Allen County, Indiana
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Location: Allen County, Indiana, United States
- This project is a part of the Indiana Project.
The coordinator for this project is Shirley Davis.
Early History of Allen County
- 1697 - The French built Fort Miami at the juncture of the St. Joseph, St. Mary's and Maumee rivers, the main portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River via the Maumee River.[1]
- 1794 - Gen. Anthony Wayne established a U. S. military fort where the St. Joseph river and the St. Mary's river meet to form the Maumee after his victory over the Miami Indians.
- 1805 - William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory, acting for the United States government, signed the Treaty of Grouseland purchasing land, including all land east of a line running from the northwest corner of Fort Wayne to Brookville, for the United States.[2]
- 1823 - John Barr and John McCorkle combined resources to buy the original 110 acre tract.[3]
- 1824 - Allen County was established April 1. Its 660 square miles makes it the largest land-area county in Indiana. Allen County is within a 200-mile radius of Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Detroit, Indianapolis, Louisville, Milwaukee and Ontario. It is a one-day drive of one-third of the U.S. population. Fort Wayne was selected as the proper place for the county seat. A good short history of the first few years of the county is given at Genealogy Trails.
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| Wabash Erie Canal Design |
- 1825 - The canal linking Fort Wayne and Huntington, Indiana was completed.
- 1837 - Land for the Barr Street Market was donated to the city by Samuel Hanna.
- 1843 - The Wabash Erie Canal reached Fort Wayne.
- 1845 - Johnny Appleseed was buried in Fort Wayne
- 1846 - Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne's oldest college, was founded.
- 1850's - The mainline of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was built.[4]
- 1860 - "On the eve of the (Civil) war, in 1860, Allen County had a population of 10,388. By the time the war ended in 1865, Allen County had sent 4,103 soldiers to fight for the Union; 489 of those soldiers ultimately lost their life."[5] A memorial to the fallen was dedicated October 10, 1894 in Lawton Park.
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| Beer-Garden, Brewery, Residence and Industries of C. L. Centlivre |
- 1862 - Charles L. Centlivre opened the C. L. Centlivre Brewing Company on the Lima Plank Road, now Spy Run.[6]
- 1869 - Colonel Thomas W. Swinney leased his property to the City. It became known as Swinney Park.
- 1871 - The National League of Professional Base Ball Players was formed, and its first game between the Kekiongas of Fort Wayne and Forest City of Cleveland was played May 4th.[7]
- 1880 - Reservoir Park developed when the City reservoir was built.
- 1881 - James A. Jenny brought electric arc lighting to Fort Wayne. Pictorial History of Fort Wayne
- 1886 - Bishop John H. Leurs initiated the building of St. Vincent Orphan Asylum for girls.[8]
- 1886 - McCulloch Park given to the City by Mr. Hugh McCulloch.
- 1888 - The Herman Berghoff Brewing Company produces its first Dortmunder Beer.[9]
- 1890 - The first buildings of the Indiana School for Feeble Minded were completed. They were designed in the Richardsonian-Romanesque style by local architects John Wing and Marshall Mahurin, who also designed both the City Building (now History Center) and John Bass’s home “Brookside” (now University of St. Francis) in the same style.[10]
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| Fort Wayne Developmental Center |
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| Wayne Knitting Mills |
- 1891 - Theodore Thieme opened the Wayne Knitting Mills.[11]
- 1894 -[Eckrich-16|Peter Eckrich] opened a local meat market which grew into [Eckrich Inc.]
- 1894 - McCulloch Park given to the City by Mr. Hugh McCulloch.
- 1895 - Colonel Foster headed up a committee to investigate formation of a municipal park board. He believed that Fort Wayne should have a city park within a 10 minute walk of every home.
- 1896-1919 - Robinson Park was a very popular recreation area 7 miles northeast of Ft Wayne.
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| Robinson Park Pavilion |
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| Robinson Park Plaza |
- 1896 - The Wolf & Dessauer Department Store was founded by Sam Wolf and Myron E. Dessauer. It was very popular. The Christmas windows and Santa's arrival at the train station became a Fort Wayne tradition.[12]
- 1904 - The Fort Wayne Bible College was founded.
