Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

An incomplete alphabetical street list

1. Auto Trails from Fort Wayne by Richard M. Simpson, III published 15 April 2020 on Indiana Transportation History.com.

2. Streets of Fort Wayne by McCoy, Angus Cameron; Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publication Date 1953, on Archive.org.
   from "a speech before the Quest Club, November 30, 1945," prepared by the staff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County. The Streets of Fort Wayne. McCoy Angus M-No Date-0001 is also viewable online in the Quest Club Papers in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
   

   Streets of Fort Wayne by McCoy, Angus Cameron; Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publication date 1953 on Archive.org

3. Crossroads of History: Paving through Fort Wayne's Streets by Joshua Schipper published August 8, 2020 is an update of the 1953 book above. Also has a Facebook page Fort Wayne Road Commission - FWRC and a newspaper article interviewed the twenty-year-old author in On road to finding answers City man writes book on whys of streets' names by Blake Sebring published February 2, 2021 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
4. Street Scene Series 9 short videos filmed in the 1970s by a librarian at the Allen County Public Library posted on YouTube and 7 similar but longer videos on Access One of the Access Fort Wayne public television at the Allen County Public Library. The Street Scenes and Fort Wayne Landmarks series' as an attempt to preserve the flavor of some of the older, mainly residential areas of Fort Wayne. Series 2 consists of wide-angle views taken from a car moving slowly through the designated areas. Camera and Editing by Steve Fortriede. 3 videos are found below, the others are elsewhere on our site. We had an interesting discussion with Alan Bengs on these old videos February 26, 2019 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
   

   Fort Wayne Street Series: March 1974 58 minute video by Access Fort Wayne
   at the Allen County Public Librarypublished on November 23, 2015 on YouTube
   A rare and interesting time capsule showcasing what the area used to look like! Raw footage of architecture and businesses on Calhoun and Broadway circa 1974 as seen from the sidewalks. Originally shot and submitted by Steven Fortriede on 3/4 tape.

What’s in a (street) name?
By Randy Harter
Fort Wayne Reader
2018-06-01


While the origins of some Fort Wayne street names have been lost to history, others have been recorded and passed down. We’ll take a little hike through the city center, north from Main, south from Main, west from Calhoun and finishing up east from Calhoun to find out what’s in a name.

Heading north from Main is Columbia Street, named not for Christopher Columbus, but rather for canal boat captain and Columbia Street hotelier, Dana Columbia. Next is Superior (formally called Water), named for Lake Superior.

Moving south from Main, Berry Street is first and named for Indian Sub-Agent Benjamin Berry Kercheval. Next, well this one is about as easy as it gets: Wayne is named for Isaac and Elizabeth’s son Anthony whose bronze likeness sits astride its steed in Freimann Square. Moving on south we have streets named for the first, third and fourth presidents, Washington, Jefferson and Madison. Next, Lewis Street was named for the Commissioner of the local Land Office, Major Samuel Lewis, who was appointed by President John Quincy Adams in 1827. Moving further south, we come to Douglas, so named for Stephen Douglas who stumped here for President in 1860 but ultimately lost to Abraham Lincoln.

Heading back to Main, Calhoun Street is the east-west dividing point in Fort Wayne and named for John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, the Vice President under President’s John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. Harrison is next to the west and commemorates William Henry Harrison, the Governor of the pre-statehood Indiana Territory (1801-1812) and the country’s ninth President. Maiden Lane (like Pearl Street) is a nod to New York City’s Wall Street financial district. Like our Maiden Lane, New York’s also “T’s” into its Pearl.

Next, Webster honors Senator Daniel Webster from New Hampshire. After Webster is Ewing Street named for the Ewing family, the patriarch of which was Colonel Alexander Ewing. We’ll finish going west with Fairfield Avenue, named for sea captain Asa Fairfield from Maine who arrived here in 1833 and operated the first canal boat on the Wabash & Erie Canal.

Back to Calhoun and Main, the first street to the east was Court. This one-block long street running on the east side of the courthouse was eliminated in the late 1990’s with the creation of the Courthouse Green. Next is Clinton Street named for DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York, who was largely responsible for the construction of the 363 mile long Erie Canal connecting the Hudson River with Lake Erie.

Barr is next in line and was named for John T. Barr of Baltimore who along with John McCorkle of Piqua, Ohio purchased all of the original downtown plat for$2,838.43 when it was put up for sale by the Federal Government in 1823. This land ran from today’s Superior Street, south to Washington and from roughly Barr Street west to Calhoun, about 14 square blocks of woods, dirt paths, stumps and swampland.

