Historic Photos of Fort Wayne

If you’re looking for a beautiful pictorial history of the Summit City, you can’t go wrong with Historic Photos of Fort Wayne. Text and captions are provided by Scott M. Bushnell, a former newspaper reporter and editor, and copy editor of the narrative History of Fort Wayne and Allen County, 1700-2005.  Captivating photos are provided from 1860-1979.

Mr. Bushnell’s collection features our city’s bustling downtown and its transition from a small county seat of 10,388 residents during the Civil War. (p. 1) From the 1910’s through the 1940’s, Fort Wayne experienced a period of economic growth and expansion.  According to Bushnell, records indicate that 36.2 million riders utilized the downtown trolleys and streetcars in 1944 (p. 154).

Mr. Bushnell confirms the belief that it was the exodus of retail establishments which ultimately led to downtown’s decline: ”flight of residents to suburbia fueled the growth of shopping centers far removed from the traditional downtown retail district.” (p. 179)

Hardcover: 204 pages

Publisher: Turner publishing Company (c. 2007)

ISBN: 9781596523777

19 Copies available at the Allen County Public Library

Readers with an interest in Fort Wayne’s rich history will glean many insights from perusing Mr. Bushnell’s collection.

Photo Credit: The Barr Street Market, 1893 (Fort Wayne Historical Society).