Allen County, Indiana Places

W Names

Hall-Wallace House

4003 South Harrison Street, Street View photo from Google maps

May 15, 2022 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

The Hall-Wallace home built in 1916 was one of the first homes built in the Harrison Hill neighborhood. A beautiful example of the Craftsman and American Foursquare styles, this home will be featured on the upcoming Historic Harrison Hill Home & Garden Tour in just a few weeks!

One incredible piece of history is that in 1988 a woman, an original resident of the home named Margaret Wallace Newman, authored a short book describing the history of the neighborhood. Here is an excerpt with a link if you want to read more. It is fascinating!

"Like the song, where shall I begin? This is a love story about a home and a neighborhood. In early May, 1920, my parents brought and moved into our home at 4003 S. Harrison Boulevard. The family included my father, Dr. J. Clifford Wallace, physician and surgeon - my dear mother - my maternal grandmother, always called by my baby name for her, "Dar" - our beautiful Persian kitty, Snowball - her kittens - and myself, eight years old that very month. What was it like on the boulevard in 1920?"

Link to 22-page Short Story: History of Harrison Boulevard Homes written by Margaret Wallace Newman, Donated by Ken & Tina Rodewald, April 18, 1988.

See OCR keyword searchable copy of History of Harrison Boulevard Homes. See History of Harrison Hill website.

Walton Coal

1510 Walton Avenue is now 1510 South Anthony Boulevard. Street View photo from Google Maps. North of Hayden Street and south of the railroad tracks. Concrete structures remain for unloading railroad coal cars across the street discussed on the Coal Places page.

October 13, 2013 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

1917 - Walton Coal Five Top's Zion's League

Article from Dec 24, 1917 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1917, Walton coal
1917 - Walton Coal Five Top's Zion's League The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Monday, December 24, 1917, Page 6.

1918 - Wanted--Single and double wagon to haul coal. Walton Ave. Coal Co. Phone 933.

Article from Aug 24, 1918 The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1918, Walton coal
1918 - Wanted--Single and double wagon to haul coal. Walton Ave. Coal Co. Phone 933. The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Saturday, August 24, 1918, Page 12.

1923 - Trucks and Wagons Wanted to Haul Coal - Apply at once. Walton Ave. Coal Co. Main 5781

Article from Feb 7, 1923 The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1923, Walton coal
1923 - Trucks and Wagons Wanted to Haul Coal - Apply at once. Walton Ave. Coal Co. Main 5781 The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Wednesday, February 7, 1923, Page 18.

WANE TV Channel 15

2915 West State Boulevard, Street View photo from Google Maps

CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15 , Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wane15/. Fort Wayne's second television station signed on the air on September 26, 1954 as WINT "Serving the Tri-State Treasureland." WANE radio, at 1450 on the AM dial, purchased WIN-T in 1956 and moved it to Ft. Wayne as WANE-TV, CBS, channel 15. The transmitter remained in rural DeKalb Co. until 1957. Although Ft. Wayne had two television stations, local radio was still popular because many people had not yet purchased their first TV set in the mid-to-late 1950s. --Craig Jon Berndt, "Those were the days in Dekalb County" Copied from a February 12, 2023 post on CLASSIC FORT WAYNE MEDIA on Facebook. See 66 photos from Stephen Perfect posted for WANE-TV's 60th anniversary. The new studios were dedicated in 1958. See WANE-TV on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Also had a radio station WLYV on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

September 26, 2014 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

WANE-TV NewsChannel 15 is 60 today! To celebrate, we’ve put together a gallery of photos that go as far back as 1958!

Check out the gallery here: http://bit.ly/1rwpKTx 

WANE-TV's 60th anniversary WANE-TV first signed on the air on September 26, 1954. As you can tell from these pictures, a lot has changed over the years. Credit: Steve Perfect [66 photos]

Both links are now on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

March 17, 2023 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

As you're watching the NCAA tournament on your 65-inch 4K television... here's a reminder of what TV was once like! This was a letter WANE-TV sent out in 1965 when the station started broadcasting in color.

We also dug up some archives and found a photo of the technology around that time!

In our new Platinum Perspective series, we'll look back on WANE 15’s rich history, its service to the community, and the legacy it holds.

Posted by WANE 15 on Monday, February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

In our new Platinum Perspective series, we'll look back on WANE 15’s rich history, its service to the community, and the legacy it holds.

Platinum Perspective: WANE 15 celebrates 70 years of serving the community WANE 15’s origins trace back to 1954 when this channel originally launched as WINT in Waterloo.

New owners took over in 1958 and rebranded to WANE. They also moved the station to West State Boulevard and into the building WANE 15 still operates out of today.

The actual launch date was September 26, 1954. Meaning, WANE 15 will turn 70 this year.

PLATINUM PERSPECTIVE | Here's an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the WANE 15 station has evolved over the last seven decades. https://trib.al/hSN0eOR

Posted by WANE 15 on Thursday, April 4, 2024

Thursday, April 4, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

PLATINUM PERSPECTIVE | Here's an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the WANE 15 station has evolved over the last seven decades. Platinum Perspective: WANE 15 behind the scenes

PLATINUM PERSPECTIVE | Check out the story to see how many faces you can recognize!

Posted by WANE 15 on Thursday, July 25, 2024

Thursday, July 25, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

PLATINUM PERSPECTIVE | Check out the story to see how many faces you can recognize!

Platinum Perspective: Former anchors and reporters talk about their time at WANE

Platinum Perspective

70 years ago today, WANE 15 hit the airwaves, and since then we have provided our viewers with Local Coverage You Can Count on for the last seven decades. Happy 70th Anniversary WANE 15!

Posted by WANE 15 on Thursday, September 26, 2024

Thursday, September 26, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

70 years ago today, WANE 15 hit the airwaves, and since then we have provided our viewers with Local Coverage You Can Count on for the last seven decades. Happy 70th Anniversary WANE 15!

Happy 70th Anniversary WANE 15!

Ward Family Home

July 20, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

This notable Queen Anne farmhouse, built c.1910, is in excellent condition. The original design of the home was an X shape, but it was never completed, so it has just two wings. Nearly all aspects of this home are original, including windows and siding. The Ward family, for whom it is named, settled here after Elwood Ward retired from the army after the Civil War. Ward, his wife Ellen and son Andrew first farmed south of Fort Wayne and moved to a 20-acre farm on Ward Road, three miles south of Harlan. In 1900, Ward purchased an adjoining 20 acres. After 31 years, the parents moved to Harlan, and their son took over. The elders celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December 1922 at their home in Harlan. 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.

Washington Hall or Ewing Tavern

Where the Allen County government started in a log tavern of Alexander Ewing off Columbia Street at the muddy intersection of Columbia and Barr streets in 1824. No longer there, it would now be the backyard of the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre and Fort Wayne Museum of Art. The Ewing Tavern site is Stop #19 The Beginnings of Fort Wayne on the ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage) Central Downtown Trail.

Waterfield Mortgage Company and the Waterfield Group

Founded in 1928 by Richard Hobbs Waterfield in Fort Wayne with his brother Dallas selling insurance for several insurance companies. The Waterfield family with seven children moved from Fort Mitchell, near Covington, KY to Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1913. See The History of Waterfield Mortgage Company and the Waterfield Group by Richard D. Waterfield on WaterfieldCapitol.com.

Wayne, Anthony - Statue

See Anthony Wayne page.

Wayne, Anthony - Fort

See Forts of Fort Wayne.

