Ever wonder about the past lives of some of Fort Wayne's historic buildings?
Today, we're featuring the J.W. Kidd building at 1510 Fairfield Avenue.
The J.W. Kidd building was built in 1900, then owned and operated by, you guessed it, J.W. Kidd, as a medical mail-order business. In 1915, the business closed abruptly and was replaced by Boss Manufacturing Co. as a glove and mitten factory.
In the 60s, the building housed General Electric, which used it as a distribution center. Finally, from the mid-80s to the 2000s, 1510 Fairfield was home to Karen's Antique Mall.
Today, the J.W. Kidd building is undergoing renovations to house a wedding event center and a golf simulator, but its basement remains available for lease! The basement would be a great speakeasy, retro game lounge, nightclub, or tasting room!
As a building with some AWESOME history, who could turn down this unique opportunity?
View the exclusive listing from Sturges Property Group for more information:
Today, we continue our list of the top endangered properties in the Historic 07 District. The purpose of this list is to raise awareness of these incredible properties.
Residents of Fort Wayne may drive by and wonder a bit about the massive building at the corner of Pierce and Fairfield. This building, which more recently was one of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, was originally built for the First Church of Christ, Scientist Fort Wayne congregation. While this building is for sale, the story behind this structure is quite interesting. Read on for more.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, was founded in 1897, the original members being Mrs. M. L. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Woods, Miss Ora Shaver, and Miss Emma Rosenthal. Initially, the church was housed in a small Jewish synagogue until 1913. At that point, the church purchased the Charles McCulloch home at West Wayne and Ewing. Charles, a banker, was the son of Hugh McCulloch, who served as Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Chester A. Arthur.
Mary Baker Eddy founded the First Church of Christ, Scientist in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and the founder of Christian Science. The church was founded "to commemorate the word and works of Christ Jesus" and "reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing". In the late 1800s and early 1900s, this was one of the fastest-growing religions in the country. In Fort Wayne, the growth was similar.
In the mid 1920's, the local congregation was looking for a new location. In 1926, the church purchased land at the corner of Fairfield and Pierce. As you can see from the picture, this vast structure was built and finished in 1927. The building, built in the neoclassical style, followed the pattern of many other First Church of Christ, Scientist structures around the country. This church was designed by Howard Lovewell Cheney, who also designed Washington National Airport. Over the years, the building has changed hands and now sits empty and for sale. It's a beautiful structure with hopefully an opportunity to be revived soon.
At 2720 Fairfield Avenue sits a house built in 1904. The home recently underwent a five-month-long renovation, which included a new roof, kitchen, and HVAC system. Inside you’ll find beautiful original hardwood floors, an open staircase, and elegant windows overlooking a backyard.
At the top of that staircase, on the second floor, is a tree mural, covered with photos of past residents of 2720 Fairfield Avenue. This house is just one of six homes owned by Redemption House Ministries, a transitional housing program that serves as an alternative to incarceration, and the residents pictured in the mural are graduates of the program.
Placed there through court order or referral, most struggle with addiction and have a criminal record, but through structured, faith-based programming, Redemption House is helping these women get back on their feet.
Founder and CEO Tomi Cardin designed the programming for Redemption House based on her experience and connections made from working within the prison system as a volunteer jail chaplain.
“It wasn’t something that I desired to do, I kind of stumbled across it through an invitation from my pastor’s wife to do a chapel service there,” she says. “I had what they call a lightbulb moment during the service. I just knew something in me came alive.”
After some bumps in the road, Cardin became an official jail chaplain and started leading substance abuse classes and Bible studies at the Allen County Jail.
“I was really connecting with the women,” she says. “We would make these great plans for as soon as they would get out, we were going to get together, have coffee, or go to church. They would be released and I wouldn’t hear from them or see them again until they were rearrested.”
Disheartened by seeing this process repeat itself over and over again, or as she called it, “a revolving door of frustration,” Cardin says it made her realize these women needed a different solution and she had a vision for that solution.
“These women needed a safe to go, to keep doing the work they had started while they were in jail,” she says. “When you’re released and you go right back to the same environments, you end up making the same choices.”
815 W. Creighton has been a home to a "giant" in Fort Wayne history and a home to "little people" who were internationally renowned on the stage. Captain Asa Fairfield came to Fort Wayne from Maine in 1833 with a princely sum of $30,000. He would eventually purchase the land and build this house. In 1880, Charles Nestel purchased the home. His son Charles and daughter Eliza, who were little people, traveled the United States and Europe as "Commodore Foote" and the "Fairy Queen". See Charles and Eliza Nestel and Street View photo from Google maps.
Lots of information in Hard times hide storied history Repairs planned for 1860s Creighton house built by canal skipper by Rosa Salter RodriguezĀ published September 2, 2007 in The Journal Gazette newspaper is no longer online.
Will third time prove the charm for efforts to save colorfully historic house? Creighton Avenue house was once home to canal captain, world-famous dwarfs by Kevin Leininger published April 16, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
Known as the Fairfield Nestel Mansion has one last hope against the cities demolition order as I try to save this beautiful piece of Fort Wayne history.
I would love any old photos or history on the house if anyone has some they can share!
Here is an excerpt from an article written by Rosa Salter with the Journal Gazette:
"Some of 815 Creighton Ave.'s past owners include:
*Capt. Asa Fairfield arrived in Fort Wayne from Kennebunkport, Maine, with his brothers Oliver and Charles in 1833 with the then-astouding sum of $30,000. He was married to Olive, the sister of the attorney Hugh McCulloch, also from Kennebunkport, who had been named judge of the probate court and cashier of the State Bank of Indiana.