On to Lafayette Street named for French general, Marquis de Lafayette who had assisted George Washington during the Revolutionary War. We’ll finish with one more block and so include Clay Street (named for Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky), which is really the beginnings of Fort Wayne as it was at the northwest corner of Clay and Berry that Anthony Wayne built his fort over a five week period during September and October of 1794.

The panoramic map was drawn by a group of German artists in 1880 the last year there was still water in the canal through downtown. By the end of 1881 this portion of the canal had been filled in and railroad tracks (now Norfolk Southern’s) laid atop it.

A tip of the hat each to the late James M. Schaab, and Angus C. McCoy for their individual
research and writings regarding our streets.

Randy Harter is a Fort Wayne historian, author and the history/architecture guide for FortWayneFoodTours.com

5. An Early Road: Fort Wayne to Tiptonsport about John Tipton in early 1800s by Tom Castaldi published March 8, 2016 in History Center Notes & Queries blog.
6. 1940s photo of Johnny Appleseed Bridge looking northeast before IPFW campus was built discussion March 23, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
7. 'Auto Indiana' exhibit rolls into The History Center mentions motorists from 1905-1912 made their own license plates and shows a 1914 car accident by Kevin Kilbane published September 12, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
8. October 2022 the 800 block of Berry Street was renamed “the Terrance Miles Memorial Parkway” to honor the 36-year-old man killed in 2017. The family says what made Terrance a great person was how he mentored and encouraged young people in the community. They say that he was passionate about coaching youth football and mentoring kids at the Boys and Girls Club. Copied from New memorial honors Fort Wayne man shot and killed in 2017 by Alex Null published October 20, 2022 on WKJG NBC. For what would have been Terrance Miles’ 41st birthday Thursday, more than 50 people gathered at the house where he grew up to see how Fort Wayne honored his legacy as a mentor. A sign at the Harmar Street intersection now designates the block of Berry Street going west as Terrance “Money” Miles Memorial Parkway. His father, Lynn Dandridge, unveiled the sign during a short ceremony. “It keeps my son’s legacy going,” Dandridge said afterwards. “He loved the kids, and the kids loved him.” Terrance Miles was a Forest Park Elementary School administrative assistant and assistant North Side High School football coach when he died May 19, 2017, during an alleged armed robbery attempt. He was also a Metro Youth Sports football coach and active with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne. Copied from Newly designated parkway keeps alive the name of a youth mentor James D. Wolf Jr. published Oct 21, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Berry Street before improvement ACPL photos posted April 19, 2024 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook

   January 31, 2024 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

   It's #waybackwednesday! These images come from the Daniel A. Baker Collection in our Community Album, showing Berry St. looking east, downtown Fort Wayne. [ Old Anthony Hotel is visible on the left photo taken at the corner of Berry and Harrison Streets - see Street View on Google Maps ]

   View more images in the collection here: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/

9. Broadway and Taylor intersection. Meyer's, Mad Anthony photo and discussion March 29, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
10. Broadway Avenue - photos of 1014 discussed September 13, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

June 8, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

Drive south on Broadway Avenue and you will find this wonderful example of an unaltered 19th century Queen Anne/Neoclassical Commercial building, circa 1890. The building still has the original storefront windows, doors and recessed oriels. Most windows have flat arched bonded brick and stone sills. The roof features a stepped brick parapet with stone coping, brick chimneys and projecting wood cornice. A modern cloth awning and lights have been installed along the front, beneath the wood frieze and projecting cornice. It was once the drugstore of Carole Lombard’s uncle. As a child, Lombard liked to visit and drink a soda. It has housed many different businesses, including Chappell’s Seafood Market and Coral Grill restaurant, and currently is home of Trubble Brewing. 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.

Shared June 8, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook stating: Besides the Coca-Cola ghost sign, there's a sign that marks this as Otto Peters' drugstore. A very cool building, formerly at the corner of Broadway and Beaver. The corner has been replaced by the plaza. The building still stands.

11. Burgess Street July 8, 1916 Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel article about Francis Burgess, the machinist, here 60 years today from Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Calhoun Street: on page n16 of the 1953 book Streets of Fort Wayne it states: National figures whose names hold undiminished interest are recalled In the naming of many streets, such as CALHOUN STREET, HARRISON STREET, CLINTON STREET (named for DeWitt Clinton, pioneer in the movement for the construction of the Erie Canal), and FRANKLIN AVENUE. Page n18 states: The first plat of the city of Fort Wayne was laid out in 1824 by John T. Barr and John McCorkle. It contained one hundred and eighteen lots, with three streets (Clinton, Calhoun, and Barr) running north and south and five (Wayne, Berry, Main, Columbia and Water, which was later renamed Superior) running east and west.
1. February 7, 2024 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

   It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at this 1889 scene of Calhoun Street! This photo features several businesses including Mommer Dentist, Sites Dentist, a drug store, clothiers, and a watch retailer. What do you see?