Wayne Biscuit Company

June 29, 2021 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Generations of Allen County residents have memories of the smell of baking bread wafting through downtown Fort Wayne. John B. Franke established the Wayne Biscuit Company in 1901, producing Perfection Wafers (P.W. Crackers) and later bread, cakes and cookies. In 1923 it became the first bakery in Indiana to offer wrapped bread. Always a family affair, after Franke’s death in 1927 his son-in-law H. Leslie Popp took over the running of the bakery (the Popp family still owns the bakery). By the mid-1950s the cookie and cracker lines were phased out. Since 1957 the iconic animated sign, featuring slices of bread falling fresh from the loaf, has been a landmark in downtown Fort Wayne. The aroma of baking bread began to waft over the city when Perfection Bakeries began making Sunbeam Bread in 1946 and Aunt Millie’s in the 1990s. Perfection Bakeries changed its name to Aunt Millie’s Bakeries in 2005. In 2017, it was announced that the Fort Wayne bakery would be closing. However, as a continued mark of its dedication to Fort Wayne, Aunt Millie’s announced that their corporate headquarters would remain at their Pearl Street location. #sociallyhistory

Wayne Candies

Made the locally famous Bun candy bar in 3 flavors, carmel, vanilla and maple. See Wayne Candies History at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Whytehorse Studios, a graphic design and art studio, moved into the renovated building the 1st week of June 2013. This came from a comment by owner Dale White in the May 21, 2013 discussion of the candy bar and building on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. The former home of Bun candy bars at 1501 E Wayne Street is now home to home to Anchor Films and Summit City Brewerksfeatured in Creative entrepreneurs inspire downtown's developing art scene by Kara Hackett published February 27, 2014 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Photo posed August 23, 2015 by Daniel Baker on Facebook. Photos and discussion January 8, 2017, January 24, 2017, March 3, 2017, March 23, 2017 and August 11, 2017 on. Photo and discussion May 27, 2017 on PositiveFortWayne and on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Wayne Candies ca. 1976
By Randy Harter
Fort Wayne Reader
2017-02-03

Wayne Candies building

Fort Wayne’s beloved Wayne Candies started life in 1902 as the confections manufacturer Heit-Miller-Lau Company so named after the founders’ three names; Anthony Heit, Joseph Miller and Thomas Lau. The company made a number of different candies including the Mary Wayne and Lady Wayne Chocolate’s brand (named after Mary Penrose Wayne, General Anthony Wayne’s wife) and sold to drug stores, variety stores , and mom and pop grocery stores throughout the area.

In 1930 W. Charles Dickmeyer bought the Heit-Miller-Lau Company and changed the company name to Wayne Candies. Dickmeyer had been with the company since 1919, and for years previously had been the sales manager for Perfection Bakeries.

While Fort Wayne Candies had made “nut clusters” along with a host of other candies they either sold in white bags or boxed with the chocolates in brown paper holders (much like Wittman’s Samplers today), in 1947 they copyrighted “Vanilla Cream Bun,” and the Bun Bar as we know it was officially born. By 1957 the Bun Bar was popular enough that it began to appear in retailers’ newspaper ads. In 1967 the company was issued a trademark for the advertising slogan “It’s Fun To Eat A Bun” which had been developed by well-known local advertising agency executive Louie Bonsib.

Fort Wayne Candies had several locations over the years, beginning at 1131 South Calhoun, then 113 East Jefferson and finally moving into the old American Fork and Hoe plant in 1950, which had been built in 1905 for the National Handle Co. and still stands to this day at 1501 East Berry, a block west of Anthony. In 2009 Brian Schaper/Metro Realty purchased the old Wayne Candies plant and has refurbished and given it a facelift in part with a City of Fort Wayne Commercial Facade Grant. The resulting building renaissance now houses a number of businesses including Summit City Brewerks and Anchor Films. After Dickmeyer died in 1968, his family sold the company (a process he had initiated) and his son Richard Dickmeyer opened Key III Candies along with Frank Hawker and Charles Nartker in 1973 on Earth Drive at Engle Road which operated until 2012.

In the meantime, Wayne Candies and its Bun Bar brand was owned by a number of large confection companies. The first outside owner was the Leaf Confectionary division of W. R. Grace (Whopper’s Malted Milk Balls), who then resold in 1974 to the Curtiss Candy division of Standard Brands (Baby Ruth and Butterfinger). It was while Standard Brands owned the company in the late 1970’s that the Reggie Bar (essentially a repackaged Caramel Bun Bar) named after baseball player Reggie Jackson was made in the Fort Wayne plant.

Standard Brands later merged with NABISCO in 1981 and they then sold Wayne Candies to the German firm Storck USA, makers of Werther’s Original, who later divested of it in 1992 to Pittsburgh Food and Beverage, owners of the Clark Bar and Slo Poke brands. They shuttered the local plant for good and moved production to Pennsylvania in 1995. A scant three years later in 1998, Pittsburgh Food and Beverage went bankrupt and the brand was picked up by Pearson’s Candy Company of St. Paul, MN, makers of Bit-O-Honey, Coconut Patties, Mint Patties, Nut Goodie, and now Bun Bars still deliciously manufactured in Vanilla, Maple and Caramel.

(Image courtesy of ACPL)

Randy Harter is a Fort Wayne historian and author of two books on local history.

May 8, 2017 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

When we are "Out in the Field" doing a topographic survey, we like to check a U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark with a known elevation. This one is unusual because it is set in a building, in this case the old Wayne Candies, Home of the Bun Bar!

Another U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark with a known elevation is on the Bursley building built in 1913 now Party Apart on the SE corner of Superior and Clinton.

Fun Fact Friday: Bun Bar!

Did you know this famous candy bar originated from Fort Wayne? Now you do! #FunFactFriday

Posted by PBS Fort Wayne on Friday, September 13, 2024

Friday, September 13, 2024 video post by PBS Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Fun Fact Friday: Bun Bar!

Did you know this famous candy bar originated from Fort Wayne? Now you do!

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Wayne Cooperative Milk Producers

3651 North Clinton Street View photo (2008 empty lot) from Google maps

3651 North Clinton Street has a complicated history is currently Carmax. See I. J. Jones and Fort Wayne Dairies. the I.J. Recycling plant was torn down in 1993 after a chemical reaction forced the evacuation of 3,000 people in a 20-block area September 9, 1986 near Glenbrook Mall leading to a $9 million government-led environmental clean-up.

  1. WAYNE COOPERATIVE MILK PRODUCERS INC. (1950), 3651 NORTH CLINTON STREET image and WAYNE COOPERATIVE MILK PRODUCERS, 3651 N. CLINTON STREET, FORT WAYNE: EXTERIOR SHOWING CORNER OF BUILDING AND PARKING LOT, WITH TRUCK AND CARS. 1950. image at Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
  2. A January 11, 2023 post with over a dozen photos by The History Center on Facebook:

    National Milk Day on January 11th commemorates the day many believe that the first milk deliveries in glass bottles began in the United States. In Fort Wayne, what to do with the local dairy farmers milk was a concerning problem well into the 20th century. In the 1930s, K.L. Stickler began dreaming of a mammoth smoke stack lit at night, presiding over a building to receive milk, but a building such as the community had never seen. Beginning in 1934 in a little office on Court Street, an idea was launched. The idea was to make it easier for local farmers to get their milk to quality markets. In the first years they went through several locations: Columbia Street, South Lafayette Street, and Berry Street. In the 1940s the group decided to build a receiving plant. Construction of the new building at 3651 North Clinton, begun in 1946 and was designed by local architect A.M. Strauss. Wayne Co-Operative Milk Products, Incorporated received its first milk in May of 1948. In 1951, the plant expanded with the addition of another receiving room, a powdered milk room, garage and also a modem office. To the fast-growing list of products was added condensed milk, ice cream, cheese and later Reddi-Whip. The company continued to grow with the addition of a retail outlet for their products. Growth continued for the company as they were able to purchase facilities in Antwerp and Cleveland, Ohio and Coldwater, Michigan. In 1978, the name of the company was changed to Milk Marketing, Inc, and ceased operations in 1980. The facility was later used as an industrial waste site, which later caught fire, destroying the Art Deco-Strauss designed building. Today the location has be environmentally cleaned and is the location of CarMax near Glenbrook Mall. Take some time today to celebrate National Milk Day with your favorite milk products.

Wayne Hotel

Was located on the South side of Columbia Street (The Landing) approximately in the middle of the block between Harrison and Calhoun. It was built by John C. Peters in 1887, who was Carole Lombard's (Carol Jane Peters) grandfather. It was later known as the Jones Hotel and then the Rosemarie Hotel. The Rosemarie Hotel met it's demise by a fire in 1975.

A June 13, 2019 by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

For "Throwback Thursday" we share another picture/postcard from the Steuben County Government Building in the old Angola High School. As it says, this is the Wayne Hotel. It was located on the South side of Columbia Street (The Landing) approximately in the middle of the block between Harrison and Calhoun. It was built by John C. Peters in 1887, who was Carole Lombard's (Carol Jane Peters) grandfather. It was later known as the Jones Hotel and then the Rosemarie Hotel. The Rosemarie Hotel met it's demise by a fire in 1975. 

Wayne Lodge No. 25

July 10, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

Wayne Lodge No. 25, the oldest Masonic Lodge in northern Indiana, was established and authorized to meet in Fort Wayne on March 22, 1823. The Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne gave The Genealogy Center permission to digitize and post online this collection of Wayne Lodge Minute Books covering 1823 through 1958. These books document some of the early leaders of Fort Wayne, including familiar names such as Ewing, Foster, Rudisill, and Wells.

