Fort Wayne

The City in Brief

Founded: 1794 (incorporated, 1829)
Head Official: Mayor Graham Richard (D) (since 2000)
City Population
1980: 172,196
1990: 195,680
2000: 205,727
2003 estimate: 219,495
Percent change, 1990-2000: 1.3%
U.S. rank in 1980: 80th
U.S. rank in 1990: 99th
U.S. rank in 2000: 97th
Metropolitan Area Population
1980: 354,000
1990: 456,281
2000: 502,141
Percent change, 1990-2000: 10.1%
U.S. rank in 1980: 93rd
U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported
U.S. rank in 2000: 81st
Area: 78.95 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 790 feet above sea level
Average Annual Temperature: 49.7° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 34.40 inches
Major Economic Sectors: Trade, manufacturing, services
Unemployment Rate: 6.2% (February 2005)
Per Capita Income: $18,517 (1999)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,152
Major Colleges and Universities: Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne; Ivy Tech; Indiana Institute of Technology
Daily Newspaper: The Journal-Gazette; The News-Sentinel

Introduction

Because of its location at the confluence of three rivers and near the geographic center of the United States, Fort Wayne has from its earliest days been an important marketplace— first as a fur-trading post and now as the headquarters of major corporations. The outpost for ”Mad” Anthony Wayne during the Indian struggles after the Revolutionary War and later the resting place of John Chapman, known also as Johnny Appleseed, the city figures prominently in the history of the settling of the western frontier. Fort Wayne, three times honored as an All-American City, is Indiana’s second-largest city and the seat of Allen County.

Geography and Climate

Fort Wayne, located at the junction of the St. Mary’s, St. Joseph, and Maumee rivers in northeastern Indiana, is set in level to rolling terrain. The climate is representative of the Midwestern region, with daily high and low temperature differences averaging about twenty degrees. Annual precipitation is well distributed, and the freeze-free period is usually 173 days. Hailstorms occur about once a year; flooding also occurs. Snow covers the ground for about thirty days each winter, but heavy snowstorms are infrequent.
Area: 78.95 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 790 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 23.3° F; July, 73.3° F; annual average, 49.7° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 34.40 inches

History

Miami Territory Opened as Frontier

In ancient times, North American Indians hunted the mastodon and other wildlife in a hostile environment after the retreat of the glaciers in the area where Fort Wayne now stands. Later, the Moundbuilders constructed an advanced civilization before mysteriously dying out around the time of the European Middle Ages. The Miami Native Americans ruled the lower peninsula region, fighting against the Iro-quois who were armed by English colonists. In time, the Miami reestablished themselves in the Wabash Valley and built their principal village at the Lakeside district in Fort Wayne, which they named Kekionga, meaning ”blackberry patch.” Kekionga evolved into Miamitown, a large settlement of Native Americans who sided with the British during the American Revolution.
Auguste Mottin de LaBalme, a French soldier fighting for the colonists, captured Miamitown in 1780, only to be defeated by Chief Little Turtle, one of the most feared and respected Miami leaders, in his first majorvictory. Afterthe revolution, the British encouraged the Miami to attack the new nation, and war parties were sent eastward from Mi-amitown, prompting President Washington to order armies into the center of Miami territory. Little Turtle defeated the army of General Arthur St. Clair, and President Washington turned to General ”Mad” Anthony Wayne, the Revolutionary War hero, to quell the rebellious tribes. General Wayne defeated the Miami at Fort Recovery in Ohio and at Fallen Timbers. Wayne marched on Miamitown and built the first American fort there. Wayne turned the fort over to Colonel John Hamtramck on October 21, 1794, and Hamtramck named it Fort Wayne the next day, which is considered the city’s founding date.
Two key figures in Fort Wayne’s early history were Chief Little Turtle and Williams Wells, who was benefited as a child from his Kentucky family and raised by Little Turtle’s family. Wells and Little Turtle signed the Treaty of Greenville, opening up the frontier, and Wells was appointed Indian agent. The two men provided leadership and stability until their deaths in 1812. Potawatomi and Miami factions then invaded Fort Wayne, and General William Henry Harrison’s army was sent in to regain control of the city. At the conclusion of the War of 1812 British influence on Native Americans came to a close.

