Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne sits where the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers meet to form the Maumee, spreading across flat terrain in northeastern Indiana. Downtown occupies the area near the confluence, surrounded by residential neighborhoods, office buildings, and parks that follow the riverbanks.

The army built a garrison here in 1794 on the site of Kekionga, a Miami settlement that had controlled regional waterways for centuries. Canals arrived in the mid-1800s, followed by railroads, transforming the military post into an industrial center.

Families gather at Science Central on weekends for hands-on experiments that introduce basic physics and chemistry through play. The Embassy Theatre hosts touring Broadway shows and local theater productions in a restored 1920s auditorium downtown.

Public libraries throughout the city offer free internet access and reading rooms open to visitors. A network of trails connects riverside parks, allowing for walks or bike rides along the waterways.

The city sits on the continental divide separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds. During heavy rains, water from the confluence can theoretically flow toward both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Location: Allen County

Inception: 1794

Founders: Jean François Hamtramck

Elevation above the sea: 247 m

Website: https://cityoffortwayne.org

GPS coordinates: 41.08045,-85.13915

Latest update: December 3, 2025 09:30