Take a look here: July 10, 2023 post by the Masonic Lodges of Greater Fort Wayne

History of Wayne Lodge, No. 25, F. & A.M., Fort Wayne, Indiana : together with by-laws and roster of memberships to September 1, 1911 Publication date 1911, Topics:  Freemasons. Wayne Lodge No. 25Freemasonrygenealogy, on Archive.org.

Wayne Paper Box/Superior Lofts

Wayne Paper Box factory which still stands today at the 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. Its early customers included the locally owned Jenny Electric Co., Fox Candy and Wayne Knitting Mills. The company made a variety of paper products including folding corrugated boxes, gift boxes, mailing tubes, stationery, calendars and even postcards (many of which depicted Fort Wayne scenes).Wayne Paper Box factory which still stands today at the 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. Its early customers included the locally owned Jenny Electric Co., Fox Candy and Wayne Knitting Mills. The company made a variety of paper products including folding corrugated boxes, gift boxes, mailing tubes, stationery, calendars and even postcards (many of which depicted Fort Wayne scenes). See photo ca. 1953 and the rest of the article Wayne Paper Box c. 1953 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublished June 14, 2018 in Fort Wayne Reader The current building was built in 1904 and closed in 2000. The restored industrial building houses 72 high-end apartments, 21,000 square feet of street-level retail space and climate-controlled self-storage units and is currently known as Superior Lofts located in the heart of Riverfront Fort Wayne homeatsuperiorlofts.com/about/.

Wayne Paper Goods Co.

In the 1920s made printed cardboard doll houses shown in two photos February 21, 2014on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Wayne Pipe & Supply, Inc.

Distributors of Plumbing, Heating, & Industrial Supply 117 anniversary on January 1, 2013

Wayne Pump Home Equipment Company

Building at 800 Glasgow Ave. was once the Wayne Pump factory. For a time in the 20th Century, Fort Wayne was rightly known as the world's leading pump-maker. But thanks to the city's planned $250 million tunnel designed to curb the flow of raw sewage into the rivers, another architectural remnant of those glory days is slated for demolition. ... Matthew Wirtz, City Utilities' chief engineer, said the location will make it easy to pump water and sewage from the tunnel into the adjacent Water Pollution Control Plant, which will send the treated sludge to holding ponds further to the east. Copied from Tunnel project will claim latest piece of city's once-proud pump heritage by Kevin Leininger published February 28, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

  1. In 1915, a Wayne Oil Tank & Pump Company Lincoln Highway Special car was prominently displayed on the opening of the nationwide Lincoln Highway film promotion Three-mile Picture Show which unfortunately no longer exists, but individual photos do.
  2. Ads posted Honest Measure, Pay Attention, Penny's Worth, Whole Family, on February 15, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  3. Discussed February 28, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  4. Bulletins (Volume 1 - 1920) - Wayne Oil Tank & Pump Company, Individual bulletins designed to fit together in a cover supplied by the company.
  5. Bulletins] (Volume 2) - Wayne Oil Tank & Pump Company, Individual bulletins designed to fit together in a cover supplied by the company.
  6. See photos and discussion April 23, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  7. When Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors are "Out in the Field" doing a topographic survey, they like to check a U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark with a known elevation. An unusual one is set in the old Wayne Candies building shown in photos posted May 8, 2017 on their Facebook page.
  8. Photo taken June 29, 1910 of new plant on Tecumseh Avenue, which remained in operation until 1972, was posted October 3, 2017 onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  9. Photos posted April 4, 2019 of Wayne gas pumps at Florida Walt Disney World have plaques saying made in Fort Wayne on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. See photo of item #31 in this article: 32 Intriguing Hidden Secrets at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

1337 West Wayne Street

Street View photo from Google Maps

1337 W. Wayne on Pocketsights.com. 

September 5, 2023 post by West Central Neighborhood on Facebook:

Check out this fabulous write-up in the Journal Gazette, featuring Stop #2 on the Home Tour!

Tour to feature 113-year-old home The red brick and white trim manor home at 1337 W. Wayne Street that was once owned by Howell and Vallette Rockhill sits behind a small wrought-iron gate and walkway that leads to a large, covered, front porch. The 5,300-square-foot Colonial Revival home was designed by English-born Fort Wayne architect Charles Weatherhogg and built in 1910 for the son and daughter-in-law of William Rockhill, a member of the first Fort Wayne City Council who would later serve in the U.S. Congress from 1847 to 1849. The house was later converted into a series of apartments known as "The Wingspread" until it was converted back to single-family use after a previous owner purchased it in 2015.

Wayne Trace

Corner of Wayne Trace and New Haven Avenue, Street View photo at Google maps shows the Wayne Trace monument with plaque at Sieling Park

Page 133, "WAYNE TRACE." in The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date 1917 on Archive.org.

The famous "Wayne Trace," extending from the city of Fort Wayne to the city of Cincinnati, marks the pathway of General Wayne from the fort which bore his name to the site of Fort Washington. The upper map Indicates the route taken by General Wayne and the lower drawing shows that portion of the route within the city of Fort Wayne. A sketch of the "marker" erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1906, is also shown.

  1. Wayne Trace with photo states: Large stone dredged from St. Mary's River with bronze plaque marking the old Indian trail used by the armies of Generals Harmar (1790), Wayne (1791) and Harrison (1812). Placed originally on October 22, 1907 in Seiling Park, Wayne Trace and New Haven Avenues. Broken in 1990 and repaired by Park Board. Broken again in 1993 and was repaired by the Park Board and moved away from the intersection. The marker reads: Wayne Trace Once the Indian trail to Cincinnati The route of General Harmar's army in 1790 of General Wayne's when leaving the stockade Christened by Major Hamtramck "Fort Wayne in 1794 Also of General Harrison's army in 1812 Erected by Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. Copied from the DAR Markers page of the Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  2. Wayne Trace Once the Indian trail to Cincinnati The route Of General Harmer's Army in 1790 Of General Wayne's When leaving the stockade Christened by Major Hamtramck "Fort Wayne" in 1794 Also of General Harrison's Army In 1812. on plaque from Wayne Trace at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org.
  3. Wayne Trace is mentioned under Mad Anthony's Battle (By Randy McNutt) in the Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 118 (Friday, August 19, 1994) at GovInfo.gov.
  4. November 9, 2015 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

    Our friend and fellow surveyor, Kurt Luebke , now living in Missoula, Montana had inquired last week if we could get a picture of the plaque referenced in Part 4 of the "Did you know" series run by Wolf and Dessauer in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette in 1937 (See Throwback Thursday Nov. 5, 2015). We found it and here you go!

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89.1 WBOI Northeast Indiana Public Radio

https://www.wboi.org/about-us states: Northeast Indiana Public Radio is the licensee for 89.1 WBOI - NPR News & Diverse Music, WBOI.org, WBOI Studios Podcasts, and Classical WBNI. NIPR is a 501(c)3 non-profit, charitable organization.

The mission of Northeast Indiana Public Radio is to strengthen the cultural, civic, and social fabric of the communities we serve, and to engage audiences with content that enriches the human experience. We apply our core competencies of reporting and storytelling, our relationship with audiences, and our capacity for innovation to create a space where audiences congregate, connect and contribute to a shared understanding of their community, their country, and the world. They have many interesting sections such as News, Culture, News Archives that goes back to 1970, and more.

Weather

See Fort Wayne Weather page.

Wells Street

See Wells Street page.

Wells Street Bridge

See Wells Street Bridge page.

Wendy's Hamburgers

The North Anthony Wendy's location is near the former Hobby House restaurant location shown in Street View from Google Maps

  1. Did you know Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, was a resident of Fort Wayne? In 1947, Dave’s family moved to Fort...