County Seat Becomes Industrial Center

Fort Wayne entered a new stage in its history with the arrival of Judge Samuel Hanna in 1819. Hanna built a trading post and a grist mill, earning himself the name ”builder of the city.” He was instrumental in realizing the Wabash & Erie Canal and securing Fort Wayne’s first railroad. Hanna participated in organizing Allen County in 1824 and helped designate Fort Wayne as the county seat. In 1829 Fort Wayne was incorporated as a town.
Fort Wayne’s growth as a Midwestern industrial center was helped along by the number of inventions conceived and developed there. In 1871 Dr. Theodore Horton introduced a hand-operated washing machine and later manufactured the first electrically powered domestic washing machine. Joseph and Cornelius Hoagland and Thomas Biddle developed a baking powder formula that proved successful. The Foster Shirtwaist Factory, capitalizing on the popularity of a boy’s size-fourteen shirt among women, made the famous Gibson Girl shirtwaist. Other prominent inventions originating in Fort Wayne were the self-measuring pump designed by Silvanus Freelove Bowser and the ”arc light” developed by James Jenney.

Electronics and Lincolniana

The first nighttime professional baseball game took place in Fort Wayne in 1883 under Jenney Arc Lights. George Jacobs’ discovery of an economical means of coating electrical wiring, which gave rise to the magnet wire industry, made possible modern electrical-powered products such as radios, telephones, automobiles, computers, and appliances. Homer Capehart’s company of engineers invented the jukebox, which was sold to the Wurlitzer Company. Philo T. Farnsworth, a pioneer in the invention of television, bought the Capehart Company in 1938, and in time began the mass production of televisions.
Fort Wayne gained a reputation as a city receptive to innovative companies. The Magnavox Company relocated in Fort Wayne in 1930, and became a world leader in acoustical engineering. During the 1920s the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company emerged as an innovative insurance company. The company established and endowed the Lincoln Library and Museum, which houses the largest collection of materials on one man other than a biblical personage.
In subsequent decades the city’s economy continued to diversify. Fort Wayne has seen major growth in the service sector, especially in the health care field. Through its hospitals, Fort Wayne has become a medical center for the tri-state area. Tourism has grown, as visitors are drawn to the city’s attractions, historical sites, festivals, and renowned dining options. Fort Wayne prides itself as a community with big city amenities and small town charm.
Historical Information: Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; Indiana Jewish Historical Society, 2743 Wilkie Drive, No. 1, Fort Wayne, IN 46804; telephone (260)459-6862

Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents
1980: 354,000
1990: 456,281
2000: 502,141
Percent change, 1990-2000: 10.1%
U.S. rank in 1980: 93rd
U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported
U.S. rank in 2000: 81st
City Residents
1980: 172,196
1990: 195,680
2000: 205,727
2003 estimate: 219,495
Percent change, 1990-2000: 1.3%
U.S. rank in 1980: 80th
U.S. rank in 1990: 99th
U.S. rank in 2000: 97th
Density: 2,605.7 people per square mile
Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)
White: 155,231
Black or African American: 35,752
American Indian and Alaska Native: 806
Asian: 3,205
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 86
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 11,884
Other: 5,993
Percent of residents born in state: 66.5% (2000)
Age characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 16,084
Population 5 to 9 years old: 15,888
Population 10 to 14 years old: 14,900
Population 15 to 19 years old: 14,903
Population 20 to 24 years old: 15,864
Population 25 to 34 years old: 31,355
Population 35 to 44 years old: 30,672
Population 45 to 54 years old: 25,462
Population 55 to 59 years old: 8,423
Population 60 to 64 years old: 6,561
Population 65 to 74 years old: 12,418
Population 75 to 84 years old: 9,415
Population 85 years and older: 3,782
Median age: 32.8 years
Births (2002)
Total number: 3,826
Deaths (2002)
Total number: 2,207 (of which, in Allen County, 34 were infants under the age of 1 year)
Money income (1999)
Per capita income: $18,517
Median household income: $36,518
Total households: 83,416
Number of households with income of. . .
less than $10,000: 7,943
$10,000 to $14,999: 5,613
$15,000 to $24,999: 13,334
$25,000 to $34,999: 12,774
$35,000 to $49,999: 16,131
$50,000 to $74,999: 16,283
$75,000 to $99,999: 6,285
$100,000 to $149,999: 3,699
$150,000 to $199,999: 610
$200,000 or more: 744
Percent of families below poverty level: 9.6% (35.9% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,152