- 1905 - S. F. Bowser, Fort Wayne native, invented the "self-measuring, gasoline storage pump."[13]
| Image:Shirley Davis To-Do List-4.jpg |
| Art Smith in his biplane |
- 1905 - The Honorable Mayor Henry C. Berghoff appointed the first Board of Park Commissioners.
- 1911 - Jan. 27, Art Smith, Fort Wayne's "Bird Boy" completed his biplane, "Honey Bug," and made his first flight which ended in a crash.
- 1913 - The Fort Wayne to Goshen Road became The Lincoln Highway.
- 1913 - The Maumee River rose from 7 feet to 26 feet causing the worst flood on record. It caused seven deaths, left 15,000 homeless and damaged over 5,500 buildings.
- 1914 - The Pennsylvania Railroad Station opened.[14]
- 1917 - Arthur Williams was the first African American policeman. He drove paddy wagon until 1940.
- 1919 - Aviation arrived in Fort Wayne in 1919 when Smith Field opened and served as the city’s primary commercial airfield until Baer Field (now Fort Wayne International) was transferred to the city in 1947 after serving as a military base during World War II.
- 1921 - The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, then incorporated with the school, received its first collection of 10 paintings donated by Theodore Thieme.
- 1922 - South Side High School became the second high school in Fort Wayne.
- 1925 - WOWO radio begins broadcasting with 500 watts.
- 1928 - Lakeside Park was named a National Rose Garden, an honor it retains today.[15]
- 1930 - The Lincoln Tower, then the tallest building in Indiana, was completed.
- 1930 - Indiana Institute of Technology was founded.
- 1930 - Fort Wayne Three Rivers Water Filtration Plant was completed.
- 1932 - Bishop John F. Noll had St. Vincent Villa built to accommodate both boys and girls whose parents were deceased or unable to care for them. Nine buildings were built between 1932 and 1950,
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| St. Vincent Villa Administration Building |
- 1941 - Fort Wayne Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Inc. opens with 58, 613 sq. ft. and a capacity of 276,480 bottles a day.
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| Ft. Wayne Coca-Cola bottling Works |
- 1941 - The War Department told the city it would locate a base there if an airfield was built. It was named Baer Field to honor Paul Baer, a World War I Ace.
- 1941 - Fred Zollner launched the Zollner Pistons.
- 1944 - The Fort Wayne Junior Chamber of Commerce undertook the project of building a field house for the city and dedicating it as a war memorial. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was dedicated in September 1952.
- 1945 - Fort Wayne Daisies were members of the All-America Girls Professional Baseball League from 1945 to 1954. They played their games at North Side High School and Memorial Park.
- 1952 - Fifty-four acres were added to Fort Wayne’s Franke Park to establish a nature preserve which in 1965 became the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, one of the nation's best.
Allen County Pages on WikiTree
Historical Attractions
- The African/African-American Historical Society and Museum has preserved African-American history from Allen County. The museum has docent-led tours through its ten exhibits, including information on African villages and coming to America. Diary entries from William E. Warfield, publisher of Fort Wayne's first Black Newspaper are featured on the first floor of the museum. 436 E. Douglas Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 260-420-0765
- Allen County Court House 1902
715 S. Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN Check out the 360 degree virtual tours.
- John H Bass Mansion 1903
2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, IN It is now part of St. Francis University Campus.
- Blackstone Building 1927
112 W. Washington Street, Fort Wayne, IN
- The Canal House
114 West Superior, Fort Wayne, IN
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Jefferson and Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN
- Jean Baptiste de Richardville House
5705 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, IN
- E. Ross Adair Federal Building and United States Courthouse 1932
- William S. Edsall House
305 W. Main, Fort Wayne, IN
- Embassy Theater and Indiana Hotel
121 W. Jefferson St., Fort Wayne, IN
- Engine House No. 3
226 W. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN
- Old Fort Wayne City Hall
308 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, now houses The History Center ,
- Fort Wayne Printing Company Building
114 W. Washington Street, Fort Wayne, IN
- Journal Gazette Building
701 S. Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN
- Karpeles Manuscript LibraryMuseum Fairfield Hall, 2710 S. Fairfield Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46807 and Piqua Hall, 3039 Piqua Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46806
- Harry A. Keplinger House
- Kresge Groth Building
- The Landing
- McCulloch Weatherhogg Double House
- Hugh McCulloch House
- Louis Mohr Block
- Nickel Plate765
- Ninde Mead Farnsworth House
Inventor Philo T. Farnsworth developed a television system that included a receiver and a camera that he produced commercially under the name of Farnsworth Television and Radio Corp. from 1938 to 1951 while he lived in Fort Wayne.