    Posted by The History Center on Monday, April 16, 2018

    Monday, April 16, 2018 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    Did you know Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, was a resident of Fort Wayne? In 1947, Dave’s family moved to Fort Wayne. At fifteen, he worked at the local Hobby House restaurant. When his family moved, Dave decided to stay and drop out of school. He lived at the YMCA and worked full-time. In 1950, Dave joined the Army. After his service, Dave returned to Hobby House and helped owner Phil Clauss grow his chain into Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises. He also met his wife, who worked at Hobby House. Dave became a colleague of Clauss and Colonel Sanders through the 1950s. In 1962, Clauss offered Dave an opportunity to revive his franchises in Columbus, Ohio. He did so successfully and became a millionaire when they were sold. This money helped him to found his own chain, Wendy’s. Today Wendy’s has over 6,500 locations. Featured are photos of the Fort Wayne Hobby House locations. The location of the Jefferson Hobby House is now fittingly the home of a Wendy’s. #sociallyhistory

  2. After yet another move, 15-year-old Dave found work at the Hobby House Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He started as a busboy, then worked the fountain and went on to the front kitchen, believing that if he was going to have his own restaurant one day, he needed to know how to do every job. Owner Phil Clauss became his mentor, motivating Dave and teaching him everything about the business. In the early 1950s at the age of 18, Dave joined the Army at the start of the Korean War. From Cook and Baker's School in Fort Benning, Georgia, to becoming one of the youngest soldiers to manage the Enlisted Men's Club, Dave's entrepreneurial spirit and initiative served him well. Dave served in Germany for two and a half years, and in 1953, he returned to his job and restaurant family at the Hobby House. A new waitress, Lorraine Buskirk, caught his eye and they were soon married in 1954. Dave and his wife Lorraine grew their family to include five children – Pam, Ken, Lori, Molly and Melinda (Wendy). All the while, Dave worked toward his goal of owning his own restaurant. It was 1962 when Dave was finally offered an opportunity he couldn’t pass up – the chance to rejuvenate four failing Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. Dave had met Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, and he quickly became one of Dave’s strongest mentors. When Phil Clauss bought a KFC franchise, he offered Dave a chance to revive his four failing restaurants in Columbus. Against even the Colonel's advice, Dave took the challenge and succeeded. He trimmed the menu and used creative promotions - swapping chicken meals for radio time and making an illuminated sign that looked like a rotating bucket of chicken. Clauss later sold the restaurants to Dave. From Dave in the Army From Dave in the Military, Family-Life & Restaurant Business at Wendys.com.
  3. Dave Thomas - Lorraine Buskirk Marriage License registered in Allen Circuit Court!

    May 21, 1954 Dave Thomas marriage license to Lorraine Buskirk
    Rex David Thomas marriage to Ina Lorraine Buskirk, groom's parents: Rex William Thomas and Aleva Sinclair. Bride's parents: Kenneth G. Buskirk and Inez Marie Baker. Officiant: A. Hunter Colpitts. Marriage date: 21 May 1954, Page: 149:363. From Marriage Records on www.acgsi.org.
  4. Thomas started in the restaurant business when he was a schoolboy, busing tables at the Hobby House, 230 E. Wayne St. He was later named assistant manager at the Hobby Ranch House at Anthony Boulevard and Crescent Avenue, where he met Col. Harland Sanders, who was frequently there promoting his chicken. Thomas mastered the fried chicken business and moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1962. It was in Columbus, bankrolled by the profits from a successful venture in Kentucky Fried Chicken, that he launched his hamburger chain in 1969, naming it after a daughter born in Fort Wayne. From 1998: Dave Thomas visits new Wendy's in Fort Wayne Frank Gray May 1, 1998 The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  5. When his father settled in Fort Wayne in the early 1940s, young Dave tried his hand at a number of odd jobs. When he was only 12 years old, Dave got his first job delivering groceries. When that job didn’t pan out, he hired on as a soda jerk at Walgreens. That job ended when his boss discovered that Dave wasn’t 16 years old, the minimum required age for employment. At age 15, Dave was hired at the Hobby House restaurant. Located at 3204 North Anthony Blvd., the Ft. Wayne eatery specialized in pancakes in the morning, hamburgers at noon and barbecue at night. ... Dave named the restaurant after his eight-year-old daughter Melinda Lou. At a young age, the child could not pronounce her own name so the family gave her the nickname “Wendy.” Thomas chose the logo of a red haired girl with pigtails and freckles eating a hamburger. Dave’s penchant for nostalgia kicked in when he settled on the name “Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers.” From Wendy’s Fast Food Hoosier History August 24, 2017, Al Hunter, The Weekly View.
  6. The closure of the restaurant on North Anthony holds particular significance for Wendy’s history in Fort Wayne. This location is near the site of the former Hobby House restaurant where Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas began his career in the food service industry. Thomas, who died in 2002, had strong ties to Fort Wayne. He worked at the Hobby House as a young man, eventually becoming assistant manager at the Hobby Ranch House at Anthony Boulevard and Crescent Avenue. It was here that Thomas met Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, who frequently visited to promote his chicken. In 1998, Thomas returned to Fort Wayne to visit a then-new Wendy’s built on the site of the old Hobby Ranch House. During this visit, he reflected on his humble beginnings and the importance of mentorship in his career. “I’m not a celebrity,” Thomas said at the time. “I’m a hamburger cook.” From Recent Wendy's closures in Fort Wayne include location with close ties for chain's founder Kimberly Dupps Truesdell The Journal Gazette newspaper.

West Central Neighborhood

West Central Historic District is Fort Wayne's Largest and Oldest Residential Historic district. West Central was designated as a local historic district in two phases in 1984-1985. It was listed in the National Register in 1984. The district contains virtually all architectural styles that were popular between 1830 and 1950. From item #4 in 10 Things to Know About Historic Preservation in Fort Wayne at City of Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne has 17 districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places and 40 single property National Register listings. The Association has a History page listing Historic Buildings and Structures of the West Central Neighborhood Association Fort Wayne, Indiana.

West Central - Neighborhood Profile - Fort Wayne, Indiana February 25, 2014 CBRWGmarketing on YouTube.
Coldwell Banker Roth Wehrly Graber presents an informational video on West Central Neighborhood in Fort Wayne, IN. West Central homes have the character and charm that people desire, and is also walking distance from the improving Fort Wayne downtown.
For more information visit www.MovingIndiana.com

Western Newspaper Union Building

437 E. Berry Street, Street View photo from Google Maps
The stone marker on Clay Street marks this as the site of Anthony Wayne's 1794 Fort.

August 17, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

The Western Newspaper Union Building, 437 E. Berry Street, is a Craftsman-style building, c. 1916. Craftsman style, (c. 1905-c.1935), focuses on simple design and fine craftsmanship. Gen. Anthony Wayne built his fort on this spot in 1794. Its replacement was further west, and by 1819 the soldiers were gone. The federal government was soon to sell the land it owned here. The property was sold to Cyrus Taber in 1835, who platted the area into lots. Lot 11, as it was called, was a residence until 1916 when this building was built. Henry Hilgeman and Henry Wehrenberg built it as an investment. Weekly small-town newspapers were printed here. Today it is part of the Arts Campus Fort Wayne Cultural District and is the home of Cinema Center and the Dance Collective. 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.

WFWA - PBS Fort Wayne 39 Television

Google map photo from Street View

PBS Fort Wayne 39, 2501 E. Coliseum Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1562, wfwa.org. Wallace J. “Wally” Fosnight, died May 17, 2018 in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, at age 79, he was preceded in death by his parents, Howard J. and Edna Mae Paff Fosnight. A 1977 Journal Gazette story Child’s tears brought TV 39 to life by Alan Klanoff published March 28, 1977 recounted how in 1969, Fosnight and his family left Pittsburgh for a job in Fort Wayne. His 4-year-old daughter Wendy cried when she found she could not watch “MisterRogers' Neighborhood” in Fort Wayne. Wally wrote to the office of National Educational Television in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a major funding source for public television. He asked what it would cost to underwrite daily telecasts of the children's show featuring the friendly man in the cardigan sweater. In 1975, Fort Wayne finally had access to public television. Read more in Man who led drive for local PBS dies Wally Fosnight, 79, helped found WFWA by Rosa Salter Rodriquez published June 10, 2018 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Remembering Wally Fosnight: PBS39 Founder on wfwa.org. WorldCat has a list of their videos produced over the years. PrimeTime39: https://www.pbs.org/show/primetime39/ has episodes online back to 2017. This area’s only in-depth, live, weekly news, analysis and cultural update forum, PrimeTime airs Fridays at 7:30pm. This program is hosted by PBS Fort Wayne’s President/General Manager Bruce Haines.WFWA-TV39 (Television station : Fort Wayne, Ind.) search results at the Allen County Public Library. Over the years PBS Fort Wayne has created many documentaries, although many appear to longer be available. Most PBS Fort Wayne Specials require Passport membership for watching online:

  1. Fort Wayne on the air , 1992, "Takes a look at the history of broadcasting in Fort Wayne with the help of veteran broadcasters like Bob Sievers, Chris Roberts, Hilliard Gates and many more. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  2. Fort Wayne memories. The '50s / producer, writer, editor, Claudia Johnson ; WFWA-TV39, 1994, Accompanied by photographs and film footage, Fort Wayne residents tell what life was like in their city in the 1950s. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  3. Fort Wayne Home for the Holidays Special | 56m 27s Take a look at the 1994 local documentary, Fort Wayne Home for the Holidays, featuring segments on Christmas at the Wolf & Dessauer department store, Fort Wayne Santa Claus Phil Steigerwald, the restoration of two Fort Wayne light displays, and more. Aired: 12/01/94 Rating: TV-G. "Once upon a time Christmas meant snow for sledding, a trip downtown to visit WanDerland at Wolf & Dessauer's and dreaming of a bicycle from 'Uncle Win' Koehlinger's store. WFWA-TV39 captures the magic of [Fort Wayne's] hometown holidays--past and present--in this very special program hosted by one of Fort Wayne's most memorable 'Santas, ' Phil Steigerwald." DVD at the Allen County Public Library.
  4. Fort Wayne memories. The forties / producer, writer, Claudia Johnson ; a production of WFWA-TV39 1995 Accompanied by photographs and film footage, Fort Wayne residents tell what life was like in their city in the 1940s. DVD at Allen County Public Library.
  5. Collecting Fort Wayne 1997 "Highlights a variety of Fort Wayne treasures and artifacts and the fascinating stories behind the 'finds.'" VHS at Allen County Public Library
  6. Fort Wayne: Lost But Not Forgotten Special | 56m 52s Explore Fort Wayne's rich history of past places. Aired: 01/01/97 Rating: NR. "From the Gardner's restaurant to the old Greyhound bus station; hotels, theaters and other places are remembered fondly. Using first-person narratives along with many archival photographs and other visual records, 'Fort Wayne Lost (But Not Forgotten)' gives you and your family a look at places that might not be here phyysically, but that still hold a special place in our hearts--and our history." DVD at Allen County Public Library.
  7. WOWO Legends Special | 1h 2m 51s Local radio personalities gather at the WFWA studios to reminisce about WOWO (AM radio). Featuring Bob Sievers, Bob Chase, Don Chevillet, Ron Gregory, and Chris Roberts. Aired: 03/02/98 Rating: NR VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  8. Fort Wayne - A Most German Town Special | 57m 22s The rich history of German immigrants and culture in Fort Wayne. Aired: 03/20/98 Rating: NR. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  9. A conversation with Bob Sievers 1999 "Join Bob as he reminisces with Jane Avery Doswell about his long career in broadcasting from the 'world famous WOWO Fire Escape.' Bob gives an insider's perspective on how the business of radio and advertising has changed over the years, as well as the Fort Wayne area and America itself."--Container. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  10. Fort Wayne memories. The '60s / producer, Claudia Johnson ; a production of PBS39 WFWA, 1999, "Through extensive interviews with many Fort Wayne area residents, old news footage, photographs and home movies, revisit this very significant time in Fort Wayne and American history, marked by new attitudes, technological advances and cultural change." VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  11. Landmarks: Remembering Fort Wayne Special | 56m 2s Learn about the history of past and present Fort Wayne landmarks. Aired: 03/13/00 Rating: NR. Discusses the memorable buildings--some of them now gone--in downtown Fort Wayne. Interviews with residents provide historical and architectural insight. DVD or VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  12. The story of Smith Field Fort Wayne : PBS 39 WFWA, 2002 Fort Wayne's oldest municipal airfield was re-named Smith Field in honor of aviation pioneer Art Smith, 'The Bird Boy of Fort Wayne.' It served the community as a hub of commercial, corporate and industrial endeavors for over 75 years. Learn about Smith Field's history and watch as local policy makers, citizens and community activists debate this historic airport's future in this exclusive documentary presentation from PBS-39. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  13. Memorial City: The Lindenwood Chronicles Special | 51m 30s Learn about the history of Fort Wayne's historic Lindenwood Cemetery. Aired: 01/04/02 Rating: NR. 'Memorial City: the Lindenwood Chronicles' takes you beyond mausoleums, grass and gravestones to offer insights of some of the people interred at Lindenwood. The history of the cemetery itself is profiled as well as offering a look at how customs have changed since it was founded, providing insights into our own corner of America since Lindenwood's founding in 1859. DVD at Allen County Public Library.
  14. Ann Colone Remembers Special | 54m 31s Ann Colone was a pioneering female broadcaster in Fort Wayne, Indiana whose career in local media spanned three decades as host of "The Ann Colone Show" and other projects. Aired: 10/23/03 Rating: NR. DVD As a host and interviewer, Ann Colone's personality, wit and adventuresome spirit helped make her a viewer favorite during the 50s, 60s and 70s. As performers, political figures and celebrities of every stripe made their way across America, they inevitably stopped in Fort Wayne, or nearby. And, if they could be, they were interviewed by Ann Colone.... Using interviews with Ann, her colleagues and highlights, gleaned from Ann's personal photographic, film and video archives, you'll be transported back to those anticipated afternoons and the memories they created--memories of celebriteis, events and the wonders of the world brought into thousands of homes each weekday, by Ann Colone. at Allen County Public Library.
  15. Fort Wayne memories. The '50s / a production of WFWA-TV39 ; producer, writer, Claudia Johnson ; WFWA-TV39 2005. Accompanied by photographs and film footage, Fort Wayne residents tell what life was like in their city in the 1950s. DVD at the Allen County Public Library.
  16. A Watershed Mentality Special | 27m 5s | Video has closed captioning. The Maumee River is the single largest tributary and watershed in the Great Lakes and deposits millions of cubic yards of sediment into Lake Erie yearly. Aired: 02/04/09 Rating: NR. DVD at the Allen County Public Library.
  17. Brookside - The Bass Mansion Renovation Special | 57m 4s Brookside, also known as the Bass Mansion, was added to the National Register for Historic Places in 1982. Renovations on the former residence of industrialist John Henry Bass were completed in 2009-2010. The mansion is currently an administrative building on the University of Saint Francis. Aired: 10/01/10 Rating: NR.
  18. New Vision: The Parkview Regional Medical Center Special | 57m 47s Learn about the history of Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Aired: 03/14/12 Rating: NR.
  19. Headwaters Park: Fort Wayne's Lasting Legacy Special | 57m 9s Learn about the history and development of Fort Wayne's Headwaters Park. Aired: 12/03/12 Rating: NR.
  20. Honor Flight Northeast Indiana: Honoring a Generation Special | 59m 18s This hour long documentary tells the story of how Honor Flight Northeast Indiana grew from humble beginnings in 2008 and how, by October 2014, it had transported over 900 northeast Indiana World War II veterans -- free of charge – to visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Aired: 11/06/14 Rating: NR.
  21. Purdue University Fort Wayne Home For The Holidays Concert Season 2021 Episode 1 | 1h 37m 26s | Video has closed captioning. Celebrate the joy and beauty of the season with this concert, recorded live December 6, 2021 at the Auer Performance Hall at the Rhinehart Music Center on the campus of Purdue University Fort Wayne. Featured Performances: The School of Music Choral Ensembles and the University and Community Orchestra with Kevin McMahon and William Sauerland, conductors; Jonathan Young and Natalie Young, soloists. Aired: 12/07/21 Rating: NR.
  22. After 17 years of leadership, our president and general manager, Bruce Haines, has announced that he will retire in...

    Posted by PBS Fort Wayne on Thursday, September 19, 2024

    Thursday, September 19, 2024 post by PBS Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    After 17 years of leadership, our president and general manager, Bruce Haines, has announced that he will retire in 2025.

    During Bruce’s time as president and GM, PBS Fort Wayne successfully increased the stations power, incorporated additional personnel to bring local content to new media platforms, and expanded the reach of our five broadcast channels and local productions through streaming services! These accomplishments are just a few of many made possible through Bruce’s leadership. Thank you for your years of service, and congratulations, Bruce!

White Fruit House

White Fruit House 1890's largest wholesale and retail distributor of fruit in northern Indiana and northeastern Ohio at Calhoun and Wayne Streets. James B. White, born in 1835 Scotland, came to Fort Wayne in 1854 by packetboat on the Wabash & Erie canal. In 1892 with his son John organized the White National Bank which later merged with First National Bank. A descendant of this family was Edward White, a Gemini and Apollo-era astronaut and the first American to walk in space. From July 10, 2006 Fort Wayne Reader article. White Fruit House became the Grand Leader department store from newspaper article on Great Memories & History of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

White Mansion

Also known as the Snyderman House, Cement House, Concrete House, or the Rock. See the Knee House.

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White Swan Grocery Store

On White Swan Plaza on Lima Road and New Haven.