Municipal Government

The head official of the city of Fort Wayne is a strong mayor who administers the government with a nine-member council. The mayor and council members—six elected by district and three elected at large—all serve four-year terms; the mayor is not a member of the council.
Head Official: Mayor Graham Richard (D) (since 2000; current term expires December 31, 2007)
Total Number of City Employees: 1,671 (2003)
City Information: City of Fort Wayne, 1 Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (219)427-1111

Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Health care, manufacturing, and insurance have traditionally been the primary industries in Fort Wayne. The city’s hospitals form a regional medical center that serves the tri-state area. Demand for health care services has continued to increase alongside the area’s population, particularly that of older citizens. The city’s two health care networks— Parkview Health System and Lutheran Health Network— are among the city’s five top employers.
Dozens of manufacturing companies in the Fort Wayne area employ 100 people or more. Notable among these is General Motors’s Fort Wayne Assembly plant, which has approximately 3,000 employees and is one of the top employers in the city. The 2.5 million square-foot plant, which built its first pickup truck in 1986, produced 247,000 pickups in 2004 and is home of the world’s first full-size hybrid pickup truck. The home offices of several insurance companies are located in Fort Wayne, including Lincoln Financial Group, which opened for business in 1905—in a small rented space above a telegraph office in Fort Wayne—as Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. The company grew to become one of the largest insurance companies in the country.
Leading-edge communication service will soon arrive in the Fort Wayne area by Verizon, another of the city’s largest employers. In January 2005, the company announced plans for a $65-75 million fiber optic network throughout most of Fort Wayne and nearby New Haven. The network, which will serve approximately 65,000 homes and businesses, will be the first of its kind in the state. Nearly 900 new jobs— approximately 600 contract workers, 200 full-time Verizon jobs, and 80 temporary positions—are expected as a result of this project.
Tourism in Fort Wayne has grown in recent years, following the expansion or the building of new museums, hotels, festival parks, and meeting facilities. In 2003, 5.3 million visitors came to the city, spending $370 million.
Items and goods produced: electric motors and supplies, trucks, tires, clothing, public speaking systems, televisions and electronic equipment, radios, valves, radio parts, copper wire, diamond wire dies, tools, trailers, aluminum pistons, gasoline pumps, liquid metering equipment, tanks and compressors, automotive axles, plastics, boats, feed, beer, paint, cranes and dredges, paper boxes, precision gears and counters, mobile homes

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs—The Alliance—founded by the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County, and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce—supports business location, expansion, and retention in Allen County. The Alliance is a one-stop-shop for business development, serving as a coordinator of information and resources. It assists companies in many areas, including the development of long-term labor supply strategies, tax abatement on personal and real property, tax incremental financing, employee relocation assistance, site or building options and selection, and community participation.
State programs—The state of Indiana extends various grants and loans to local governments and companies. The state offers a variety of incentives to new and expanding businesses, such as tax credits for investment and training, and through its Community Assistance, Energy Efficiency, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Technology, Trade Show, and Training programs. The International Trade Division of the Indiana Department of Commerce encourages foreign investment locally.
Job training programs—The Indiana Department of Workforce Development offers an array of job training programs through its network of nearly 90 Work One centers, including one in Fort Wayne. Since 1997, nearly 58,000 workers have been trained through the Advance Indiana program. The Incumbent Worker Training Fund provides grants to employers seeking to improve the skill level of their employees. Career and technical education is also provided by local community and technical colleges.

Development Projects

Numerous major development projects are underway or recently completed in Fort Wayne. Among them is a plan, announced in January 2005, to create a fiber optic communications network—the only one of its kind in the Great Lakes region—that will bring leading edge communication service and nearly 900 new jobs to the Fort Wayne area. In 2001 county taxpayers approved bond financing of an $84 million library expansion project; a massive renovation of the main library is scheduled for completion in 2006. In January 2005 General Motors confirmed a plan to invest approximately $175 million to upgrade its Fort Wayne Assembly plant. A $42 million expansion of the Grand Wayne Convention Center is scheduled for completion in 2005. Area hospitals are also seeing major growth, with a $38 million expansion of Dupont Hospital, to be completed in 2007; a $25 million expansion of Lutheran Hospital, to be completed in 2006; and a $500 million, ten-year strategic plan to expand Parkview Hospital.
Economic Development Information: City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Economic Development/Redevelopment Commission, City-County Building, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (219)427-1127