   Explore this photo and more in our Community Album: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/

2. The City’s Planning & Policy Department has earned national recognition for its plan that led to the "Porch Off Calhoun." https://bit.ly/3feKa0t

   Posted by City of Fort Wayne Government on Monday, May 4, 2020

   Monday, May 4, 2020 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

   The City’s Planning & Policy Department has earned national recognition for its plan that led to the "Porch Off Calhoun."

   The Porch Off Calhoun Now Open at Fort Wayne Community Development

3. During the BLM, Black Lives Matter era, an interesting newspaper article looked at the history of John Calhoun. John Calhoun boasts an impressive list of political accomplishments. Following nearly 15 years in the U.S. House, he served as President James Monroe's secretary of war from 1817-25. Calhoun was later chosen as America's seventh vice president, serving from 1825-32, first under President John Quincy Adams, then President Andrew Jackson. Following the end of his vice presidency, Calhoun served in the U.S. Senate for a dozen years until he was appointed secretary of state under President John Tyler from 1844-45. Calhoun returned to the Senate for five additional years until he died in 1850. While spending most of his adult life in government, Calhoun developed a strong advocacy for state's rights during our country's westward expansion in the 1800s. Copied from: Calhoun, reconsidered Let's change street name with racist namesake by local high school history teacher Chris Elliott published September 09, 2020 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
4. Why not simply but sincerely rededicate our Calhoun Street from the slave-owning John C. Calhoun to his family’s freed slave Moses Calhoun? Instead of renaming our streets, let's find other worthy honorees Floyd Guffey March 30, 2023 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
5. Calhoun Street – The Gathering Place Calhoun Street has changed over the past 200 years with respect to technology and the people who use it, but in many ways it is the same busy and bustling street. One of the earliest accounts of Calhoun Street is from the 1820s when the now paved roads, were made of dirt. Today Calhoun Street is still a place where residents of all backgrounds gather, eat, shop, and enjoy the spirit of Calhoun Street. Copied from Open Streets Fort Wayne by City of Fort Wayne.
6. Calhoun Street – The Gathering Place a webpage of photos from the Community Album courtesy of the Allen County Public Library on Open Streets Fort Wayne by City of Fort Wayne. Some of these photo were included in eighteen photos posted September 22, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
7. April 22, 2024 several photos of corner of Calhoun and Williams Streets posted on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
12. Canal Hotels on Rosemarie Alley by Tom Castaldi posted February 27, 2014 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog.
13. Circumurban was constructed in the 1950s-early 1960s around the north side of Fort Wayne. See Fort Wayne at AARoads. A couple of 100+ page documents: January 17, 1978 Administrative Action draft Fort Wayne Circumurban Route Proposed Development, US-30 to I-69, Allen County: Environmental Impact Statement (preview) and slightly different June 24, 1983 Administrative Action final Fort Wayne Circumurban Route Proposed Development, US-30 to I-69, Allen County: Environmental Impact Statement (preview) 1983 at Google eBook. Indiana State Road 930 at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

    April 1, 2014 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

    Picture from News Sentinel 1926. Caption below reads: PLAN CIRCUMURBAN WAY- Mayor Geake, and City Planning Commission party, are shown watching City Civil Engineer Randall illustrate how Circumurban Way would cross Maumee river at Meyer-Reed road (Meyer was renamed to Maplecrest Road). Left to right: William C. Geake;mayor; Frank M. Randall, city civil engineer; Frank Schramm, member of commission; A.K. Hofer, civil rengineer, whose services are furnished to survey route of proposed traffic way by the Kiwanis club; Robert B. Hanna, consultant of commission; Miss Agata Diek, secretary, and Mrs. O.N. Guldlin, James Haberly, Herman F. Gerdom, and W.C. Dickmeyer, member of commission.-News-Sentinel Staff Photo.

    April 1, 2023 share to True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook on Facebook:
    That’s my grandfather, A.K. Hofer with plans for the Circumurban as pictured in the News-Sentinel in 1926.

    I’m not sure when it was built and checked historical imagery on the GIS, somewhere between 1938 and 1957, the year I was born.