Wildcat Baseball

Wildcat baseball turns 50 July 23, 2010 WANE 15 News on YouTube.
This story aired during the 6 PM news on July 23, 2010.

Wildcat League History MR DALE MCMILLEN [MR. MAC] (WILDCAT BASEBALL LEAGUE FOUNDER) at Wildcat Baseball: www.wildcatbaseball.us Their motto is "Everybody makes the team," almost 200,000 players have participated in the Fort Wayne area since the organization was started in 1961. Celebrating 50 years in 2010. Formed by Dale "Mr. Mac" McMillen. Everybody Makes the Team: The Story of Wildcat Baseball at the The Genealogy Center. Cover of Parade magazine May 27, 1962: “A baseball league for boys where everyone plays” from 'Parade' Celebrates the World Series With Our Favorite Baseball Covers of All Time Talk a walk down memory lane as we prepare for the 118th World Series. by Peter Moore posted Oct 7, 2022 on Parade.com. Page 6 of Baseball Memories Parade October 9, 2022 is Parade 100922 published October 7, 2022 entire issue on ISSUU.com.

Around the 7-second mark Carl Erskine with Fort Wayne Wildcat League players in New documentary honors Indiana native and MLB great Carl Erskine Jul 25, 2022 Inside Indiana Business on YouTube
Anderson's Carl Erskine made a name for himself in Major League Baseball...but it was what he did off the field that has sealed his legacy as one of the greats. Ted Green, President, Ted Green Films has details on a new documentary coming out highlighting the life of Carl Erskine.

  1. I knew he’d been heavily involved in Wildcat Baseball, which was started locally by Dale McMillen Sr., who had noticed the disappointment on the faces of kids cut from teams and founded leagues where anyone who wanted to play could. Copied from Documentary on Carl Erskine: An important watch about more than just baseball Justin A. Cohn Sep 27, 2022 The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  2. “The Best We’ve Got: The Carl Erskine Story” Tony Betton Jr. May. 1, 2023 21AliveNews.com

Wildwood Homes

Wildwood homes : being a collection of houses and details with suggestions for the home builder by Wildwood Builders Co Publication date 1912  ebook on Internet Archive. Is a digital copy of Wildwood homes : being a collection of houses and details with suggestions for the home builder (Book) : being a collection of houses and details with suggestions for the home builder [Book] a book in the Allen County Public Library

June 22, 2023 post by Wildwood Park Community Association on Facebook:

Here's a link to the home design book published by Wildwood Builders, developers of Wildwood Park, including the work of architect Joel Roberts Ninde and her design partner Grace Crosby. The text has the flowery language of Lee J. Ninde. Enjoy!

Will Jewelers

May 3, 2023 post by Glo Magazine on Facebook:

In 1959, Donald Will broke free of the grind of working for others and opened his own small storefront with his wife - the very first Will Jewelers!

Read the story of this local business and jeweler on page 36 of glo magazine. Read glo by picking up a copy at a newsstand location or read online: https://www.glo-mag.com/

Willie's Family Restaurant

Started around 1966 by Willie Adams in a 1919 building on St. Joe Center Road near the corner of Maplecrest Road, from a comment by son Randy Adams June 17, 2014 on Willie's Family Restaurant on Facebook. They announced July 20, 2021 they were moving to 3434 North Anthony Bloulevard. Some history of the business is in the article Willie's in northeast Fort Wayne moving to former Chrome Plate Diner home by Emeline Hawkins for iiIN Fort Wayne Community Newspapers Sep 27, 2021. Their is a family connection with both locations from this article: Welcome to the family You're sure to feel like family at the Chrome Plated Diner by Bonnie Blackburn of Fort Wayne Magazine published Monday, December 14th, 2015

Wing & Mahurin

Architectural firm of Fort Wayne, Indiana. John F. Wing (1852-1947) and Marshall S. Mahurin (1857-1939) were partners until 1907. With Guy M. Mahurin (1877-1941) they also worked as Mahurin & Mahurin. Some projects are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. See their book Wing & Mahurin, architects, Fort Wayne, Ind (1896) on Archive.org shown below. Wikipedia lists many of their Indiana projects under Wing & Mahurin.

Wing & Mahurin, architects, Fort Wayne, Ind by Wing & Mahurin, Publication date 1896, on Archive.org

WKJG NBC Channel 33 Television Station

Street View photo from Google Maps

3401 Butler Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808 is ABC 21AliveNews.com.

April 24, 1953 WKJG TV announcement

November 30, 2024 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook

WKJG-TV Channel 33- The First Station November 18, 2023 The Video Factory Fort Wayne on YouTube.

First local television station broadcast on November 21, 1953, sister station to WKJG-AM and WKJG-FM the am and fm radio stations started by William Kunkel, WKJG (William Kunkle Journal-Gazette), who owned the local The Journal Gazette newspaper from page 131 of the book Hard News, Heartfelt Opinions: A History of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette by Scott M. Bushnell.

  1. WKJG-TV, Channel 33, signed on November 21, 1953, as Fort Wayne’s first television station. Studios were initially in the downtown Purdue building, but moved to 2633 West State Boulevard in 1958. WKJG-TV, Fort Wayne by Doug LeDuc of The News-Sentinel newspaperat the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers.
  2. Juy 31, 2024 photos post: In 1947 this small nondescript building located on South Calhoun Street [ 3802 ] was the newly established studio for WKJG Radio on Fort Wayne's south side. The transmitter facility was located on Maples Road. The station was owned by Fort Wayne's Journal Gazette newspaper. Its publisher, William Kunkel, gave the new station its call letters using the newspaper and his own initials WKJG. on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  3. On October 17, 2022, following Gray's acquisition of the station, WPTA-DT2 began simulcasting the main subchannel's morning newscasts in place of producing its own. In November 2022, WPTA announced that, as part of a reconsolidation of its entire news product under the revived 21Alive News brand, the evening Fort Wayne's NBC newscasts would end on December 16, 2022, after which most of its anchors and weather staff were reassigned. On January 9, 2023, WPTA fully completed its reorganization of newscasts, with WPTA-DT2 simulcasting morning, 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on weekdays. Copied WPTA November 21, 2023 on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. WPTA-TV is excited to announce that the ABC21 and Fort Wayne’s NBC news teams will combine to become 21Alive News in early January of 2023. Copied from 21Alive announces news expansion November 22, 2022 on 21AliveNews.com.
  4. WISE-TV and WKJG radio on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  5. WKJG 1380, Fort Wayne, Indiana history and photos October 21, 2011 at fybush.com.
  6. Big Snow Storm 1963 2-minute video without sound in the WKJG-TV COLLECTION at the Indiana Historical Society. Posted January 31, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  7. NBC33 had a week long series NBC33 Celebrates 60th Anniversary All Week Long by Eric Dutkiewicz in 2013
  8. 60 Years On Air: NBC33 Takes A Look Back At 1953 broadcast November 18, 2013
  9. 60 Years On Air: NBC33 Looks At Costs In 1953 by Emma Koch broadcast November 19, 2013
  10. NBC33 Megan and Eric sit down with Terri Richardson from the Journal Gazette to discuss newspapers from November 1953 in 60 Years On Air: NBC Looks At Headlines From 1953 by Emma Koch NBC33 broadcast November 20, 2013
  11. 60 Years On Air: NBC33 What Was On TV In 1953 by Emma Koch broadcast November 21, 2013
  12. Final 60 Years On Air: NBC33 Goes Retro (FULL SHOW) November 22, 2013 by Emma Koch.
  13. Broadcast TV pioneer Jack Gray was playing it by ear when he became the city's first anchor by Gregg Bender published March 13, 2018 in The Journal Gazette newspaper with black and white photo of Dick Florea, Jack Gray and Hilliard Gates.
  14. 21Alive announces news expansion WPTA-TV, a Gray Television station, announces the ABC21 and Fort Wayne's NBC news teams will combine to become 21Alive News in early January of 2023. By WPTA Staff Published: Nov. 22, 2022 at 8:57 AM EST FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - WPTA-TV is excited to announce that the ABC21 and Fort Wayne’s NBC news teams will combine to become 21Alive News in early January of 2023. Posted at WKJG NBC. From a December 12, 2022 post on Facebook.
  15. January 29, 2023 discussion of when the station came on the air on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  16. On Nov. 21, 1953, WKJG-TV, Channel 33, began broadcasting television in Fort Wayne. Broadcast television was new technology in 1953, and WKJG was the first TV station to bring this new technology into Fort Wayne-area homes. Copied from Broadcast news: Fort Wayne celebrates 70 years of local TV November 21, 2023 The Journal Gazette newspaper.