Commercial Shipping

Fort Wayne International Airport is the national and international air transportation center for northeastern Indiana. CSX Railway and Norfolk Southern Railway connect the city with major markets throughout the United States; the carriers maintain local reciprocal switching agreements. An excellent highway system is used by nearly 40 common and contract motor carriers that maintain local terminals that provide overnight delivery to most of the Midwest, Mid-south, and Canada. Triple Crown Services Co., a door-to-door truckload carrier, is headquartered in Fort Wayne.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Service employment, which grew steadily in Fort Wayne during the early 2000s, is expected to continue its climb in upcoming years. Manufacturing, in contrast, has experienced some decline, but still remains an essential part of the Fort Wayne economy, comprising a large percentage of Fort Wayne employment—approximately twice that of the national average.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Fort Wayne metropolitan area labor force, 2004 annual averages.
Size of non-agricultural labor force: 211,900
Number of workers employed in . . .
construction and mining: 11,600
manufacturing: 36,200
trade, transportation and utilities: 45,700
information: 3,500
financial activities: 13,100
professional and business services: 19,700
educational and health services: 32,100
leisure and hospitality: 19,700
other services: 8,300
government: 22,000
Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $15.79
Unemployment rate: 6.2% (February 2005)
Largest employers                                                                                            Number of employees
Parkview Health System                                                                                                     3,648
Fort Wayne Community Schools                                                                                         3,445
General Motors Truck and Bus Group                                                                                3,050
Lutheran Health Network                                                                                                  2,889
Verizon Communications                                                                                                   2,214
Lincoln Financial Group                                                                                                     2,108
City of Fort Wayne                                                                                                            1,671
Allen County Government                                                                                                1,585
Cost of Living
The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors for the Fort Wayne area.
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $220,384
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 89.4 (U.S. average = 100.0)
State income tax rate: 3.4% of taxable income
State sales tax rate: 5.0% (food, prescription drugs, and items consumed or used in manufacturing are exempt)
Local income tax rate: 0.8% (county tax)
Local sales tax rate: 1.0% on food and beverages
Property tax rate: 0.8353 per $100 assessed valuation (2000)
Economic Information: City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Economic Development/Redevelopment Commission, City-County Building, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (219)427-1127

Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Fort Wayne Community Schools is the second-largest district in the state of Indiana. The superintendent is selected by a seven-member, nonpartisan board of education.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Fort Wayne Community Schools as of the 2004-2005 school year.
Total enrollment: nearly 32,000
Number of facilities elementary schools: 34
middle schools: 11
senior high schools: 6
other: 2
Student/teacher ratio: 17.5:1 (2002-2003)
Teacher salaries average: $46,189
Funding per pupil: $8,892 (2002-2003)
Additionally, Fort Wayne’s 39 parochial and private schools offer elementary, high school, and special education opportunities.
Public Schools Information: Fort Wayne Community Schools, 1200 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN; telephone (260)467-1000

Colleges and Universities

Enrolling nearly 12,000 students, Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne (IPFW) offers a complete range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The largest university in northeast Indiana, IPFW is a joint campus of two Big Ten schools, and grants both Indiana University and Purdue University degrees. The main campus of Purdue is in West Lafayette, IN, and that of Indiana University is in Blooming-ton. Long a commuter college, IPFW opened its first student housing in 2004.
Church-affiliated colleges include the University of Saint Francis, a Catholic liberal arts university; Taylor University-Fort Wayne, an interdenominational liberal arts college with campuses in Fort Wayne and Upland, IN; and Concordia Theological Seminary, dedicated to the preparation of Lutheran pastors. Fort Wayne is also home to Indiana Tech, a four-year college providing degree programs in business, engineering, computer science, and human services; International Business College, offering business, health care, and technology programs; and ITT Technical Institute, offering technology, drafting and design, and business programs. Post-secondary education and technical training are provided by two-year Ivy Tech State College. Other two-year colleges include Michiana College and Indiana Business College-Fort Wayne.