Fairfield spent $1,800 of it on 160 of the 240 acres he eventually acquired and farmed on the city's south side. When he bought 815 Creighton, there was only a log house on the site; he later built a double log house and then a frame house before his death in 1868.
For a time, Fairfield's was the only frame house in the area, and it overlooked pastures with pigs, cows and the Wabash Canal, which ran near where the railroad tracks cross Fairfield Avenue.
Fairfield constructed and piloted the first boat to operate on the Wabash Canal. It was called the Indiana.
*Cyrus Fairfield, Asa's youngest son, owned a candle and soap making factory along the railroad tracks on Broadway and continued to sell pieces of the farm for housing.
In the early 20th century, he was known as "the oldest resident of South Wayne" and recalled that Indians from the reservation just south of the city would come up Broadway to spend government checks in nearby taverns.
Other residents at that time recalled the neighborhood as having wild hogs, wolves and "wild pigeons" so thick that they broke tree branches where they were roosting.
The wild pigeons were passenger pigeons - a bird that is now extinct.
*Daniel, Charles and Eliza Nestel. Daniel Nestel bought the house in 1880. He was a contemporary of Asa, arriving in Fort Wayne in 1840 after having walked with a companion from New York.
He operated a plant nursery on Broadway. He also often traveled with his children, who in 1861 signed a contract with Baltimore showman William Ellinger as a theatrical attraction and toured the United States and Europe.
Charles was billed as "Commodore Foote," and Eliza was billed as "The Fairy Queen." The two were part of a genre of acts sometimes referred to as "Thumbiana" and often appeared with other small people.
The name "Commodore Foote" would have carried amusing overtones in its day - besides the height pun, there was a real Commodore Foote. Commodore Andrew Hull Foote was well known as the naval officer in charge of the defense of the upper Mississippi River during the Civil War - an area the Confederates were unlikely to reach.
The newspaper reported that Eliza "is the smallest matured lady ever known, being 18 years old and weighs 20 pounds, yet perfect in form and feature, speaks two languages, sings and dances, is a beautiful poetic reader, and everything is charming and pleasing in her demeanor."
Writing on www.showpeople.com, Emma Camden gives some insight into the Nestels' performances in a description of Jennie Quigley, who performed with the Liliputian Opera Co. as "the Scottish Queen."
At intermission, she would often be paired with "another star, such as Col. Speck, Com. Foote or Admiral Dot, and together they would sing duet, dance and `flirt' onstage before the main production resumed," Camden writes. "The flirtation sometimes continued offstage, as after Jennie's death, it was learned that she and Commodore Foote were sweethearts."
Great Depression-era memories recall another use of Fairfield-Nestel House It served for about 10 years as a hospital for the ill, elderly and disabled. 815 W. Creighton Ave. ā it served from about 1923 to 1933 as Anthony Wayne Hospital for Old People and Invalids. The research findings also provide a glimpse of what appeared to have been a difficult life for the hospital's matron, Anna F. Lepper. Much more in the article with no author listed, originally published July 20, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspapernow archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
House was torn down August 7-8, 2017.
Historic Fairfield-Nestel House demolished Over the years, several owners had tried unsuccessfully to restore the house. was published August 8, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
August 9, 2017 commentary by the last owner of the Nestel House referencing the following August 10, 2017 Rosa Salter Rodriguez artilce with interesting comments and history of the family and many Nestel House posts including from Brad Nestel a descendant of the Nestel family posted many times on the Historic Real Estate Renovations & Sales page on Facebook.
A link was shared to an article dated July 30, 1928 on pages 49-54 titled: Marketing the First Apartment Building in a Small City How a Seven-Story Hotel Apartment Building Was Projected, Promoted, and Completed at Fort Wayne, Indiana-Features of Its Financing and Its Plan of Stock-Ownership by Tenants-Details of Construction and Equipment under Apartment Buildings in Buildings and Building Management Volume 28, Part 2 1928 a Google eBook shown below:
This article was written for and is courtesy of Fort Wayne Reader newspaper.
Olaf Nikolaus Guldlin, the president of the Fairfield Manor Realty Co., had been the founder in 1888 of the successful Western Gas Construction Company on Winter Street in Fort Wayne. Western Gas manufactured and constructed large gas producing plants for cities throughout the country that did not yet have natural gas piped to them. Guldlin and his investors sold Western Gas to the Koppers Corp. of Pittsburgh, PA in January of 1921.
Eleven months later, in December of 1921, his announcement of the proposed construction of the city’s first suburban high-rise luxury apartment building, at a cost of $750,000., was heralded in The Fort Wayne Sentinel. However, it would be another seven years before the building at 2301 Fairfield at Creighton Avenues would actually be completed in January of 1928. Part of the reason for this was that the area surrounding the project was an upper class neighborhood of opulent homes and there was significant opposition from nearby residents to the building. Interestingly, the Guldlin’s own grand residence was across the street (southwest corner) at 2306 Fairfield. A Speedway gas station now sits on part of the property that was his former home.
Utilizing a combination of Craftsman and Classic elements, Fairfield Manor was designed by at that time, the city’s most prominent architect, Charles R. Weatherhogg. Today, nearly 90 years later, the well maintained seven story building remains much the same and has 70 studio, one, two bedroom and larger custom apartments. At the time the building was completed, the rents were as follows: three-room apartment, $77.50; four-room, $105.00; and five-room at $124.00 per month. The apartments included gas ranges, electric refrigerators, and each was furnished with a “Murphy” bed that pivoted out of the wall.