- Nine Mile Restaurant is possibly the oldest restaurant in northern Indiana. In 1837 a tavern/inn was established on the site. In 1850 John Holmes acquired it and renamed it Nine Mile House. Because it stood nine miles from the Allen County Courthouse, it was a convenient place for travelers on the old Piqua Road to stop. It became a gathering place for those in southern Allen County. Today the original structure is partially enclosed by additions, but the original roofline is visible.[16]
- The Old Fort
Tours and reenactments at the fort educate visitors about Fort Wayne and the Northwest Territory in the 1600 and 1700s.
- Pennsylvania Railroad Station
- John Claus Peters House
- Randall Building
- Alexander T. Rankin House
Alexander Rankin, Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church, was an abolitionist. This structure is the only remaining in Fort Wayne that was part of the Underground Railroad. The small attached building facing the front of the street was the office of the first African American doctor in Fort Wayne.
- Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Schmitz Block
- South Side High School
- The Thomas W. Swinney Homestead
is maintained by The Old Settlers along with the Settlers 1849 log house on the same property.
- [Trinity Episcopal Church]
- Wabash Railroad Depot
- Wells Street Bridge
- Fisher West Farm
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| Allen County, indiana Townships Map |
Allen County Towns and Townships
Allen County is located in northeastern Indiana. It contains the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven, and the towns of Grabill, Huntertown and Leo-Cedarville.
Aboite Township
The western portion of Fort Wayne is located in Aboite Township. The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has online records for the following Aboite cemeteries: Bullard Family-Oak Grove, Covington Memorial Gardens, Greenlawn Memorial Park, Hamilton Family, Turner Family, Union Chapel and Vermilyea. The Vermilyea Inn built in 1839 is on the National Register of Historic Places
Adams Township
Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Adams Township: Adams Family, Adams Township, Catholic, Concordia Garden, Concordia Lutheran Old, Connors Family, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Koehlinger Family, Martin Luther, St. John's Roman, St. Peter German Evangelical Lutheran Ohio Synod, Tilbury, Trier Family and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran.
Cedar Creek Township
The town of Grabill came in to being when the Wabash Railroad reached that point. Joseph Grabill, a local farmer, recorded the plat of 23 lots in 1902. The town was named for him, and he became the first postmaster. The Grabill area is the home of Allen County's Amish community which arrived in 1852.[17] The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Cedar Creek Township: Cedar Creek Amish, Cedarville, Hosler Market, Leo Memorial New, Leo Cemetery Old, Notestine Family, Rhodes Family, St. Leo Roman Catholic, Schlatter, Schwartz, Viberg Chapel, and Yaggy.
Eel River Township
The western part of Huntertown is located in Eel River Township. The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Eel River Township: Eel River, Fairview-Warcup, Riverview, and Watterson Johnstons (Johnston)-Wesley Chapel.
Jackson Township
There are no sizable towns or known cemeteries in this rural township.
Jefferson Township
The eastern edge of New Haven is located in Jefferson TownshipThe Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Jefferson Township: Doyle, Emmanuel Lutheran, Maples, St. Louis Besancon Roman Catholic, Whitney Family, and Platt.
Lafayette Township
The town of Zanesville is located in Lafayette Township. The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Lafayette Township: Albright, Branstrator Family, Fogwell, Indian Burial Ground, Kelsey Family, and Roller-Voltz.
Lake Township
Arcola, Dunn Mill and Levert are located in Lake Township. The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Lake Township: Hadley, Lake Chapel, and St. Patrick Roman Catholic-Arcola Roman Catholic.
Madison Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Madison Township: Marquart Lutheran, Massillon Evangelical Lutheran, Pleasant Valley, and St. John's Lutheran Flat Rock-Fry German Lutheran-German Lutheran.
