by Tom Castaldi
West Central
Neighborhood once consisted of the entire region west of the original plat of Fort Wayne and considered
by the first settlers as second-rate land.
Not surprising, since it was virtually a wetland fed by two creeks that
ran through its length. One was “Shawnee
Run” that rose in the south near the present-day U.S. Post Office at the old
Bass Foundry and ran west along Baker Street then turned north just beyond
Harrison Street. One pioneer recalled fishing from “Shawnee
Run” bridge that once stood on Wayne
Street to span the Creek.
Another much larger stream, called “Bloody Run” had its
source in the wide swamp that covered the land where the present-day General
Electric plant stands. The creek took its name from a story that a Miami warrior stabbed and
killed a Shawnee
man in 1800. It was Chief Richardville
who interceded in the situation and prevented a blood feud between the Miami and the Shawnee. “Bloody Run”
eventually joined “Shawnee Run” and the two emptied into the Saint Mary’s
River.
“That
village of swamps” was how William Ewing described it when he bought a portion
of it in the 1820s. He was including his
own home that at the time stood in the 500 block on West Berry Street. All has changed with this grand neighborhood which
is often described today as being within the borders of South Calhoun Street on the east, the
Saint Mary’s River on the west and north, Taylor Street east to the Norfolk and Western
Railroad, then east to South
Calhoun Street.
During
the canal era of the 1830s and through the 1950’s drainage projects, both
improvements played a role in purging the swamps. Fort Wayne began to prosper and the west side
became more attractive as a place to live and businesses too found it a good
place to locate. Perhaps one of the most
significant was Rockhill House that was constructed in 1838-1840. With careful
consideration given this grand building signaled what was to follow. Although
it was considered far from the center of town, the hotel operators gave it the
air of a fine country estate attempting to attract canal packet travelers. When
rail service began, a special ornate coach engaged to bring visitors, such as
presidential candidate Stephan A. Douglas, from the downtown train stations to
their “country quarters.”
 |
| The Swinney House |
At
about the same time, pioneer Thomas Swinney built his Federalist style home at
its western edge along the Saint Mary’s River.
Following that stream to the north stood the Methodist College
for Women. The celebrated pioneer
banker, Hugh McCulloch, built his great Greek Revival mansion near the site of
the first French fort along the Saint Mary’s. The west end addresses became increasingly
fashionable as more of the impressive street names and their house numbers
became those of the town’s emerging merchant and professional set.
 |
| The McCulloch House |
At
the beginning of the twentieth century and throughout the decades before World
War II, the West Central neighborhood was the home of wide tree-shaded
boulevards and grand mansions and fine homes. In later years, many of these places became
the names of Fort Wayne’s
first arts and cultural organizations, such as the Historical Society in the
Swinney Home or the Museum
of Art in the Mossman
mansion.
After
World War II, the public began to experience a lack of interest in these fine but
now outdated buildings. Expansion,
parking lots, renovations, modernization and aluminum siding became the order
of the day. Unique and grand buildings
like the Ewing House were razed. In the
1960s, however, an interest to save these structures emerged, and by 1976, the
newly formed architectural preservation society, ARCH,
was formed and began to advocate preservation and rehabilitation as an
alternative to destruction and harmful cover-up. Today the West Central historic district is a
model for preservation, conservation, rehabilitation, and creative renovation.
In 1976, the West Central Neighborhood won designation as Fort Wayne’s first
locally designated “Historic District” and 1984 the area was listed on the
national Register of Historic Places. Protected
by city, state, and national ordinances against changes detrimental to the
historic character of the neighborhood, the West Central region has experienced
a revival of its former grandeur with its fine homes, beautiful churches, and
solid commercial buildings. What was once called a village of swamps, has
become a place of pride.
 |
| Many historic churches are in the West Central Neighborhood. |
Originally published in Fort Wayne Monthly “Along the Heritage Trail with Tom Castaldi”
July 2009 No. 56
Allen
County Historian Tom Castaldi is author of the Wabash & Erie Canal Notebook
series; hosts “On the Heritage Trail,” which is broadcast at 6:35 a.m., 8:35
a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Mondays on WBOI, 89.1 FM; and “Historia Nostra” heard on
WLYV-1450 AM and WRRO 89.9 FM. Enjoy his previously published columns on the
History Center’s blog, “Our Stories,” at historycenterfw.blogspot.com.