For most in Fort Wayne today, the name Guldlin isn’t associated with Olaf Guldlin, Western Gas Construction Co., or even the Fairfield Manor, but rather his wife Addie Guldlin. Mrs. Guldlin was an early civic activist and an advocate of safe playgrounds for children. Addie raised funds for the city’s first public playground, which under her direction was elaborately constructed with separate boys’ and girls’ swings, see-saws, sandboxes and wading pools on a six-acre site on Van Buren at the St. Mary’s River. Dedicated in 1911, the park was named in her honor. Sadly, two years later during Fort Wayne’s infamous 1913 Flood, much of the playground was washed away and is today an empty field, still called Guldlin Park.
Formerly Berghoff Brewing at 1019 Grant Avenue. Fort Wayne operations started on April 12, 1954, when Falstaff bought the Berghoff Brewing Company. The corporation also brewed in St. Louis, New Orleans, Galveston, El Paso, Omaha, San Jose, San Antonio and San Francisco. The Falstaff Corporation was bought by Paul Kalmanovitz's brewing conglomerate, General Brewing, in 1975. At that time it made 1.2 million barrels annually at the Fort Wayne plant. Headquarters was moved to Fort Wayne in 1977. After the 1990 closing of the last Falstaff brewery in Fort Wayne, the brand name became a licensed property of Pabst, which continued to produce Falstaff Beer through other breweries. Having sold only 1468 barrels of the brand in 2004, Pabst discontinued production of the Falstaff label in May 2005. Copied from A look into Fort Wayne beer history by Jaclyn Goldsborough published December 26, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. Storage tanks were eventually sold to a brewery in China. Falstaff Brewery Closing In Ft. Wayne published November 09, 1989 in the Chicago Tribune.
Last winter, a windstorm damaged the post of our Philo Farnsworth marker in Fort Wayne. Farnsworth (1906-1971) conceived of the idea for electronic television at the age of fourteen and brought his conception to fruition in 1927 with his first electronic transmission. In 1939, he established the Farnsworth Television and Radio Company in Fort Wayne, eventually operating seven television and radio manufacturing plants in Indiana.
We want to thank the Traffic Operations Department of the City of Fort Wayne for their help replacing the post and getting the marker back up at the site this fall and the Hill family for repainting it!
November 21st is known as World Television Day. The credited inventory of the television, Philo Farnsworth, lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He began a factory for televisions in Fort Wayne in 1938. While the factory no longer stands, his house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Ninde-Mead-Farnsworth House, where he lived from 1948-1967. The c. 1910 one-and-one-half story, front-gabled, wood clapboard house features shed roof dormers and wide overhanging eaves common to the Craftsman style, but also features Colonial Revival influences in the design of the main entrance door topped by a fanlight and flanked by multi-paned sidelights, underneath a pedimented portico with curved undersides.
Learn more about the Ninde-Mead-Farnsworth House by visiting SHAARD Database.
SHAARDIndiana Historic Buildings, Bridges, and Cemeteries Map site points to the Indiana Buildings, Bridges, and Cemeteries Map with thousands of location pins for the state and individual counties. The Farnsworth House is IHSSI (County Survey) Survey Number: 003-215-49051. National Register Listing, NR-2260 "Ninde-Meade-Farnsworth House" 1996 IHSSI Fort Wayne Interim Report #003-215-17411. Statement of Significance: Significant for its association with Daniel B. Ninde, Franklin B. Meade, and Philo T. Farnsworth. Ninde originally built the house and was associated with The Wildwood Builders Company. Mead was associated with Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and is credited for positioning the company in an industry-leading role. Farnsworth lived in the house from 1948-1967. Farnsworth submitted a patent in 1927 for what would become the modern day television, and is thus credited as the the inventor of the television set. The house is an outstanding example of Craftsman and Colonial Revival style architecture. Name of Repository: ARCH, Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana; State Register Listed Date: 01/23/2013; National Register Listed Date: 03/20/2013 NPS File Number: 13000082.
TVs history in jeopardy by WANE 15 News March 24, 2010 on YouTube.
A museum dedicated to a Fort Wayne man who created television is about to be homeless. NewsChannel 15's Matt McCutcheon has the story in this report that aired on 3/24/10.
Page 12, The Capehart - Farnsworth Television & Radio Corporation Fort Wayne, Indiana advertisement in Life Magazine: Life 1947-07-28 Vol. 23, No. 4 by Life Publication date 1947-07-28
Old Federal Building
Located at the southeast corner of Berry and Clinton Streets which housed the Post Office and Federal Courtroom. Built in 1889 and razed in 1938, it was replaced by the new Federal Building on Harrison Street in 1932. A Fort Wayne Through Time Leftovers: The book, Fort Wayne Through Time.
Our city’s first post office was in Hanna & Barnett’s general store at Barr and Columbia Streets. Samuel Hanna, appointed in 1820, was our first postmaster. The post office would go on to have a few other locations, including on Court Street facing the Courthouse, before this magnificent building pictured here was completed in 1889. The site of this post office (also known as the Federal or Government Building) was at the southeast corner of East Berry and Clinton Streets; the lot was purchased in 1883 for $34,000. However, due to the wait for further appropriations, it would not be until 1885 that construction began.
Designed in Washington, D. C. under the direction of Mifflin E. Bell (Supervising Architect of the U. S. Treasury Department) in the Richardsonian Romanesque style popular in the late 1800’s, the building’s turret reached a height of 115 feet above the ground making it among the tallest structures in the city when it was completed at a cost of $215,000.