Marion Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Marion Township: Antioch Lutheran-Holt Family, Bethel Baptist, Coleman Family, Emmanual Lutheran-Soest-Emmanual Lutheran, Hall, Hitzeman Lutheran Settlement, Morton Family, Poe-Williamsport, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, St. Joseph Roman Catholic, St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran, and Thompson Family.
Maumee Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Maumee: Amish, Christ Lutheran-Woodburn German, Diehl, Saylor, Woodburn Mennonite Missionary, and Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Bull Rapids.
Milan Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Milan Township: Amish, Gar Creek Union, Irving Family, Plattner Family, St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery at Gar Creek, and Schwartz Family.
Monroe Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Monroe Township: Brown Chapel-Brown Family, Flat Rock Lutheran, IOOF Cemetery Monroeville, Inc.- Monroeville Memorial-Odd Fellow, Masonic A&FM, Old Methodist, St. Rose Roman Catholic, Schlemmer Family-Slemmer Family, Stephenson Family-Sugar Grove-Sugar Ridge, Whittern Family, and Henry Knefelkamp Family.
Perry Township
Huntertown was platted in 1869 and named for William T. Hunter. Mr. Rapin Andrews kept a weather diary of Perry Township from July 17, 1839 until his death. His family maintained it until 1874. It was given to the Weather Bureau in 1934. The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Perry Family: Allen County Health Center-County Home, Dutch Ridge, Huntertown Cem. New, Huntertown Cem. Old. Robinson Chapel, and Union Chapel.
Pleasant Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Pleasant Township: Brenton Chapel-Coverdale-Robinson, Lindlag Family, Nine Mile Methodist-Five Points-Maple Lawn, St. Aloysius Roman Catholic, St. Marks Lutheran-New, and St Marks Lutheran-Old.
Saint Joseph Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Saint Joseph Township: Bowers, Concordia Lutheran New, Crosier, Fort Wayne State Hospital & Training Center-Indiana Feeble minded School Cemetery, Highland Park, Klinger-Riverbend, Kukuck-Bullerman-St. Stephens, Lutheran-Goeglien Cemetery, Parker, Pierre Settlement-St. Michael's Roman Catholic, St. Peter Lutheran-New-Goeglein-New, and St. Peter Lutheran-Old-Goeglein-Old.
Scipio Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Scipio Township: Scipo and Shell (Schell)-Shull-Sowers.
Springfield Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Springfield Township: Roth Road Amish, Harlan Memorial-New-Maysville Memorial-New, Harlan-Old-Maysville-Old, Salem Evangelical-Springfield, Spencerville Amish, and Walnut Ridge Lutheran
Washington Township
The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Washington Township: Archer-Johnny Appleseed, Bethel-Wallen, Hatfield, New St.Vincent Roman Catholic, Old Sacred Heart-St.Vincent Roman Catholic, St. Paul Lutheran-Coldwater Lutheran-Ludwig, Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran and Waters Family.
Wayne Township
Fort Wayne - "The story of the beginnings of Fort Wayne is the record of the most famous portage in America."[18] Much early Ft Wayne history and firsts happened on Columbia Street where businesses faced the canal with their backs to Columbia Street.[19] Fort Wayne was an All-America City Award recipient in 1982, 1998, and 2009.[20] The Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project has records for the following cemeteries in Wayne Township: Allen County Poor Farm Site, Broadway-McCulloch, Cathedral of Immaculate Conception Crypt, Cathedral Square, Early Catholic Burial Site, Early Public Burial Site, Fort Wayne Military Post, Hertwig, Lindenwood, Little Turtle Site-Lawton Place, Maple Avenue, Orthodox Jewish-Fort Wayne Jewish, Philley Family, Prairie Grove, and St. John Lutheran
Allen County Online Records
- Cemeteries: RootsWeb Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project
- Census: Stats Indiana
- Land Allen County Recorder's Office offers online access to data and documents from Jan. 1, 1970, to present. Certain records prior to 1970 are also available online. New documents usually appear online within 24 hours of recording. We currently offer more than 3.1 million documents online.
- Newspapers: Allen County Indiana Newspapers
- Public records: Allen County, Indiana Free Public Records Directory
Allen County Books
- There are 3452 books on Allen County, Indiana in the search results of the Genealogy Department of the ACPL and many in the other departments.