    At least 13 years after the plans were donated from the Kiwanis Club.

14. June 15, 2017 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

    CIRCUMURBAN PROPOSAL from the August 21, 1962 Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. This is a proposal for the triangle bounded by Hobson, Trier and the Circumurban a.ka. The Bypass. Think Don Hall's Triangle Park, formerly Holly's Landing! It obviously was an architects vision! BTW....Hofer and Davis, Inc. did the boundary survey in January of 1962, and many surveys since!

    The Community at Triangle Park occupies the tall building in 2022.

    Photo shown above is from their photo album: 1926 CIRCUMURBAN HIGHWAY FROM THE "SCRAPBOOK" AT HOFER AND DAVIS,INC. LAND SURVEYORS on Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.

15. October 8, 2015 post by Hoch Associates on Facebook:

    Yes, Clinton Street used to be a two way street in this #TBT. Hard to believe now as you travel south at the intersection with Superior, but this was the original gateway into Downtown Fort Wayne..looks a little different huh? Imagine trying to cross the street during Three Rivers Festival if it was around then.
    

16. October 7, 2013 post by the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook:

    The first cloverleaf in Fort Wayne, linking U.S. Highways 24 and 30 with Coliseum Blvd., is nearly complete in this May 27, 1958, aerial photo. The new interchange is expected to help traffic flow to and from the city's east-end industries

17. College Street - the Methodist College founded in 1846 stood at the west end of West Wayne Street fronting College Street. See lithograph published December 22, 2014 on Save Our Fort Wayne History.
18. Columbia Street

    August 10, 2018 post by The Landing Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    Dana Columbia—he's where Columbia Street gets its name from. He was a canal boat operator, and his boat was the first to carry passengers along the Wabash and Erie Canal from Fort Wayne to Lafayette.

    — feeling cool.

    June 1974 Fort Wayne Street Scenes --Columbia Street West posted November 11, 2016 by the Allen County Public Library YouTube. June, 1974. Columbia Street north side 100 block west, 4. Columbia Street south side 100 block west. Street Scenes Wide angle views, then detailed studies, building by building, of the older portions of Fort Wayne. Camera and Editing by Steve Fortriede.

19. June 20, 2018 post by The Landing Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    [Columbia Street history sign] — at The Landing Fort Wayne.

    
    

20. The Columbia Street story (1975) - Bates, Roy M on Archive.org
    
    

21. Around 540 East Columbia Street Street View photo from Google maps
    Sculpture latest example of public art in downtown Fort Wayne November 13th, 2018 on NEI Northeast Indiana

    
    May 10, 2020 post by Silva Lining Photography on Facebook from his Fibonacci Series album.
22. Covington Road is probably named for the Covington Homestead family whose history remains unknow in 2020.
23. Dock Street - How The Landing and Dock Street Got Their Names (It's for the Same Reason) by Shane G. posted August 10, 2012 on Visit Fort Wayne blog. Dock Street resembles an alley along the elevated Nickel Plate Railroad tracks one block between South Harrison and Calhoun Streets on the north side of the buildings on The Landing. See Street View photo at Calhoun and Dock Streets on Google maps. Dock Street is briefly mentioned in the 1953 Angus McCoy book on page 32 and slightly longer discussion in the typed 11-30-1945 Quest Club version in a 3-ring binder on page 24 of the The Streets of Fort Wayne by Angus McCoy in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
24. George Street - on Broadway, named for Mother George, became Brackenridge Street at some point in time. Fort Wayne maps of both 1874 and 1895 show a street named for her that later was changed to West Brackenridge. According to Harold Lopshire at ARCH, a grocery store building was erected in 1864 by Joseph Nohe at the corner of Broadway and George Street. Today, along Broadway there is no longer any evidence of a street celebrating the memory of Mother George except a marker embedded high on the building wall of the once grocery store, now carpet retailer, that reads, “George St.” To honor the memory of Eliza George, however, a marker was placed on the north side of East Berry Street between Barr and Lafayette that is near the site of her first home in Fort Wayne. It was erected in May of 1965 by the Fort Wayne Civil War Roundtable. Copied from a longer Comment to a photo street names on the building posted and discussed September 9, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
25. GOSHEN AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT RECEIVES PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD May 20, 2022 on City of Fort Wayne - 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 Wayne’s 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%.
26. Hanna Street - a May 14, 1898 Fort Wayne News newspaper article about cedar block replacement posted May 13, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
27. I-469 bypass opening ceremony was October 23, 1995. I-469 - Fort Wayne and I-469 Construction Overview on IN.gov. Statistics on Project: Fort Wayne, Indiana, I-469 Beltway on EconWorks. Interstate 469 on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
28. When the idea of a bypass of Fort Wayne was floated, the idea was create a bypass removing US 24 and US 27 from the downtown area. The location of the new bypass would route both of those US routes far outside the bounds of the city. Most of the new bypass would be built outside the distant city limits. The bypass would be constructed starting at Lafayette Center Road southwest of the city at I-69. The first section of the route would be built from that point to connect to US 30 east of New Haven, a distance of 19 miles. The contracts were let for this project starting 12 June 1984. Copied from longer article Fort Wayne Bypass by Richard M. Simpson posted 30 June 2020 on Indiana Transportation History.
29. Killea Street