To the chagrin of officials in Indianapolis, rather than being built of limestone from southern Indiana, it was constructed of buff sandstone from the Stony Point, Michigan quarry owned by Fort Wayne businessman Steven B. Bond. Bond later also supplied the sandstone for the City Building (now the History Center) one block east, completed in 1893.
In addition to the post office on the first floor, beginning in 1903, the building also housed the Federal Court on the second floor as well as other federal offices including the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Marshal’s office. This building was replaced by the new post office and federal courthouse building on Harrison between Douglas and Brackenridge in 1932. The pictured old post office building was razed in 1938 and the site is now part of the parking lot for Citizens Square.
Built in the 1920s at 502 W. Jefferson Blvd. for Firestone Tires. According to McMahon Tires About Us page it was McMahon Tires from 1969 until sometime after they opened their Glenbrook Store in 1981 and before Starbucks Coffee remodeled and opened in 2006. See several photos posted August 8, 2017 including a September 7, 2006 The News-Sentinel newspaperarticle about the building on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
Founded: 1882, Location: East Berry Street, Fort Wayne (1882ā ); 23 East Columbia Street (1887); 125 Calhoun Street (1893, 1899); 1005 Clinton Street ( ā1903); 1007 Calhoun Street (1903ā 6); 130-132 West Columbia Street (1906ā14); 118ā122 West Columbia Street (1914ā ); 4115 Paper Place (1971, 1995); 4415 Hartman Road (1996ā ) In 1882 Samuel S. Fisher purchased the interest of Meyer L. Graff in the Webb & Graff paper firm in Fort Wayne. Samuel was the son of Isaac Fisher, a German-Jewish immigrant butcher, and he worked in his father’s meat market as a young man. After his initial investment, Samuel Fisher rapidly assumed control of Webb & Graff. In March 1882 he bought out A. M. Webb and less than two months later purchased the interest of Harry Graff. Samuel’s brother Max B. Fisher then joined him in the business, which was located on East Berry Street. Read more on Fisher Bros. Paper Company on IndianaHistory.org.
A historic home and farm located in Perry Township. The farmhouse was built about 1860, and is a two-story, Italianate style brick dwelling. It consists of a two-story, main block topped by a low hipped roof and belvedere; a two-story hip roofed wing; and one story gabled kitchen wing. It features a full-width front porch. Also on the property are the contributing gabled rectangular bank barn and shed-roofed pump house. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 from a November 26, 1984 application.
In March I reported about the historic service station at the Five Points intersection of Goshen Rd (Lincoln Highway) in Fort Wayne, IN that the city was giving away to anyone who would move it. Otherwise it would be demolished for a round-about. No one ever claimed it. Here's a circa 1934 photograph of the station courtesy of the Ron Carner Collection. Thanks to Creager Smith for sending this.
Two 1920s service stations at the Five Points intersection on the Lincoln Highway were discussed including the 1934 photo shown on right.
The well-designed filling stations of the early twentieth century prove ideal for adaptive reuse, while still reminding us of our automotive past posted August 16, 2018 by Indiana Landmarks. The stations are a 1926 Colonial Revival-style station 2624 Sherman Street used as a bait shop and 1927 Tudor Revival-style filling station used as a real estate office. The bait shop was razed May 29, 2019 so the intersection can be re-engineered into a round-about intersection. See demolition photo in the article Goodbye, North Side Bait and Tackle by Lisa Esquivel Long published May 29, 2019 on FWBusiness.com.
Known for decades as “Five Points,” the intersection of Goshen Avenue, Sherman Boulevard, and Lillian Avenue is part of the historic Lincoln Highway. Before improvements, the signal-controlled intersection had no pedestrian access, no lighting, poor drainage, long traffic delays, and a history of accidents. The City of Fort Wayneās Goshen Avenue Improvements Project received the 2021 APWA-Indiana Chapter Public Works Project of the Year in the Transportation category. The $5.3 million Goshen Avenue Improvements Project features a roundabout that improved traffic flow, incorporated pedestrian traffic, and revitalized the neighborhood, including new lighting, an enclosed drainage system, consolidation or removal of multiple access points, and pedestrian friendly walkways along the roadway. The intersection at the roundabout welcomes approximately 18,500 vehicles per day. With the continuous traffic flow from cars no longer stopping at lights, emissions from idling cars is estimated to be reduced by 20%. Copied from GOSHEN AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT RECEIVES PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD May 20, 2022 on City of Fort Wayne.
Today, the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission and Fort Wayne Public Works commemorated the new ā5 Point Spinā public art sculpture located at the Five Points roundabout at Goshen Avenue and Sherman Boulevard.
This beautiful home known as the Flick House was built in 1897 in what is now the Broad River Neighborhood Association - Fort Wayne. The Flick family made their living as florists in the area. The family operated multiple locations including one in Broad River and one downtown. The building downtown was purchased in 1923 for $210,000 which was a huge sum at the time. The location eventually became the Ash Skyline Plaza owned by Ash Brokerage.
Flood of 1982
President Ronald Reagan came to Fort Wayne where he threw a couple of sand bags for national photo ops in the Lakeside Neighborhood. See our Flood of 1982 page.
Foellinger Foundation
A private, charitable foundation that awards grants in Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana. https://www.foellinger.org/. February 16, 2023 Facebook post announced An Influence for Good, a documentary film now on their website that tells the life story of Helene Foellinger and the three generations of Foellingers who preceded her in Allen County.