Libraries and Research Centers

The main facility of the Allen County Public Library houses extensive holdings—about 2.3 million topics in addition to 10,100 periodical titles, records, tapes, films, slides, art reproductions, and compact discs—and special collections in such fields as local history, genealogy, heraldry, fine arts, business and technology, and federal and state documents. Its Genealogy Research Department, with more than 300,000 printed volumes and 314,000 items of microfilm and microfiche, is considered the most extensive public genealogy research library in the country. The library operates 13 branches. The main library is the 11th busiest library in the country, as measured by circulation. In 2001 county taxpayers approved bond financing of an $84 million library expansion project. Within four years two new branches opened and another was renovated. A massive renovation of the main library is scheduled for completion in 2006.
Area colleges maintain campus libraries. Specialized libraries include the Lincoln Museum Library, specializing in Lin-colniana, as well as libraries affiliated with hospitals, corporations, and government agencies. The Community Research Institute is among the nine Centers of Excellence supported by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Public Library Information: Allen County Public Library, PO Box 2270, 200 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN 468012270; telephone (260)421-1200

Health Care

As the largest single industry in Fort Wayne, the health care community serves a three-state region. Approximately half of the admissions to Allen County hospitals are from outside the county. Fort Wayne has six hospitals: Parkview Hospital, 573 beds; Lutheran Hospital, 343 beds; St. Joseph Hospital, 191 beds; Dupont Hospital, 86 beds; Rehabilitation Hospital Fort Wayne, 60 beds; and Parkview North Hospital, 38 beds. The city’s two health care networks—Parkview Health System and Lutheran Health Network—are among the city’s five top employers. Parkview Hospital, Parkview Health System’s flagship hospital, is the fourth-largest hospital in the state and the largest outside Indianapolis. A Level II Trauma Center, Parkview is the only trauma center to be verified by the American College of Surgeons in northern Indiana. The trauma center is comprised of 18 components, including a full-service emergency department, a surgical-trauma intensive care unit, a surgical care center, and a flight program with two medical helicopters. The hospital also houses a cardiac-medical intensive care unit; a continuing care skilled nursing facility; a new life center and neonatal intensive care unit; a children’s center; cancer, heart, stroke, and rehabilitation centers; and a sleep disorders lab.
Lutheran Hospital, the flagship hospital of Lutheran Health Network, is the region’s only heart transplant facility. Other key services of the hospital include emergency services, inpatient and outpatient surgery, cardiac services, obstetrics, pediatrics, a diabetes treatment center, orthopedics, occupational medicine, and a sleep lab.

Recreation

Sightseeing

American history, exotic animals, and beautiful botanical gardens highlight sightseeing in Fort Wayne. Eleven museums and historical sites are within walking distance in the downtown area. A historic old fort from the War of 1812 is preserved in a park downtown where the St. Mary’s and St. Joseph rivers merge to become the Maumee. The Allen County Courthouse, listed on the National Historic Register, was constructed between 1897 and 1902. It combines Greek and Roman architectural themes and is capped with a rotunda, and its ornately designed interior features Italian marble, granite columns, bright tiles, and murals.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is home to more than 1,500 animals from around the world. The central area of the zoo features penguins, macaws, capuchin monkeys, sea lions, giant turtles, and the Indiana Family Farm, where visitors can pet farm animals. At the 22-acre African Veldt area, Jeep safari rides provide views of antelope, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and exotic birds. At the zoo’s Australian Adventure, visitors can go on walkabouts or take canoe rides to view kangaroos, echidnas, lorikeets, parakeets, and dingoes. The Indonesian Rainforest area features a rare Komodo Dragon, orangutans, and Sumatran tigers. The zoo also contains a 20,000-gallon marine aquarium.
The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory preserves rare and exotic tropical plants from around the world in its three gardens under glass: the Floral Showcase has lush, colorful seasonal displays; in the Tropical Garden, orchids, palms, and other exotic plants surround a waterfall; and the Desert House has cacti and other desert plants from the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico.
Lakeside Rose Garden in northeast Fort Wayne, with 2,500 labeled plants, is recognized as one of the largest rose gardens in the country.
Science Central offers more than 30 hands-on exhibits to make learning fun. Visitors can dance on giant piano keys, create earthquakes, experience weightlessness over a moonscape, bend rainbows, and ride a high-rail bicycle.

