Their Facebook page states: In 1883, The Reformed Church in the United States established “The Reformed Orphan’s Home of Fort Wayne, IN.” In October 1883, nine-year-old Hermann Leisering came to live with our first Superintendent, Rev. John Rettig, and his wife. Over many decades, hundreds of orphans and other children in need of a home came here to live on the land on which we were founded and still stand on today. As the need for orphanages began to diminish after World War II, we adapted by providing a home for unwed mothers known as Woodhaven and services for emotionally troubled children. More than 1,000 unwed mothers came to Woodhaven from 1959 to 1973 to live until giving birth. Members of supporting churches adopted most of the infants. The need for these services diminished in the early 1970s as it became acceptable for unwed mothers to remain in their family homes. However, we continued to work with troubled children, expanding our services and making a name for ourselves in the Midwest as one of the finest treatment providers for emotionally troubled young people. For many years we were known as The Fort Wayne Children’s Home. We started using the name Crossroad in 1975. In 2010 our legal name became Crossroad Child & Family Services, Inc. Today we provide a full spectrum of services in residential, outpatient, home-based, and community settings. David Mullins became our President and Chief Executive Officer in 2021. He is the thirteenth administrator of our agency.
Orphans in Indiana (1830's-1900's) [in progress] Submitted by Dawne Slater-Putt, CG at Indiana Genenealogical Society . Description: This database is about individuals who were raised by someone with a different surname than their own. These include children who were adopted from orphanages, raised by a relative with a different surname, lived in the house of someone to whom their relationship is not known, or any number of other situations. Some of these individuals were not literally orphans – defined as a person whose parents were both deceased. In one case, the child lived with his mother but his surname was changed to match that of her subsequent husband, his stepfather.
The information has been culled from a variety of sources, but primarily from published county histories and genealogical society newsletters. More entries will be added periodically.
#TBT from the #CrossroadArchives: We're throwing it all the way back to the very beginning. Pictured here is the last known surviving photograph of Sunrise Cottage. This building, for the first several years of our existence, was the entirety of what came to be known as the Reformed Orphans Home of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In 1883, nine-year-old Hermann Leisering came to live with our first Superintendent, Rev. John Rettig and his wife in this very building. Over many decades, hundreds of orphans and other children in need of a home came here to live on the land on which we were founded and still stand on today.Originally sitting on 200 acres in 1883, much of the land has been sold off and now contains Parkview Hospital Randallia, Parkview Behavioral Health, Byron Wellness Center, the Fort Wayne VA Hospital, and dozens of other businesses, nonprofits, and private residences.
In the modern era, we provide a full spectrum of services in residential, outpatient, home-based, and community settings.
#TBT from the #CrossroadArchives: Crossroad was founded nearly 140 years ago as The Reformed Orphans’ Home of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Our founders purchased 57 acres with a farm house and hired The Rev. and Mrs. John Rettig (pictured here) as the first Superintendent and Matron. The Rettigs served the home for more than 15 years. Many of the children we helped were true orphans, some were children who had lost a parent and the remaining parent could not take care of them, and some were children left in the care of the Rettigs temporarily while families got back on their feet during difficult times. On February 21, 1899 Rev. Rettig died very suddenly leaving the home without a Superintendent.
The Board of Directors moved very quickly to fill the leadership position. On March 9, 1899, they elected Rev. Berchtold Ruf to replace Rev. Rettig. Ruf went on to serve the organization until 1913.
#TBT from the #CrossroadArchives: In this postcard from around 1900, you can see a young girl standing at what used to be the main entrance to the campus of what was then called the Fort Wayne's Orphans Home. Despite being open for less than 2 decades at this point, the campus was home to several beautiful, ornate buildings that echoed much of this area's architecture of the time.