- Canal Celebrations in Old Fort Wayne. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center, Fort Wayne, 1953.
- Gardner, H. W. Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne News, 1913. Print
- History of Allen County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, to which is appended maps of its several townships and villages
- History of Allen County, Ind
- WorldCat search results for Allen County, (Ind,) Biography.
Allen County Libraries
- Composed of 14 branches, the Allen County Public Library is among the 20 largest public libraries in the United States. Its Fred J. Reynolds Historical Genealogy Department ranks as the second-largest collection in North America, with an estimated 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items of microfilm and microfiche.
- The Allen County Public Library Genealogy Department contains one of the largest research collections available, incorporating records from around the world.
- Visit the online catalogue to discover the many resources available at the Genealogy Department.
- The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection at Allen County Public Library is an incomparable repository and resource for information on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Through links on the Lincoln Collection page you can access thousands of books, photographs, documents, and other resources related to Abraham Lincoln and his times.
Allen County Online Resources
- ARCH, Inc. ARCH is an advocate for the restoration and preservation of buildings and sites of historical significance or architectural interest in Fort Wayne, Allen County and Northeast Indiana.
- Allen County Biographical Sketches
- [https://www.acgsi.org/genweb/bios.asp Allen County Biographies
- Besancon Historical Society This society, incorporated in 1995, interprets and preserves the heritage and culture of those who settled and built up the eastern Allen County, Indiana area.
- Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc. History and links regarding area railroad history.
- Huntertown Historical Society This society promotes historical preservation and research in the Huntertown, IN area.
- Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution The local chapter of the DAR has provided information about their activities as well as links to the National Society's page and other Indiana Chapters. Of particular interest to many may be the DAR Markers in Fort Wayne.
- University of Saint Francis Brookside History Collection
- Waynedale News
Statewide Online Resources
- Indiana Genealogical Society The site of this state-wide organization, head-quartered in Fort Wayne, contains important information about the society and its publications as well as significant searchable databases, some free and some for members only. Other important information about doing genealogy in Indiana is a part of this site.
- Indiana Historical Society
Sources
- ↑ http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2273.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20080210030337/http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/archives/dockett_317a/317a_1a.html
- ↑ http://historycenterfw.blogspot.com/
- ↑ http://www.fwarailfan.net/fortwayne_hist.htm
- ↑ https://archfw.org/heritagetrail/kekionga/civil-war-memorial/ Civil War Memorial ARCH
- ↑ http://www.fortwaynebeer.com/centlivre-brewing
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1871_in_baseball
- ↑ https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_svvhistory.php
- ↑ http://www.fortwaynebeer.com/berghoff-brewing
- ↑ http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Fort_Wayne_Developmental_Center
- ↑ http://historycenterfw.blogspot.com/2013/07/normald-0-false-false-false-en-us-ja-x.html
- ↑ Legendary Department Store
- ↑ https://www.indianalandmarks.org/2017/05/bowser-building/
- ↑ http://www.bakerstreettrainstation.com/history.htm
- ↑ http://www.fortwayneparks.org/index.php?option=com_content&id=176%3Alakeside-park-a-rose-garden-&Itemid=33
- ↑ History Center Notes & Queries
- ↑ http://www.grabill.net/History___Amish_Culture.html
- ↑ Griswold, Bert Joseph The Pictorial History of Fort Wayne Chicago: Robert O. Law Co, 1917. p. 20.
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/columbiastreetst00bate/columbiastreetst00bate_djvu.txt
- ↑ https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/fort-wayne-wins-third-all-america-city-award.html
See also:
Fort Wayne Traditions
- Cindy's Diner 230 W. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN, home of the famous Murphy's donut machine.
- Coney Island Weiner Stand has been serving steamed hot dogs to Fort Wayne for 100 years. 131 W. Main Street, Fort Wayne, IN 260-424-2997
- The Fort Wayne Sport Club was founded in 1927 to celebrate German heritage.
- Ottenweller, Inc has celebrated 100 years in Fort Wayne.
- The Oyster Bar 1830 S. Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN First saloon in this location was 1888.
- The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne has celebrated 100 years of community service.
- Founded in 1982 by Patricia R. Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, the Vera Bradley company known for its quilted luggage, handbags and accessories has its corporate offices in Fort Wayne.
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