Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Now Headwaters Church

1. Designed by Alvin M. Strauss.
2. St. Vincent Villa Historic District when it was The YWCA of Fort Wayne at the National Park Service.
3. Church to replace school at former YWCA Wells Street campus January 15, 2019 CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

Fire at St. Vincent Villa 2000 Wells Street. Date 07/13/1949 in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library. A few Vincent Villa fire photos in their collection.
July 13, 1949: Fire at St. Vincent's Villa in Fort Wayne September 29, 2022 in the History Journal archives of the Journal Gazette newspaper .

St. Vincent Villa History at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Current Street View photo from Google Maps. July 2011 shows Imagine Schools sign.

Episode 232: Headwaters Church December 18, 2024 on YouTube
In this episode, the crew takes a deeper dive into the incredible history and stunning architecture of Headwaters Church. 🕊️ From its thoughtful design to its roots in the community, there’s so much to admire about this local gem!✨
Tune in to hear the stories behind the structure and why this building is more than just beautiful—it’s meaningful.

The video mentions: Little Turtle, his Little Turtle Burial Site, Lawton Park, Headwaters Park, Lakeside Park, Kekionga, The History Center, Spy Run, Maumee, St. Joseph, St. Marys rivers, Sweet Breeze, William Wells, and more People, Places and history found on various pages of our site.

 

2000 Wells Street, cornerstone was laid September 27, 1886 [ page 520 in the book The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River Volume 1 by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date: 1917 on Archive.org ] by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger lasting until the late 1970s.

1. Facebook page for the www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Vincent-Villa-Catholic-Orphanage-of-Fort-Wayne-Indiana.
2. A September 10, 2022 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebookdiscussed Ernst Breimeier who made the bricks for the building and many others in late 19th century Fort Wayne.
3. St. Vincent Villa Sources Online posted by ACPL Genealogy Center February 09, 2015 on their blog now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
4. History, searchable Scrapbook of photos, odds and ends, and 1941-1954 Newsletters at St. Vincent Villa, Fort Wayne, Indiana on The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianaweb site.
5. "The Saint Vincent Villa Catholic Orphanage closed more than 30 years ago, so unless you’re middle-aged, you probably know little or nothing about the place. For decades it housed children from families that couldn’t afford to raise them; from families that abused them; or from families destroyed by crime. As many as 300 children were there at any given time. Every year, the people who were raised there get together for a reunion." Frank Gray wrote in Orphanage reunion finding the lost in the Journal Gazette newspaper published April 17, 2012.
6. Byron Health Center move to old YWCA campus could boost sale of county land by Kevin Leininger published February 8, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
7. July 13, 1949: Fire at St. Vincent's Villa in Fort Wayne by Corey McMaken in History Journal archives of the Journal Gazette newspaper.
8. See more information on Allen County Orphan's Home, Allen County Poor Farm, Fort Wayne Children's Home, and Fort Wayne State Developmental Center.

9. This statement was posted May 17, 2019 and again August 20, 2023 by Saint Vincent Villa Catholic Orphanage of Fort Wayne Indiana on Facebook:
   

   If you lived at the Saint Vincent Villa Orphanage and would like your records, here is where you can get them. They will send you what originals they received when you got there and any copies of your stay there. The cost was 25.00 a few years ago.

   Catholic Charities
   915 South Clinton
   Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
   (260) 422-5625
   (260) 422-5657 fax
   General delivery e-mail: ccoffice@ccfwsb.org

10. January 15, 2019 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

    The people at Horizon Christian Academy are moving out of the Wells Street campus this week as Wallen Baptist Church makes plans to move in. Chris Darby reports.

11. March 4, 2021 shared post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

    March 4, 2021 post by Breann Boswell - 14 News on Facebook:

    Rich history can be found all throughout Fort Wayne, and a property now described as a "hub for Christian compassion" has plenty of stories to tell. Headwaters Church is the proud new owner of the campus just north of downtown on North Wells Street and are committed to using the property to serve greater Fort Wayne.

    Renovating with love: former orphanage off Wells Street shining again – and there are tunnels

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