Beginning with the immigration of Jacob Foellinger, in 1836, the Foellinger family succeeds for four generations as business-men and -women, with a deep commitment to civic involvement. After the tragic passing of her father, Oscar, the ambitious and driven publisher of The News-Sentinel, Helene Foellingerājust 25 years old at the timeāleads the newspaper to even greater levels of success.
She and her mother, Esther, form the Foellinger Foundation, formalizing their commitment to uplifting the lives of the residents of Allen County. When Helene passes away with no heirs, the Foellinger Foundation receives her estate. https://www.foellinger.org/documentary
Last night, Foellinger Foundation premiered 'An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story' at the Arts United Center. We're proud to have worked with the Foundation to share the history of their founders, and the three generations of the Foellingers who preceded them in Allen County.
Everyone in Fort Wayne should watch this documentary to learn how Helene Foellinger became "An Influence for Good." Her influence continues to live on through the many initiatives and causes she funded and continues to fund through the Foellinger Foundation.
Brightpoint also has a cameo appearance in the film as our main offices in Fort Wayne are located in the former News Sentinel Building. Congratulations to all those involved in the telling of this beautiful story. Well done.
The History Center proudly contributed video segments from our collection and footage of our displays for the Foellinger Foundation documentary, "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story". Use the link below to watch the documentary on the Foellinger Foundation's website.
Hope Methodist Hospital was located on the corner of Lewis and Harrison Streets from 1917-1953 on the south side of the conservatory block. The conservatory opened November 20, 1983, was named in honor of News-Sentinel publisher Helene Foellinger and Frank Freimann, president of Magnavox. "Surround yourself with nature at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory ~ an oasis in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne Indiana. Visit the Showcase Garden with its lush seasonal displays, wander through the Tropical Garden where orchids and palms thrive in the shadows of a cascading waterfall, or retreat to the quiet beauty of the Desert Garden." Fort Wayneās Botanical Conservatory a Breath of Fresh Air on Visit Fort Wayne blog.
Here is the second video segment from the History Center's collection that was provided for "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story". It is from our collection of WANE-TV videotapes and is from groundbreaking of the Botanical Conservatory on October 9, 1981. #sociallyhistory
The FoellingerāFreimann Botanical Conservatory is an enclosed conservatory in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. Opened in 1983, the conservatory contains a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) seasonal showcase garden, a tropical oasis display, with a waterfall, Sonoran Desert display, and outdoor terrace and exploration garden, encompassing a total of 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m2). The gardens display over 1,200 plants of 502 different species and 72 types of cactus. From Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia .
Many of us living in the area drive down Fairfield each day without noticing this beautiful home. Built in 1872 by Jacob Foellinger, a wealthy individual who was a shoe merchant. The current home sits on W. Wildwood; however, in 1872, Wildwood did not exist and the rectangle bound by Fairfield, Hoagland, Pontiac, and Kinsmoor appeared to be an open plot (as of an 1897 map).
The plot thickens though as you read the obituary stating the home is on 441 Fairfield. Perhaps this was the original address. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful home worthy of us spending some time to learn more about.
With black & white photo. The Foellinger family's home on Old Mill Road was designed by prominent local architect Guy Mahurin in the late 1920s. Mahurin also designed Fort Wayne’s Scottish Rite Auditorium, Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth Congregational Church, and other iconic structures.
See our Forts of Fort Wayne page. Reconstructed fort on Spy Run Avenue near downtown Fort Wayne across the St. Marys River from Headwaters Park. The History page on their web site: oldfortwayne.org briefly describes the various forts built near the three rivers. The bottom section titled The Reconstructed Fort states: This project began in 1964 when Historic Fort Wayne Inc. was established and started planning a reconstruction of the Fort, using Major Whistler’s 1814 drawings. After much fundraising, they purchased property in the late 1960’s and sought a fort builder. Lok-N-Logs Inc., a log home company in Sherburne, New York, took on the unusual project, constructing the Fort first in New York, then transporting it to Indiana, where it was reassembled. It officially opened shortly before July 4, 1976, to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial, and remained open daily until the early 1990’s. Historic Fort Wayne Inc. disbanded in 1989, and the current Historic Fort Wayne, Inc. was formed in 2004 as a volunteer effort to preserve the Fort. Though they share a name, the two groups are not connected. Construction of the fort re-creation began in the summer of 1975.Ā Work on the replica was not finished for its dedication June 5, 1976, but several hundred people turned out for the festivities.Ā See the articles Historic Fort Wayne and Old Fort Wayne ā Learn History In Person! by Louisa D. published June 8, 2015 on Visit Fort Wayne. See photos on Throwback Thursday: Old Fort published August 31, 2017 on The Journal Gazette newspaper. See their Facebook page - INFortWayne.com YouTubeBicentennial Celebration at Historic Fort Wayne. See photos and discussion January 17, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. 360 virtual photo tour on vpix.net. Photos of Old Fort Wishing Well posted August 6, 2017 and 1896 Fort Wayne watch fob photo discussed August 7, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.Ā 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1892 Samuel Hanna sold 100 acres to the driving association formed by some of the city's wealthiest men. 1902 was Fort Wayne's first fair. Auto races were on a one-mile oval and by 1910 airplanes appeared. In 1913 the land was sold to developer Louis F. Curdes, developer of Forest Park Boulevard. It became Forest Hill through the 1940s. From Lost track fades from memory by Rosa Salter Rodriguez published July 07, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. See also Fort Wayne Driving Park by Mark Meyer posted February 11, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog.