WLYV AM Radio

Started in 1948. Prior to becoming WLYV, the station was assigned the call letters WANE and was the radio companion of channel 15 television. In the mid-1960s, the radio station was purchased by Sheppard Broadcasting of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following the purchase by Sheppard, the station changed call letters (to become closely related to Sheppard's WLAV in Grand Rapids) and on January 1, 1966 changed formats to become Fort Wayne's first Top 40 station. See WLYV at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia for more information.

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Wolf Mattress

Founder Paul Wolf house on Canal Street. The original factory was nearby. Street View photo from Google Maps.
Discussed August 6, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

3434 Adams Center Road, https://wolfmattress.com/, Street View photo from Google Maps.

Founded in 1873 by Paul Wolf, in 2014 makes mattresses and futons; manufactures fiberfill products; and it distributes wood and metal futon frames. Sweet Dreams since 1873. For more information read Generations of mattresses Wolf Corp. leader attributes success to longevity - and Fort Wayne published December 1, 2014 in The Journal Gazette newspaper now on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Associated Churches plans grand opening for The Wolf Mission House March 25, 2021 Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Metro Chamber Alliance.

Wolf & Dessauer

Sam Wolf and Myron Dessauer opened their department store in 1896 on Calhoun Street. Wolf & Dessauer became famous for their 1937 Santa Reindeer and Christmas Wreath displays restored to seasonal display in downtown Fort Wayne. Wolf & Dessauer illuminated their display every Christmastime from 1940 to 1958, with the exception of three years. In 1942, 1943 and 1944, World War II brought blackouts to the city from Fort Wayne's favorite Santa turns 63 this year by Carol Tannehill published November 24, 2003 in The News-Sentinel newspapernow on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. James Bill Green, 1950-2022 a 1969 graduate of Snider High School was remembered as the Man who renewed Fort Wayne's iconic Santa Claus display tradition dies at 71 by Ashley Sloboda published July 6, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. See Night of Lights on the Visit Fort Wayne blog.

December 13, 2020 post by Wolf and Dessauer Magic Window on Facebook.

This is a popular local cartoon by Steve Smeltzer, whose cartoons are featured, internationally in publications and on webs from his Smeltzer Cartoons Facebook page and Steve Smeltzer at ACPL Fort Wayne Area Artists. You can order this W&Ds Christmas Window image from his Smeltzer Cartoon shop posted December 8, 2018 on his Facebook page.

There is so much stuff online it is on separate Wolf & Dessauer page.

Woodburn

Episode 181: Woodburn and New Haven by Granite Ridge Builders Sep 26, 2022 on YouTube.
Two great small towns, and Granite Ridge Builders has new communities near both! The Studs crew are taking a look at some of the reasons these areas are booming!

  1. The Woodburn Historical Society Collection consists of photographs depicting life in the town of Woodburn and surrounding Maumee Township from the late nineteenth through twentieth centuries. The collection includes a number of postcard views of Woodburn, a portion of which was also known as Shirley City, as well as aerial views and a number of snapshots. Many of the snapshots were taken in the post war era of 1947. The collection also contains photographs of several of the town's founders and civic leaders, as well as pictures of schools and rare images of two of the early log cabins in the township. in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
  2. Pictures discussed January 2, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  3. Photographs from the book Woodburn centennial July 7, 8, 9, 10 Woodburn, Indiana 1865 to 1965 were discussed October 4, 2022 on Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group.
  4. January 23, 2023 the on Facebook posted: It's #waybackwednesday! This picture, from our Woodburn Historical Society Collection, shows the Centlivre Beer Trailer, taken on Union Street in Woodburn in front of the City Hall, with the Post Office on the extreme left.
  5. The small building just above the standing men was a private residence. Next to it is the Keller Blacksmithing and Acetylene Welding Shop, operated by Ed Keller. Beyond it is the Portman Machine and Repair Shop. The high roof at the extreme right is the Woodburn Equity Exchange elevator building.
  6. January 23, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:
    It's #waybackwednesday! This picture, from our Woodburn Historical Society Collection, shows the Centlivre Beer Trailer, taken on Union Street in Woodburn in front of the City Hall, with the Post Office on the extreme left.
    The small building just above the standing men was a private residence. Next to it is the Keller Blacksmithing and Acetylene Welding Shop, operated by Ed Keller. Beyond it is the Portman Machine and Repair Shop. The high roof at the extreme right is the Woodburn Equity Exchange elevator building.
    Check out our digital collection from the Woodburn Historical Society here: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/coll5

Woolworth

The first Woolworth store was opened by Frank Winfield Woolworth on February 22, 1879, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store" in Utica, New York. Though it initially appeared to be successful, the store soon failed.[1] When Woolworth searched for a new location, a friend suggested Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Using the sign from the Utica store, Woolworth opened his first successful "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store" on June 21, 1879, in Lancaster. He brought his brother, Charles Sumner Woolworth, into the business.

The two Woolworth brothers pioneered and developed merchandising, direct purchasing, sales, and customer service practices commonly used today. Despite its growing to be one of the largest retail chains in the world through most of the 20th century, increased competition led to its decline beginning in the 1980s, while its sporting goods division grew.

The chain went out of business in July 1997, when the company decided to focus primarily on sporting goods and renamed itself Venator Group. By 2001, the company focused exclusively on the sporting goods market, changing its name to the current Foot Locker, Inc., changing its ticker symbol from its familiar Z in 2003 to its present ticker (NYSE: FL).

Copied from F. W. Woolworth Company on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Did you ever shop at a Woolworth's? This once-popular "five and dime" chain (where everything was 5 or 10 cents) had its...

Posted by Newspapers.com on Friday, June 21, 2024

Friday, June 21, 2024 post by Newspapers.com on Facebook:

Did you ever shop at a Woolworth's? This once-popular "five and dime" chain (where everything was 5 or 10 cents) had its start in New York in February 1879. But it wasn't until the launch of the store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a few months later (on June 21) that it really caught on.

Woolworth's ultimately became the best-known U.S. five-and-dime chain, until it went out of business in 1997.

This 1879 clipping advertises the opening of that first successful store in Pennsylvania.

See it in the Lancaster Examiner on our site: First successful Woolworth's store, Lancaster PA, 1879 The Lancaster Examiner, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, July 9, 1879, Page 3

1898 - 5 and 10 Cent Store - F. O. Woolworth & Co. - 820 South Salina Street

Article from Aug 15, 1898 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1898, Woolworth, 5 and 10 cent store
1898 - 5 and 10 Cent Store - F. O. Woolworth & Co. - 820 South Salina Street The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Monday, August 15, 1898, Page 21

Worthman Homes

June 26, 2023 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

It's "Wall of Fame Wednesday"! Here is more from the promotional brochure published by JOHN R. WORTHMAN INC. Builder - Realtor for INDIAN VILLAGE. The brochure says Sections B and C were prepared, and Section D was proposed. A.K. Hofer platted Section B in 1945, Section C in 1947 and Section D in 1950. So this brochure is somewhere between 1947 and 1950.

WOWO 1190 AM Radio

WOWO first signs on the air on March 31, 1925 with 500 watts at 1320 kilocycles. The call letters were chosen...

Posted by Allen County Public Library on Monday, March 28, 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016 post by the Allen County Public Library on Facebook:

WOWO first signs on the air on March 31, 1925 with 500 watts at 1320 kilocycles. The call letters were chosen arbitrarily. "W" for broadcast station east of the Mississippi and "O" for ease of pronunciation. This is a photo of the Unique Orchestra getting ready to perform in 1927. Did you ever listen to WOWO what is your favorite memory?

They broadcast from studios on the second floor of the Main Auto Supply Co. at 215 W. Main Street. "Fort Wayne's legendary 50,000 watt radio station. ... roster of air personalities, like Bob Sievers, Jack Underwood, Dugan Fry, Jay Gould, Chris Roberts, Ron Gregory, Bob Chase, Don Chevillet, John Cigna and many others created a lifelong bond with the citizens of WOWOland. February 1, 1954, the station would raise the new towers at their site on U.S. 24 near Roanoke to become 50,000 watts from History of WOWO on wowo.com. It was an upgrade that would make the station as strong as the most powerful station in the United States. In its earliest years, WOWO Radio also launched the careers of many prominent broadcasters, including comedian Herb Shriner, Fort Wayne TV pioneer Hilliard Gates, and Tom Carnegie, known to millions worldwide as the voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. from the Timeline on The History of WOWO Radio web site.