Arts and Culture

At the center of the performing arts in Fort Wayne is the restored Embassy Theater. Built in 1928, it is considered one of the country’s most lavish architectural masterpieces. The Embassy is home to the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, which performs a nine-month season of symphony, pops, and chamber music concerts; the theater also hosts touring Broadway shows. The Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, regarded by many as one of the outstanding regional civic theaters in the country, coordinates more than 600 volunteers a year to produce Broadway-style shows. The Fort Wayne Ballet presents two major productions in addition to the annual Nutcracker ballet in December. The Fort Wayne Dance Collective, based at the Hall Community Arts Center, is northeast Indiana’s only modern dance organization.
The Lincoln Museum, endowed by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, is the world’s largest private museum and research library for Lincolniana. Housed in a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, the museum has interactive, hands-on exhibits for all age groups. The museum’s highlights include a collection of personal possessions of Lincoln and his family; original photographs and paintings; and a rare edition of The Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Lincoln in 1864 (one of eight in the world in public collections and the only one on permanent public display); and the inkwell Lincoln used to sign the proclamation.
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art is devoted to American and European artwork from the 19th century to the present. The museum houses more than 1,300 pieces in permanent collections of paintings, prints, and sculpture in three self-contained modern buildings. The History Center, operated by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, is located in the Old City Hall, a local architectural landmark; the museum displays artifacts from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Highlights include law enforcement exhibits within the dank cells of the old city jail, a fully-equipped blacksmith shop, a detailed model of an American Indian village, antebellum women’s dresses, and a dollhouse from 1886. At the Diehm Museum of Natural History, displays of mounted animals, birds, and fish from North America are featured in reproductions of natural habitats. The museum also has a collection of gems and minerals, as well as Far East artifacts. The Fort Wayne Firefighters Museum exhibits antique fire-fighting equipment and vehicles. In nearby Auburn the
Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum houses more than 100 examples of the world’s grandest automobiles, in a 1930 Art Deco factory showroom.

Festivals and Holidays

June brings three ethnic events to Fort Wayne: the Indiana Highland Games honors Scottish heritage with athletic competitions, bagpipes and dancing, and food; Germanfest recognizes Fort Wayne’s largest ethnic group with music, dance, sports, art, and German food; and the Greek Festival brings Greek food, beverages, music, dancing, jewelry, art, clothing, and literature. Three Rivers Festival, held in mid-July for nine days, features more than 200 events that include a Festival of the Arts, Children’s Fest, senior’s events, a parade, races, and fireworks displays. At the Auburn Cord Deusenberg festival on Labor Day weekend in nearby Auburn, the world’s largest classic automobiles are auctioned in a festive atmosphere; the festival also includes a quilt show and an antique sale. The Johnny Appleseed Festival, held in September, brings the early 1800s to life by honoring John Chapman, who introduced apple trees to the Midwest; the festival features re-enactments of pioneer life, period entertainers, and crafts. Holiday festivals from late November through December celebrate the Christmas season with a Festival of Trees, Festival of Gingerbread, a Wonderland of Wreaths at the Botanical Conservatory, and downtown lighting displays.

Sports for the Spectator

The Fort Wayne Komets, a United Hockey League team, plays a home schedule at Memorial Coliseum. The Komets captured the UHL Colonial Cup in the 2002-2003 season. The Wizards, a Class A baseball team, plays at Memorial Stadium. The Fever, a semi-pro soccer team, plays a May-to-July season at Hefner Field. The Fort Wayne Freedom, affiliated with United Indoor Football, is Fort Wayne’s newest professional sports franchise; they played their first season in 2003. Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics is home to 16 Division I sports; the Mastodons host more than 100 athletic competitions each year.

Sports for the Participant

Fort Wayne’s public recreational facilities include 68 tennis courts, 20 soccer fields, 32 softball diamonds, 11 regulation baseball diamonds, four swimming pools, and three golf courses. The city has 56 square miles of parks. The Rivergreenway Trail, a 15-mile-long trail along the banks of the city’s three rivers, is ideal for bicycling, hiking, jogging, or rollerblading.