One-hundred and eight years ago today, Blanche Scott became the first American woman to make a solo public flight, doing so at the Fort Wayne Driving Park. In front of a crowd of over 10,000 spectators, Scott flew solo in public as part of the Curtiss Aviation team during an automobile and air meet at the Driving Park. This was not her first pioneering feat. She was the second woman to drive an automobile cross-country, and the first to do so travelling from East to West. In addition, some consider Scott to be the first American woman to pilot an airplane solo, a feat she achieved on September 6, 1910. While the Early Birds of Aviation recognize her flight as the first, the Aeronautical Society of America did not accredit her initial solo flight as entirely intentional, thus creating controversy regarding who was the first American woman to fly solo. She later joined the Red Devils, a nationally traveling aviation exhibition group, and became the first woman to ride in a jet plane in 1948. She was posthumously featured on commemorative airmail stamps and envelopes in December 1980. #sociallyhistory
The officers of the new company, theĀ 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.Ā 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.
Several photos and a brief history on Fort Wayne on LampTech.com/uk.
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.
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!
Built in 1895, Engine House #8, 2211 Fairfield Ave., is an excellent example of Neoclassical architecture which was popular c.1891-c.1950. This style uses an eclectic mix of classical features like columned porticos, pediments and cornices with dentils, pilasters, keystones and quoins. This building was designed by architect John M.E. Riedel. He designed more than a few buildings of note in this community including the A.L. & Irene Riegel House, 620 Main St.; St. Paul Lutheran School, 1225 Barr St.; and Concordia Evangelical School, 1820 Alliger St. The Engine House has dentils in the entablature held up by pilasters over the engine house doors and in the entablature at the roof line. The bell tower is on the south side of the building. ARCH is proud to present this edition of Throwback Thursday, part of its work as the historic preservation organization serving the greater Fort Wayne area, made possible by ARCH members and donors. Thank you.
Mayor Tom Henry joined Fire Chief Eric Lahey, Fort Wayne Fire Department employees, and representatives from Witwer Construction and Shive-Hattery Architecture and Engineering, to dedicate Fire Station 14, located on the southeast corner of Reed Road and East State Boulevard.
āToday marks an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide excellent public safety services,ā said Mayor Henry. āThis modern and efficient facility will be a welcome addition to assist the women and men of the Fort Wayne Fire Department. Our firefighters do an outstanding job each day to protect residents, neighborhoods and businesses.ā
Station 14 firefighters will move into their new building tomorrow. The $4 million investment features two full bays and a one-half bay. It has sleeping quarters to accommodate the firefightersā 24-hour shifts, a large dining room and kitchen, and a workout room.
Numerous safety measures for cancer prevention were also included in the design of Station 14. There are clear markings separating the living space of the structure from the work space, in order to keep the living space free from contaminates. Positive pressure air locks were installed to keep exhaust fumes and airborne contaminates contained. And there is a decontamination shower on the work side, along with a separate area where soiled firefighting gear can be washed and dried.
Fire Station 14 was relocated from Reed Road, across from Snider High School. The new station provides easier access to major roadways and much needed space for firefighters, increasing their ability to provide lifesaving service to City residents.
The fire station also helps serve a growing area of the community with three schools nearby and provide for better access to areas the City of Fort Wayne serves in partnership with St. Joseph Township. All of the changes will not impact response times that are currently being met by the Fort Wayne Fire Department.
Witwer Construction Inc. was the general contractor and Shive-Hattery Architecture and Engineering was the architect for Fire Station 14.
Fort Wayne Gas Works
In the era of gas lighting, Fort Wayne Gas Works, located on the site of todayās Hallās 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.
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), 38ā40 (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, 1933ā1940 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 onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebookand was in a Comment far down in the long discussion on Sears Home Kit homes January 25, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members 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
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)
On March 10, 1876, at the Aveline house, the Fort Wayne College of Medicine was organized by Drs. C. B. Stemen and H. A. Clark, teachers in a medical college at Cincinnati, and Drs. B. S. Woodworth, I. M. Rosenthal and W. H. Myers, of Fort Wayne. The building, later occupied by W. F. Geller, at the southwest corner of Broadway and Washington boulevard, was fitted up as the college home. The original faculty consisted of Drs. Stemen, Woodworth,
Page 500
Clark, Rosenthal, Myers, J. H. Ford, M. M. Latta, H. D. Wood, A. M. Hunt, R. W. Thrift, H. Van Sweringen, S. H. Swan, A. E. Van Buskirk and E. Melchers. Two well-attended sessions followed the opening of the institution.
At the end of the second session, a controversy between factions of the faculty of the college resulted in a reorganization which endured for one year, after which period two institutions ā the Fort Wayne College of Medicine and the Fort Wayne Medical college ā came into being simultaneously. Each claimed the other to be an intruder and not legally established. During the three years of the existence of the latter institution, which was located at the southeast corner of Calhoun and Baker streets, the controversy continued, and wordy conflicts provided frequent and varied forms of entertainment for the non-professional portion of the population.
Added to the earlier internal troubles of the medical school was the hostile attitude of many people of the town, who failed to appreciate the advanced methods of the school in the teaching of certain branches through the means of dissecting human bodies. Dr. W. H. Myers, on the occasion of the graduation of the class of 1878, described the experience of the school as a purification "by passing through the refining quarantine of prejudice."