    KILLEA STREET. YEAR?

    Posted by Indiana News 1 on Thursday, March 24, 2011

    Thursday, March 24, 2011 post by Indiana News 1 on Facebook:

    KILLEA STREET. 1950s automobiles

30. Lafayette Wood Street Signs Old wood street signs from A.K. Hofer's garage photo album at Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook
31. Ludwig Road roundabout photos posted December 7, 2022 by City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook.

32. Main Street
    

    Fort Wayne Street Scenes---Main Street, Southside posted November 11, 2016 by the Allen County Public Library on YouTube.
    October, 1976, Main Street south side 1900 block - 400 block west. Originated as a complement to our original Street Scenes and Fort Wayne Landmarks series is an attempt to preserve the flavor of some of the older, mainly residential areas of Fort Wayne. Series 2 consists of wide-angle views taken from a car moving slowly through the designated areas. Camera and Editing by Steve Fortriede.

    Fort Wayne Street Scenes---Main Street, Northside posted November 11, 2016 by the Allen County Public Library on YouTube.
    October, 1976. Main Street north side 200 block - 1900 block west. Originated as a complement to our original Street Scenes and Fort Wayne Landmarks series' as an attempt to preserve the flavor of some of the older, mainly residential areas of Fort Wayne. Series 2 consists of wide-angle views taken from a car moving slowly through the designated areas. Camera and Editing by Steve Fortriede.

33. Maplecrest Road, formerly Meyer Road. Maplecrest was originally called Meyer Road for Herb Meyer. Herb Meyer had a connection with St. Peters Lutheran church history from a streets and roads discussion about the Fort Wayne Road Commission new book on local streets. [ Shown on Aerial Map on Kuckuck Cemetery page. ]
    The Maplecrest Road Extension Fort Wayne, Indiana across the Maumee River opened October 30, 2012. Mark Souder Indiana House of Representive was a strong advocate for federal funding of this project. American Structure Point, Inc. with photos describes it as: This 1.5-mile roadway extension project included design of a new 4-lane roadway section with curb and gutter through a highly industrialized urban area. The project incorporates grade separations over two railroad facilities, one industrial supplier, two roadways, and the Maumee River. Additionally, the project included design of new storm sewers, sidewalks, traffic signing, and three at-grade intersections, including two traffic signal designs. This project played a major role in improving the transportation mobility for Allen County and the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven. Maplecrest Road Extension to Open Oct. 30 that was on www.allencounty.us states: The event’s theme — “ Connecting Communities” — will celebrate the collaborative effort of Allen County, the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven, and state and federal officials to make the Maplecrest Extension a reality. The project extends Maplecrest from Lake Avenue to Adams Center Road at Indiana 930 in New Haven. It features construction of 1.5 miles of new four-lane roadway with curb and gutter and four new bridges. It also includes design of new storm sewers, a multi-use trail, traffic signing, and three at-grade intersections, including three traffic signal designs. Work began in the spring of 2010. Primco, Inc. of Fort Wayne was awarded the construction contract. To date, approximately $31.4 million has been spent on the project. The engineer’s original estimate was just under $50 million. November 2, 2012 dedication of the Maplecrest Road Extension with four bridges crossing 2 railroad tracks creating a north south corridor on the east side of Fort Wayne connecting Fort Wayne with New Haven and Adams Center Road on the south. Both roads intersect the I-469 bypass that loops around southern and eastern Fort Wayne with I-69 on the west. Maplecrest insects I-469 on the north, Adams Center intersects I-469 on the south. It was the "most complex road project that has been undertaken locally ... cost $31.4 million, well below the engineer’s original estimate of $50 million, [Linda] Bloom said. The new road will provide easier access to the Norfolk Southern railroad office and the Do it Best headquarters and will do away with two railroad crossings." from Maplecrest extension touted as link for two communities by Vivian Sade published November 3, 2012 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. "More than a decade ago, Allen County Commissioner Linda Bloom found undeveloped plans from 1970 for building a north-south corridor on the east side of Allen County." From Maplecrest extension finishes long journey also by Vivian Sade published October 29, 2012 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. See Maplecrest Road Extension by Beth Stauffer on The New Haven Bulletin. The road names remain unchanged after crossing bridge. Access Fort Wayne at the Allen County Public Library had a 30 minute Countyline video about the Maplecrest Extension including speeches at the dedication.
    

