation.

Webpage https://fwtrails.org; Facebook: Fort Wayne Trails

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Trails on Facebook.

May 31, 2024 post by PBS Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Celebrate National Trails Day tomorrow with over 120 miles of trails in the Greater Fort Wayne Area!

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The City of Fort Wayne and Fort Wayne Trails invite the public to attend a public open-house to view...

Posted by Fort Wayne Trails on Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 post by Fort Wayne Trails on Facebook:

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The City of Fort Wayne and Fort Wayne Trails invite the public to attend a public open-house to view the concept for the Vann Family Crossing pedestrian bridge that will be constructed over Coliseum Boulevard/State Road 930. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 if additional funding is secured. The City is applying for a U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program grant. Community engagement is an important component of this federal grant, so the public’s participation is welcomed and appreciated.

Plans for the Pufferbelly Trail extension from Ice Way to Washington Center Road will also be presented. Work on the 1.7 mile extension will begin in August and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025. The extension is a segment of the 81-mile Poka-Bache Connector trail from Pokagon State Park in Angola to Ouabache State Park in Bluffton.

Fort Wayne Trolleys

See Public Transportation on our Railroad History of Fort Wayne page.

USS Fort Wayne

Ship ID-3786 - was a 6245 gross ton (12,260 tons displacement) freighter, built in 1918 by Baltimore Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Baltimore, Maryland; acquired by the Navy 27 December 1918 the last year of World War I; and commissioned as USS Fort Wayne (ID # 3786) the same day, Lieutenant Commander S. C. Fenn, USNRF, in command. After the war it became the SS Fort Wayne and scrapped in Japan in 1934. See photos and information on S.S. Fort Wayne (American Freighter, 1918) Served as USS Fort Wayne (ID # 3786) in 1918-1919 on the Naval Historical Center web site, and USS Fort Wayne (ID-3786) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Fort Wayne Windmill Company

(1903-1915) - see a photo of a restored historic windmill from J.K. Windmills of Hoagland, Indiana on their May 22, 2013 Facebook page for The Mid-America Windmill Museum in Kendallville, Indiana.

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