Here in Fort Wayne, we love our pets! An old well and a historical plaque are all that remain of the actual Fort Wayne, but the city named after that fort—which was named after U.S. General “Mad” Anthony Wayne—is the second-biggest in Indiana with 267,633 people. Fort Wayne is located in northeastern Indiana at the convergence of the St. Mary’s, St. Joseph and Maumee rivers.
Today, the convergence of those three rivers in downtown Fort Wayne is the site of Promenade Park and a new riverfront district that will include housing and commercial development. The city also is taking steps to improve the health of the rivers and their banks.
While other cities in the Midwest have suffered from the closure of auto plants, General Motors’ Fort Wayne Assembly remains a big employer, with more than 4,500 hourly and salaried workers turning out about 1,000 GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado trucks every day. Suppliers such as Dana Corp. and Michelin also have manufacturing operations in the city.
Lincoln Financial Group, the parent of Lincoln National Life Insurance Co., started and remains headquartered in Fort Wayne. The company employs about 2,000 people in the city.
With a low cost of living—ranked as the lowest for four straight years by Niche.com—Fort Wayne is often a dark-horse winner on Internet “best places lists. Among its accolades: Best Places to Live by U.S. News, Top Places to Move by Reader’s Digest, Most Affordable Cities for Millennials by CreditKarma and Best Places to Live if You’re Trying to Save Money by AOL Finance.
Residents describe the city’s vibe as small-town or suburban. As one reviewer on Niche.com’s latest cost-of-living ranking said: “It’s not where everything’s happening, but it’s still not off the map. Fort Wayne isn’t fast or slow.” The city has minor-league baseball and hockey teams, its own zoo, an art museum, and a science center.
Unlike some of its Midwest neighbors, Fort Wayne hasn’t suffered population declines because of economic and demographic shifts. Its population has grown by about 30 percent since 2000.
The Wabash and Erie Canal fueled the city’s early growth. The canal, built in the 1830s, opened up commerce between Lake Erie in Ohio and the Ohio River at Evansville. As a key link between the two, Fort Wayne attracted more people and businesses. Rail came to town two decades later, and Fort Wayne became a key link as well for the Pennsylvania Railroad.