ELVIS PRESLEY Interview! LOST FOR 60 YEARS! JUST DISCOVERED!
March 30, 1957, Bob Chase interviews Elvis Presley, by Alpha 11 published November 30, 2017 YouTube.

  1. See WOWO brightest when radio was king by Kevin Leininger published July 10, 1982 inCityscapes from the Archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  2. October 22, 1994 Time Capsule from the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  3. WOWO heard its listeners by Bob Caylor in 1930-1939: DECADE OF BANKRUPTCY & BUREAUCRACY ofCityscapes from the Archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  4. WOWO Legends Special | 1h 2m 51s Local radio personalities gather at the WFWA-TV39 PBS Fort Wayne studios to reminisce about WOWO (AM radio). Featuring Bob Sievers, Bob Chase, Don Chevillet, Ron Gregory, and Chris Roberts. Aired: 03/02/98 Rating: NR VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  5. A conversation with Bob Sieversfrom WFWA-TV39 PBS Fort Wayne, 1999 "Join Bob as he reminisces with Jane Avery Doswell about his long career in broadcasting from the 'world famous WOWO Fire Escape.' Bob gives an insider's perspective on how the business of radio and advertising has changed over the years, as well as the Fort Wayne area and America itself."--Container. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
  6. Promotional 9 minute WOWO YouTube video uploaded April 27, 2011 by compcore.
  7. There's A Little Red Barn In Indiana advertisement on page 86 September 13, 1954 publication Broadcasting Telecasting Publication date: 1954 on Archive.org

  8. "In a little red barn..." WOWO celebrates 90 years of broadcasting by Krista Miller published December 3, 2015 on 21AliveNews.com and Facebook discussion.
  9. WOWO's rich 90-year history Station has been a constant in ever-changing industry by Steve Warden published January 19, 2016 in The News-Sentinel newspaper
  10. 2015 WOWO 90th Anniversary Special on WOWO.com.
  11. Their daily morning song Little Red Barn WOWO Little Red Barn_10-16-1989 March 29, 2010 on YouTubeby HistoryOfWOWO.
  12. Also see In A Little Red Barn - Ted Hanson and his Normandie Orchestra uploaded May 6, 2011 by Kevin Muelleron YouTube.
  13. Indiana Hoedown Found Recordings is a list of recordings since the 1940s, about half mention Fort Wayne, on drdosido.net.
  14. June 25, 2020 post by theTV.website/ on Facebook:

    You've probably heard Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd sing this song in Looney Tunes "Robot Rabbit." Here it is sung by Rosemary Clooney, Aunt of actor George Clooney, and comedienne Judy Canova. Judy started her career singing with Rudy Vallie. Known as "The Queen of the Hillbillies" her daughter Diana Canova played Corinne Tate on the series "Soap" opposite Katherine Helmond. Judy and Rose can belt out a tune with no special equipment needed! "In a Little Red Barn" was also the theme song for the morning radio show on WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana, hosted by Bob Sievers for the better part of 50 years.

  15. March 31, 2023 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    Entertainment has long been sought after in Fort Wayne. Starting in the 1920s one of the most popular forms of entertainment was listening to the radio. One of Fort Wayne’s first radio stations was WOWO, established by Chester Keen of Main Auto Supply. This station began broadcasting exactly 98 years ago today on March 31, 1925. It initially broadcast at 500 watts of power on the upper floor of Keen’s business. The call-sign “WOWO” was created to satisfy the FCC requirement to use ‘W’ as the first letter, with a length of three to four letters. In 1928, WOWO was sold to Fred Zieg, who gained permission to broadcast at 10,000 watts and create WOWO’s sister station WGL. Zieg sold the stations to Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in 1936, and WGL remained WOWO’s sister station until 1945 when it was sold to Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation. In 1941, WOWO became a clear-channel AM station, broadcasting at all hours at 50,000 watts, except for Sunday evenings. The same year WOWO moved to its familiar 1190khz. The station could be heard by millions throughout “WOWO-land,” which encompassed most of the U. S. east of the Mississippi, and parts of Canada. Its programming, its performers, and its broadcasters became famous. Programs such as Little Red Barn, the Hoosier Hop, Komet Hockey, and the Bob Sievers Show were highly rated nationally. It was also during this time that the station’s weather reporting came from the “World Famous Fire Escape.” WOWO remained a Class-A clear-channel station until 1995 when it was purchased and its license was transferred to WLIB in New York City. Today the people of Fort Wayne can still tune into WOWO. #sociallyhistory

     

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    WGL received permission to move to 1250 kHz in 1946. On September 24, 1947, the station's power was increased from 250 to 1,000 watts. Subsequently it was purchased by the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. The call letters of WGL were reinterpreted as "Wayne's Great Lady", referring to Helene Foellinger, who had markedly improved circulation of the News-Sentinel since becoming publisher less than a decade earlier, when she became the youngest, as well as one of the first female, publishers of a major newspaper. From WGL (AM) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

WPTA TV - 21AliveNews.com

WPTA 6pm Newscast, April 6, 1993 posted May 20, 2015 by NewsActive3 on YouTube.
Weeknight newscast from the ABC affiliate in Fort Wayne, IN. Commercials are included. Posted for educational and historical purposes only. All material is under the copyright of their original holders. No copyright infringement is intended.

Extra Dose With Marti Wright and Eric Olson posted November 11, 2021, by landis entertainment network on YouTube.

"On Saturday, September 28, 1957 at three o'clock in the afternoon Fort Wayne television viewers witnessed city history in the making when WPTA-TV, under the leadership of General Manager Ron Ross began regular broadcasting on channel 21 as the latest ABC affiliate. Staffed by 12 full-time and three part-time employees WPTA brought the complete 32 hours of ABC programming per week to the Fort Wayne viewing area. This was augmented by 28 hours of film and seven and one-half hours of local live programming." Eric Olson, 21Country Featured Reporterposts short videos often with old photos on the local history of people and places on their 21County page. They also feature LifesBetterHere and other pages on their website: wpta21.com/. Many of the 21 County videos were saved when they were called Indiana NewsCenter. The Internet Archive Wayback Machine has more than 10,000 Indiana NewsCenter pages saved before they changed their name and website to 21AliveNews.com. Some in 2018 were saved as WPTA21. . Was known as INC Indiana News Center which still has over 170 videos as INCnowTV since 2010 on YouTube.

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Wunderkammer Company

3402 Fairfield Ave, wunderkammercompany.com, Facebook. A contemporary art center, is located in the former Casa restaurant. Now serving art: Former Casa restaurant site transformed into contemporary art center by Cindy Larson published December 13, 2012 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Wyneken House


2010/08/18: Wyneken House move published September 5, 2010 on AroundFortWayne on YouTube
Home of Indiana pioneer religious leader, Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken (1810-1876), was partially moved into its final position off Winchester Road just south of the Allen/Adams County line. The video is sped up and a compilation of a few angles show the progress of the move.

1730 N.W. Winchester Road near Decatur, Adams County, originally on Adams County Road 1000N in the northwest part the county. Website: Friends of Wyneken Preserving German-American Heritage, Facebook. The wood-frame home built about 1850, served as the residence of the Rev. Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken and his wife, Sophie, from 1859 to between 1860-1862. The German-born clergyman came to this area in 1838 from Germany to minister to German Lutherans on the American frontier. He is credited with helping found or nurture a number of Lutheran churches in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, as well as helping to start Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. Friends of Wyneken, a subcommittee of the Indiana German Heritage Society, formed in 2004 to save the house from demolition and transform it into an interpretive center. Copied from Public invited for first time to tour the historic Wyneken house The house was saved from demolition in 2005 by Kevin Kilbane published June 19, 2014 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. Wyneken House move – press release, photos and video by: Stephen Parker posted on September 7, 2010 on Around Fort Wayne blog. Can the Wyneken House be Saved? published in the Indiana German Heritage Society newsletter Volume 9 Number 1 Winter 1993.

Today's "What's It Wednesday" features two looms. Before coming to northeast Indiana, many of the German immigrants to...

Posted by Friends of Wyneken on Wednesday, February 21, 2024

February 21, 2024 post by Friends of Wyneken on Facebook:

Today's "What's It Wednesday" features two looms. Before coming to northeast Indiana, many of the German immigrants to the area were both small-time farmers and linen weavers. The larger and older loom is called a "barn loom." There are differing stories about the name. The frame of the loom is constructed with large pieces of lumber that are pinned together like the frame of a barn, which is one explanation for the name. The other explanation is that the looms were large and generated a lot of vibration when in use, so they were used in an out-building or barn rather than a house.

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