The grand jury, of which I. D. G. Nelson was the foreman, condemned the dissecting room of the college on the ground that it was "used for the purpose of depositing, concealing and dissecting human bodies, a portion of which, at least, are stolen from cemeteries or graveyards in this vicinity, in violation of law, common decency and the proprieties of life." The report added that the alleged practice "has produced and is producing great excitement, anxiety and indignation, especially among those who have families or have recently lost friends."
GRAVE ROBBERIES
The report refers to several cases of the removal of bodies from Lindenwood and other cemeteries, which had resulted in the arrest of six physicians and one student. The investigation of the cases was replete with sensational features. In one instance, when the body of a Roanoke (Indiana) man was found within the college walls, a prominent member of the faculty declared that he believed that professional grave robbers in the employ of the enemies of the institution had placed the body there "with a view to bringing our college into disrepute." The physician added the information that within a brief period thirty graves had been robbed.
In 1877, ghouls removed the body of a prominent citizen from a grave in Lindenwood cemetery; the cemetery association offered a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
It is of interest to note that the Fort Wayne College of Medicine survived the attacks made upon it and became recognized as one of the leading institutions in the middle west. During its later years and until the college was made a part of Purdue University, it occupied home of the late Judge Hugh McCulloch, on West Superior street, now the headquarters of the Fort Wayne Turnverein Vorwaerts. In later years the medical department of Purdue
"Resurrection men" or "resurrectionists" were men or women who stole corpses from graves in order to sell them to medical schools for dissection. In the 1870s, Allen County experienced a surge of body snatching after the formation of two medical schools in the area.
In the late 19th century, donating your body to science was a practice very few people did. This left medical colleges to find alternative avenues for securing corpses for students to dissect. The Fort Wayne Medical College and the Fort Wayne College of Medicine both opened in the 1870's, leading to a sharp increase in body snatching and public outcry against the practice. Eventually, seven people associated with Fort Wayne Medical College were arrested in connection with these illegal activities. Finally, in 1879, the General Assembly of Indiana passed the Anatomical Act of 1879 which provided a lawful means by which medical schools could obtain bodies.
A January 21, 2023 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook stated: 1876: This brick building, corner of Washington St. & Broadway, housed the Remmel Bros., west-end druggists, on the ground floor; and the Medical College of Fort Wayne on the 2nd and 3rd floors. "It may not come as a surprise to many of you that body-snatching was carried on to a high degree during the 1870's and 1880's. At that time Fort Wayne gave great prominence of being an important medical center. The dissecting room was on the 3rd floor front." - (excerpts from) Fred J. Reynolds' Quest Club Paper, via ACPL: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/.../p16089.../id/19704/rec/2 . One January 21, 2023 says only a pillar from building still exits.
Here's an interesting one, this device, known as a "cemetery gun," served as a very real deterrent to would be grave robbers during the golden age of body snatching. The weapon would be positioned on the deceased's grave, cocked, primed, and loaded, ready to fire upon unsuspecting thieves if they crossed any of it's three tripwires. Understandably, cemetery guns were outlawed in England in 1827. Another popular safeguard of the day was the "Grave Torpedo," an explosive device which would be buried and attached to the coffin. Any disturbance caused it to explode, killing the offending individual...
Happy #Halloween! In the mood for a spooky story? Check out our #IndianaHistoryBlog on the Hoosier undertaker Rufus Cantrell.
Rufus Cantrell was a lot of things: A driver. A porter. A clerk. An undertaker. In 1902, he added a new title to that list: The King of Ghouls. Along with approximately 7 other men, Cantrell ran one of the most successful body-snatching syndicates in Indianapolis. The thieves sold the corpses to medical schools willing to overlook the method of procurement. While a macabre and fascinating story, the grave robbing caused unimaginable pain trauma to the victims’ families.
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.
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 āwhoās whoā 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 Wayneās 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
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!
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
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."]
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.
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.
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.
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 itās another one of those corny names that builders give housing additions aāla the āFalls At Beaver Creekā. 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 Iāve 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 25ā x 80ā and the other 40ā x 60ā, 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 millās 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 millās 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 75ā 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 āpicturesqueā paper mill dam.
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.
As the Fourth of July Holiday approaches, the Philharmonicās 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 composerās 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 āI am the American Flag.ā
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! š Today, we turn a new chapter as we prepare to embark on our...
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 spaceāit will be a dynamic hub for the arts, nestled within the expanding arts corridor of our growing downtown landscape.
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.
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.
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 āMan killerā: Remembering Fort Wayneās 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.
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
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."
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.
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.
Fort Wayne, Ind. ā 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 publicās 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.
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.
Since September 22, 1917, twin monuments have marked this rural intersection. Four Presidents Corners is the intersection of Maples and Sampson Roads in southeastern Allen County, Indiana, just northwest of Monroeville. This intersection is the junction of four townships, each named for a former president. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and Andrew Jackson (the third, fourth, fifth, and seventh presidents) are the namesakes of the four townships. Copied from the Four Presidents Corners page of the Four Presidents Corners Historical Society Monroeville, Indiana.
About 1 year ago (February 28,2012) We wondered if any of you had ever heard of "Four Presidents Corner" in Allen County, Indiana. Several of you knew it was where four Townships, with Presidential names joined each other. From such modest beginnings, it has evolved into the ever popular Hofer and Davis, Inc. - LAND SURVEYORS "Riddle of the Week". Just last week when heading to Monroeville, Indiana, we snapped this picture of the monument documenting the site.