Shopping and Dining

Fort Wayne supports one of the Midwest’s largest enclosed malls—Glenbrook Square—that contains four anchor department stores and more than 160 specialty shops and stores. Fort Wayne’s new Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center offers 50 shops and restaurants and an 18-screen movie theater in an open-air setting with Mediterranean-style architecture and tree-lined courtyards.
Fort Wayne has long billed itself as ”The City of Restaurants,” and the 600 eating and drinking establishments in and around the city bolster that claim. Don Hall’s and Casa are two local families of restaurants, and are scattered around town. Some Fort Wayne restaurants offer such regional favorites as hearty farm-style meals and desserts.
Visitor Information: Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1021 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)767-7752; fax (260)424-3914; email visitorinfo@visitfortwayne.com

Convention Facilities

Fort Wayne offers meeting planners high-quality site choices. A major facility is the Grand Wayne Center, which is undergoing a $39 million renovation and expansion that is scheduled for completion in mid-2005. This two-year construction project has more than doubled the total size of the center, doubled the amount of ballrooms, doubled the size of the main hall, and tripled the number of meeting rooms. The new 225,000 square-foot facility features a 48,480 square-foot Convention Hall and a 9,955 square-foot Anthony Wayne Ballroom to accommodate conventions, expos, trade shows, banquets, performances, and large corporate meetings and events; and a 6,000 square-foot Calhoun Ballroom, a 1,680 square foot Gallery, and meeting room space totaling 7,684 square feet, for meetings, banquets, luncheons, and seminars.
The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Center, a city landmark, provides versatile facilities for trade shows, concerts, sporting events, stage shows, ice shows, the circus, meetings, and conventions. The facility is a memorial to the armed forces who died in World Wars I and II, and the Korean War. The arena, which recently raised its roof, increasing its seating capacity from 10,000 to 12,500, is ideal for spectator events; the Expo Center provides 108,000 square feet of display area, and has meeting rooms accommodating 250 individuals, plus the Appleseed Room— designed to hold banquets, receptions, and meetings— accommodating up to 540. With more than 4,500 hotel rooms, Fort Wayne has accommodations to suit both large and small group needs.
Convention Information: Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1021 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)767-7752; fax (260)424- 3914; email visitorinfo@visitfortwayne.com

Transportation

Approaching the City

Fort Wayne International Airport is the destination for most air traffic into Fort Wayne. It is one of only a handful of airports in the Midwest with a 12,000-foot runway. Five commercial carriers provide direct flights from major cities throughout the United States; connecting flights for international travel are also available. One of the top three revenue sources for the city of Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne International Airport accommodates more than one million passengers annually. Smith Field, located north of the city, is a secondary airport for private air traffic.
Highway travel into Fort Wayne is via Interstate 69, which runs north from Indianapolis into Michigan, and Interstate 469, which encircles the city. U.S. Highways 30, 33, 27, and 24 converge in Allen County. Interstate 80, which runs east/west, is located 45 miles north of Fort Wayne via Interstate 69.

Traveling in the City

The Fort Wayne Citilink provides intracity bus service to downtown, urban shopping centers, and area employment locations.

Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The principal daily newspapers in Fort Wayne are the Journal-Gazette, published mornings and Sundays, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning News-Sentinel, published Monday through Saturday evenings. An African American community newspaper, Frost Illustrated, and the Macedonian Tribune, are also published in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Magazine is a bi-monthly publication focusing on the city. Special-interest magazines and journals published in Fort Wayne include Business People Magazine; CLIO: A Journal of Literature, History, and the Philosophy of History; Concordia Theological Quarterly; The Family Digest; Hunter & Sport Horse; and Today’s Catholic.

Television and Radio

Six television stations, including four network affiliates, a PBS station, and an independent station, broadcast from Fort Wayne; cable service is available through six cable companies. Diverse radio programming, covering easy listening, top 40, rock, and country and western music as well as religious features and news and information, is provided by 17 stations (five AM and 12 FM) in the city.
Media Information: Fort Wayne Newspapers, 600 W. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)324-0505

Fort Wayne Online

Allen County Public Library home page. Available www .acpl.lib.in.us
City of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Available www.cityoffort wayne.org
Fort Wayne Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.fwcvb.org or www.visitfortwayne.com
Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. Available www.fwchamber.org
The Journal-Gazette. Available www.journalgazette.com
The News-Sentinel. Available www.news-sentinel.com