    Quite a contrast from the early 1960s dirt road only used by farmers as the population was moving northeast.

    November 19, 2020 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

    A commitment to neighborhoods.

    Today, Mayor Tom Henry joined residents and local businesses to celebrate street and sidewalk improvements on Maplecrest Road.

    MAYOR HENRY LEADS RIBBON CUTTING EVENT TO COMMEMORATE COMPLETION OF MAPLECREST ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT October 21, 2015

34. Metaform mural video by Tobias Studios along Columbia Street in downtown finished and posted September 14, 2017 posted by the City of Fort Wayneon Facebook.
35. McClellan Street is in southern Fort Wayne between Pettit Avenue and Paulding Road. Photographs by David and Peter Turnley taken in 1972-73 on their website McClellan Street and a book by the same name refer to McClellan Street downtown by Parkview Field that is now parking lots.
36. Miss Virginia Memorial Parkway - named for philanthropist Miss Virginia Schrantz, the founder of the Miss Virginia Mission House at 1312 Hanna St. Originally from Part of Hanna Street to be named after Miss Virginia published June 3, 2015 and Street dedicated to woman who left mark of kindness published June 4, 2015 both redirected to a March 16, 2016 update of second article by Dave Gong in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
37. Old Mill Road - Street View photo of street sign from Google maps.
    

    In 1827 Barnett and Hanna built a small dam in the St. Marys and downstream erected a mill just south of the over the river (near today's Sears Pavilion). Old Mill Road was later named after this mill, and the bridge that carried the Indianapolis State Road (Broadway, today) across the river to the Little River Turnpike, or Bluffton Road, was the principle southern route out of Fort Wayne.  From South Wayne area was once a city unto itself by Michael Hawfield fromCityscapes - People & Places series of articles from the archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.

    OLD MILL ROAD is a continuation of Broadway and was so named because it is substantially along the old trail which the pioneers used in coming from Decatur to the old mill, once located near the present Oakdale bridge. From page n14 in Streets of Fort Wayne by McCoy, Angus Cameron; Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publication date 1953 on Archive.org.

    The first water-powered mill erected in Allen County was completed in August, 1827, by James Barnett and Samuel Hanna. The mill stood on the left bank of the St. Marys River, a short distance south of the present Oakdale Bridge (State Roads 1 and 3) in what is now Foster Park. It was located in the southeast quarter of Section 15, Wayne Township and at the time of its erection was several miles from the village of Fort Wayne. From page 18 in The water-powered mills of Allen County, Indiana by Bates, Roy M. on Archive.org.

    A January 13, 2023 conversation on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook included a comment by Creager Smith a Historic Preservation Planner at City of Fort Wayne Government stating: The mill site was used through much of the 1800s, although at least one mill was destroyed by fire. I believe the last operating mill there was c.1880. The stone "rapids" between roughly Foster Park and Sears Pavillion are what's left of a mill dam. There was a mill race that diverted water to beneath the mill, where the flowing water turned a turbine that powered the mill. The race and the mill were on the Bluffton Road side of the St. Marys.

38. Oxford Street - How a new community resting park came to life in South East Fort Wayne’s Oxford neighborhood by Julia Hanauer posted December 7, 2022 in Input Fort Wayne from their December 7, 2022 post on Facebook.
39. Pontiac Street

    December 15, 2022 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

    This evening, Mayor Tom Henry, city officials and neighborhood leaders celebrated the completion of the Pontiac/Wayne Trace Roundabouts Renovation & Beautification project.