Owned by German born druggist named M.L. Frankenstein, located at the corner of Barr and Washington. The old Foellinger Building now occupies this spot. Listed in the 1890 city directory. Frankenstein Drug Store, 1890 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublshed September 23, 2014 in Fort Wayne Reader. Frankenstein Medicine bottles can be found for sale online.
The 200 block of E Columbia Street was razed in 1970 to give us our downtown greenspace: Freimann Square Park. Previously, it contained businesses such as Indiana Feed & Seed and National Mill Supply.
The 200 block of E Columbia Street was razed in 1970 to give us our downtown greenspace: Freimann Square Park. Previously, it contained businesses such as Indiana Feed & Seed and National Mill Supply.
Since 1971, 4.6 acres. Designed by Alvin M. Strauss. History: Freimann Square was funded in large part by the posthumous donation of Frank Freimann, the former president of Magnavox Company. In 1971, Mr. Freimann's gift was used for actual park development while a federal grant provided the land for this downtown oasis. Copied from Freimann Square at Fort Wayne Parks.org.
This park located in the center of the city provides space for many of the local festivals and events. Visitors can enjoy the colorful fountain, majestic statue of General Anthony Wayne, and the beautiful foliage on the square. Copied from Freimann Square at Visit Fort Wayne.
Freimann Square was dedicated on Sept. 27, 1973, when several hundred people turned out in downtown Fort Wayne to see the fountains in action. The park was funded by the Freimann Charitable Trust, which was created by the late Frank Freimann who was president and chief executive officer of Magnavox Co. . Copied from 1973: Construction and opening of Freimann Square by Corey McMaken Jun 6, 2019 in the History Journal archives of the Journal Gazette newspaper.
Is it Thursday already? Here's a little throwback of the block where Freimann Square now sits! Does anyone know of...
Is it Thursday already? Here's a little throwback of the block where Freimann Square now sits! Does anyone know of anyone who remembers this or worked here?
"Established in 1891 at the northeast corner of Clinton and Main Streets by Theodore F. Thieme, Wayne Knitting Mills would become one of the city's largest and best known turn of the century employers. By the 1920s, there were 1,500 people - many of whom were women!! - working at this expansive factory at West Main Street and Knitters Avenue turning out seamless Wayne Knit Hosiery for women and pony socks for boys and girls.
Thieme started the company by first importing both machinery and a handful of skilled workers from Germany. He took a very benevolent approach to his employees; the company had profit sharing, group insurance, a clubhouse, and dormitories to encourage women who didn't live close by to work at the plant. Thieme also sponsored many employee athletic leagues and musical groups."
Photo courtesy of Randolf Harter's "Postcard History Series, Fort Wayne"
Thank you for joining us for our LoveSeats Unveiling! ā¤ On Saturday, Humane Fort Wayne unveiled our public art campaign,...
Thank you for joining us for our LoveSeats Unveiling! On Saturday, Humane Fort Wayne unveiled our public art campaign, LoveSeats, presented by Bob Rohrman Subaru of Fort Wayne, in Freimann Square in Downtown Fort Wayne.
We created these interactive pieces with the support of local businesses and local artists as a way for our community to learn more about our lifesaving work in a unique and exciting way, and to share the joy of art in our beautiful downtown! Visit www.humanefw.org/loveseats for more information.
All 25 LoveSeats are now on display throughout downtown Fort Wayne for you to sit, stay, and heal with your friends and family - furry ones included!
When you visit, don't forget to take a selfie on the LoveSeats, tag @Humane Fort Wayne and be sure to use #LoveSeatsFW for a chance to win $500 from Bob Rohrman Subaru of Fort Wayne !
Fort Wayne, circa 1910 - Owner William W. Dygert (1872-1940), center, poses with employees in front of his Dygert Pawn...
Fort Wayne, circa 1910 - Owner William W. Dygert (1872-1940), center, poses with employees in front of his Dygert Pawn Brokers at 227 E. Main Street. He moved into the brick building in early 1908 and occupied the space until his death in 1940. Items for sale include jewelry, a trunk, suitcases, a bicycle, rocking chair, and a coat. He also advertised as an optician. To the right is Gust. Schubert's Dyeing and Dry Cleaning establishment. This whole block between Clinton and Barr was razed and is now the site of Freimann Square, a four-acre park.
Frigidaire
The refrigerator "Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana and developed the first self-containedĀ refrigeratorĀ (invented by Nathaniel B. Wales and Alfred Mellowes) in 1916." copied from Frigidaire on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia and Our History Frigidaire on Frigidaire-la.com. "Two of the first home refrigerators both appeared in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where, in 1911, General Electric company unveiled a unit invented by a French monk. In 1915 the first "Guardian" refrigerator - a predecessor of the Frigidaire - was assembled in a wash house in a Fort Wayne backyard" copied from The Story of the Refrigerator formerly on the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers www.aham.org website. A father of the refrigerator in City was home for many inventions by Michael Hawfield from the archives of The News-Sentinel newspaperpublished December 13, 1993. There is also a YouTubeRefrigerator Marketing: "The Proof Parade" 1937 Frigidaire published March 27, 2013.
FACT 
at 1510 Fairfield Avenue.
which used it as a distribution center. Finally, from the mid-80s to the 2000s, 1510 Fairfield was home to Karen's Antique Mall.
but its basement remains available for lease! The basement would be a great speakeasy, retro game lounge, nightclub, or tasting room! 
Today, we turn a new chapter as we prepare to embark on our 82nd season, marking a vibrant new era for our beloved orchestra.
On Saturday, Humane Fort Wayne unveiled our public art campaign, LoveSeats, presented by 
