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"Fort Wayne is Indiana's second largest city after Indianapolis, the state's capital."
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
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)
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
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)
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 Bloomington. 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.
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 moon-scape, 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, ante-bellum 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.
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 Mayto-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.
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.
Recreation
Located in downtown Fort Wayne, the Allen County Courthouse is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Its attached park, the Courthouse Green is a gathering place for impromptu political demonstrations.
Fort Wayne's first park, the 0.2 acre (800 m²) Old Fort Park, was established in 1863. The newest park, the 170 acre (690,000 m²) Salomon Farm Park, was established in 1995. As of 2005, the city had 87 parks covering 2,199.55 acres (8.9 km²).
I was bored so I decided to put all the Fort Wayne Information right here so people could know!
On one more note
I purposely didn't post the "race" statistics.
If all you're worried about is "I'm a this heritage/ this is the color of my skin will people look at me funny" then you probably shouldn't move from where you are.
Because, if you think someone is going to be looking at you because you're color isn't something normal... Whatever that may be... Then you're just going to be paranoid.
And it just really bothers me when people say "Will it matter that I'm, purple, green, yellow, orange, black, indigo, violent, blue, white, red, brown" NO, NO IT WONT. STOP ASKING. If YOU can't get past your own skin color, then really you shouldn't be looking to move ANYWHERE if you're uncomfortable with it, just stay where you are comfortable with being yourself. Alrighty? Alrighty.
Last edited by Ronzou; 02-21-2007 at 11:20 PM..
Reason: just adding on
Iroquoispliskin: It's very easy for you dismiss questions regarding cultural diversity if you don't belong to a group that has historically faced discrimination on so many levels..you may call it being paranoid...I call it self-preservation. I have to get a complete picture...I am responsible for my families well being and I don't want to put them in harms way if I have control over the situation. Therefore...I feel that it a very important question...if it were not...then so many people would not inquire.
Iroquoispliskin: It's very easy for you dismiss questions regarding cultural diversity if you don't belong to a group that has historically faced discrimination on so many levels..you may call it being paranoid...I call it self-preservation. I have to get a complete picture...I am responsible for my families well being and I don't want to put them in harms way if I have control over the situation. Therefore...I feel that it a very important question...if it were not...then so many people would not inquire.
I have about 3 or 4 different types of Native American blood running through my veins. My heritage is diverse.
Being Native American, German, English, Irish, Scottish, Danish, French. I'd say my family is pretty diverse.
So being part Native American, my ancestors haven't faced any type of discrimination in the past. My ancestors just had to sit by and watch the American government steal the land and force them on reservations.
Also being Irish and Scottish, my ancestors faced discrimination from the English for being dirty among other things. So yes, I know what discrimination is.
People have to learn to be people. Because I would like to think one day I won't have to mark on an application what my heritage is, because I would like to think that it really won't matter someday. Because some day, people will finally realize... Americans are AMERICANS.
And I feel proud to be an American!
Last edited by Ronzou; 02-22-2007 at 01:03 AM..
Reason: spelling grammer, other errors
I have about 3 or 4 different types of Native American blood running through my veins. My heritage is diverse.
Being Native American, German, English, Irish, Scottish, Danish, French. I'd say my family is pretty diverse.
So being part Native American, my ancestors haven't faced any type of discrimination in the past. My ancestors just had to sit by and watch the American government steal the land and force them on reservations.
Also being Irish and Scottish, my ancestors faced discrimination from the English for being dirty among other things. So yes, I know what discrimination is.
People have to learn to be people. Because I would like to think one day I won't have to mark on an application what my heritage is, because I would like to think that it really won't matter someday. Because some day, people will finally realize... Americans are AMERICANS.
And I feel proud to be an American!
I'm very grateful to live in a free country where I can make choices, vote, and live without a psycho dictator to control my every move. Thanks, by the way, for sharing Fort Wayne info. I'm sure Fort Wayne is a wonderful American city that has that sturdy Midwestern dignity. I love Indiana, and I'm proud to be a Hoosier.
I'm very grateful to live in a free country where I can make choices, vote, and live without a psycho dictator to control my every move. Thanks, by the way, for sharing Fort Wayne info. I'm sure Fort Wayne is a wonderful American city that has that sturdy Midwestern dignity. I love Indiana, and I'm proud to be a Hoosier.
I like Fort Wayne a lot. I seen pictures of Fort Wayne from the 1940's today, and I wish it was still like that. It was so pretty.
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Try to put this into sections