    Read more: RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY CELEBRATES RECONSTRUCTION OF ROUNDABOUTS TO CREATE ENTRYWAY INTO THREE SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS

    Fort Wayne holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for southeast roundabout renovations by Clayton McMahan, posted December 15, 2022 at CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15. The Pontiac Street/Wayne Trace Intersections has aerial photos showing roundabouts on either side of the railroad tracks by American StructurePoint Inc. Completion of roundabout improvements on Fort Wayne’s southeast side was celebrated Thursday with a ribbon-cutting. City officials hailed the Pontiac/Wayne Trace Roundabouts Renovation & Beautification Project as a major improvement to a difficult area along the Coliseum Boulevard/Pontiac Street corridor, making it not only safer but more aesthetically pleasing. The corridor is used by residential and industrial traffic and carries nearly 16,000 vehicles a day, officials said in a news release. The area has had two roundabouts since 2002, but because of the heavy traffic, they had sustained center island ruts, a damaged monument and damaged and ill-maintained landscaping. Improvements include increased land widths making it easier for large vehicles to turn, landscaping of the center islands and artwork in the form of three towers in each island. The center islands were landscaped and brush was cleared along a railroad right-of-way. A railroad bridge now has decorative steel facades to note entry to the three large neighborhoods on either side of the railroads – Greater McMillen Park, Eastside Community and Harvester Community. Bridge abutments and handrails were painted and colorful lighting was added under the railroad bridge and to illuminate the towers. Copied from Roundabouts see improvements on Fort Wayne's southeast side by Rosa Salter Rodriguez posted December 16, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

    April 21, 2023 post by City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

    The Pontiac/Wayne Trace Roundabout Renovation & Beautification Project earns Excellence in Construction Award.

    Read more: PONTIAC/WAYNE TRACE ROUNDABOUT RENOVATION & BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT RECEIVES EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARD

40. Railroad underpasses

    Love what the city is doing to make railroad underpasses more attractive! Stop in & take a peak at Baker Street Train...

    Posted by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Thursday, May 9, 2024

    Thursday, May 9, 2024 post by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:

    Love what the city is doing to make railroad underpasses more attractive!

    Stop in & take a peak at Baker Street Train Station lobby when you are visiting the Phresh Calhoun street underpass mural & soon the Harrison street renovation!

    We hope to be making station improvements for returning passenger train service one of these days…

    Railroad Underpass Renovations Improving the lighting & aesthetic appearance of downtown railroad underpasses. This includes underpasses at Fairfield Ave, Harrison St, & Calhoun St.

41. Rudisill Boulevard - in the 1000 block a photo of an iconic Santa Claus from 1952 on the east side of house was posted December 10, 2022 on Fort Wayne Community Memories on Facebook and better photo posted December 12, 2022 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.
42. Street Scenes: New Haven, Leo, Hunterton, Indiana video, Show 264, at Access Fort Wayne public television at the Allen County Public Library.

43. State Street & Environs posted March 22, 2021 by Friends of the Rivers on YouTube.
    Street is actually State Boulevard. Discusses 0:19 North Side High School, 0:36 North Side High School gym, 1:32 Fort Wayne State Developmental Center, 1:47 Bob Arnold Northside Park.

44. December 22, 2012 post by the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook:

    View from North Side H.S. 1933

    [State Boulevard bridge over the Saint Joseph River before flood control walls was taken from North Side High School.]

State Boulevard often called State Street. See our section East State Village.

State Boulevard realignment project when replacing with for higher Spy Run Creek Bridge as part of a flood control project.

November 22, 2016 post by 21Alive on Facebook:

Love vintage? You'll love this: 15 post war homes in an historic Fort Wayne neighborhood will soon meet the wrecking ball. Before they're demolished, you can salvage what you want from the houses. Watch our story and before you go, you'll need to go here: http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/.../334-state-blvd...

October 29, 2020 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

Today, Mayor Tom Henry, neighborhood residents and community officials celebrated the completion of the State Boulevard realignment project. State Boulevard Realignment Project: Preserving And Protecting A Neighborhood



Storefronts of State Boulevard by Mark Meyer published February 21, 2013 in History Center Notes & Queries blog.



September 24, 2022 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook with photos discusses the house at 535 East State Boulevard now the el Azteca Mexican Restaurant. See Street View on Google Maps.

A cool look at the W. State Blvd Trail Crossing! 1942 vs 2022.

Posted by Fort Wayne Trails on Tuesday, December 6, 2022

December 6, 2022 post by Fort Wayne Trails on Facebook:

A cool look at the W. State Blvd Trail Crossing! 1942 vs 2022. This is now the Pufferbelly Trail Bridge.

Street View photo from Google maps only shows no railroad bridge in a low resolution 2007 image.

State Boulevard Realignment Project: Preserving And Protecting A Neighborhood at City of Fort Wayne. See the 1942 photo post on Interurban Railroad or our Fort Wayne Trails section.

45. Fort Wayne Trails website: https://fwtrails.org, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortWayneTrails.
    A January 17, 2023 post by Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Facebook stating: TRAILS INVENTORY INTERACTIVE MAP: Indiana has over 5,000 miles of trail and more than 95% of Hoosiers are within five miles of one! The Indiana Trails Finder interactive map has every trail the DNR is aware of in the state, including off-roading, paved, natural surface, mountain biking, and more! New trails are constantly being added too. View the Indiana Trails Finder at Indiana Trail Finder.
46. Local highways U.S. 24, U.S. 27, U.S. 30, and U.S. 33. Even numbered highways generally go east and west, while odd numbers go north and south. From Local U.S. highways lead to surprising places by Kevin Kilbane published July 10, 2013 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
    

    November 8, 2023 post by Newspapers.com on Facebook:

    Trivia time! Did you know that the numbers of most highways in the U.S. Numbered Highway System tell you the direction they run? Even-numbered highways usually run east-west, and odd numbers usually run north-south. This numbering system was approved in November 1926!

    See this clipping in the Kingsburg Recorder on our site: How U.S. highways are numbered The Kingsburg Recorder, Kingsburg, California, Thursday, Apr 24, 1980, Page 10

47. 

    Proposed Van Buren Street Bridge across the St. Marys River photos including a February 18, 1958 The News-Sentinel newspaper article discussing the purchase and removal of several property buildings for a bridge that was never built were posted February 18, 2024 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

48. Wayne Trace and other DAR markers on Rootsweb.
49. Wells Street - once known as the Fort Dearborn (Chicago) Trail, was an important link for trade in the Northwest Territory. It was named for William Wells, the local hero who was raised by the Miamis and married Little Turtle’s daughter, Sweet Breeze. He would later side with the Americans and die in a rescue attempt of Fort Dearborn’s evacuees. In 1913, Wells Street from Superior to State became part of the original 3,400 mile long Lincoln Highway. The route changed when the larger Harrison Street Bridge was completed in 1915, bypassing Wells St. south of Putnam and its smaller iron bridge. Copied from a longer June 22, 2018 post by Dan Baker on his Facebook page and his June 22, 2018 post this Leftover from his book Fort Wayne Through Time with Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authoron You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

50. Check out some of the murals creating a vibrant landscape in the Wells Street Corridor! #PlacesofNEI

    Posted by Input Fort Wayne on Saturday, January 13, 2024

    January 12, 2024 post by Input Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    Check out some of the murals creating a vibrant landscape in the Wells Street Corridor! #PlacesofNEI

    #PlacesofNEI: Murals create a vibrant landscape in the Wells Street Corridor

51. 1001 Wells Street August 7, 1913 was a Horse and Mule Market discussion on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
    
52. 3325 Wells Street - stone house discussed October 12, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. Was listed on the ARCH ANNOUNCES ITS ANNUAL LIST OF ENDANGERED STRUCTURES by Jill Downs published May 22, 2018 by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage). Discussed September 27, 2015 and March 15, 2018 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.
53. See our Wells Street Bridge page.
54. 226 West Wayne Street

    September 27, 2022 post by Restoration 226

    Formerly Save 226 West Wayne that was torn down in July 2014 to build the Ash Skyline Project complex.

    January 14, 2014 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

    And by the way.... This is 226 West Wayne Street, a beautiful brick building which will be coming down for the future Ash development project. A Facebook page has been started to save this building and contains much more history on the building than we can provide. However, in A.K. Hofer's 1940's map of the downtown Business District, he shows it being occupied by American Legion Post No. 47. When I first started working in 1975, it was occupied by Industrial Photocopy, run by owners Chris and Maxine Solomon ( former owners and donors of the Salomon Farm Park on Dupont Road) and their daughter Lynn. Many an hour was spent in the 70's waiting for blueprints to be run, before the days of computers and the printing and copying machines private business operates "in house" today, which eventually closed the business. And by the way when they sold their business in 2005, Hofer and Davis,Inc. LAND SURVEYORS provided the surveying services.

    Was shared and discussed January 14, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

55. Photos of "420 West Wayne Street: Circa 1900 & 2017" with history of the beautiful Indiana limestone mansion designed for Robert C. and Clara Bell by the architectural firm Wing & Mahurin were posted April 12, 2019 by Daniel Baker on Facebook.
56. We counted literally every road in America. Here’s what we learned. by Jeff Uuo published March 6, 2015 in The Washington Post newspaper lists 10 most popular streets in each state.

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