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- Total (2003)
220,486
Latitude
Longitude
41°4'42" N
85°7'36" W
(41.078348, -85.126546)1.
Fort Wayne is a city located in Allen County in northeastern Indiana. As of the 2000 census, as recertified in June 2003, the city had a total population of 220,486. It is named after a U.S. military fort established in 1794 by Gen. Anthony Wayne where the St. Joseph River and St. Marys River join to form the Maumee River. The city is the county seat of Allen County6.
Historically the site was known as Kekionga, the traditional capital of the Miami nation. In the 1680s, French traders established a trading post at the location because it was the main portage between the Great Lakes via the Maumee River and the Mississippi River via the nearby Little River branch of the Wabash River.
The French built the first fort on the site, Fort Miamis, in 1697 as part of a group of forts built between Quebec and St. Louis. Forts Miamis was replaced by Fort St. Philippe in 1722.
Increasing tension between France and Britain developed over the territory. In 1760, after defeat by British forces in the French and Indian War, the area was ceded to the British Empire. The fort was renamed "Fort Miami."
In 1763, various Native American nations rebelled against British rule and retook the fort as part of Pontiac's Rebellion. The Miami regained control of Kekionga, a rule that lasted for more than 30 years.
In 1794, under the command of General Anthony Wayne, the United States army captured the Wabash-Erie portage from the Miami and built a new fort near the three rivers. Fort Wayne was named for the general.
Eventually, the portage was replaced by a canal in the mid 1800s. Fort Wayne's significance as a waterway portage lost national prominence as the railroad system developed in the United States. For nearly a century it was an important railroad center between New York and Chicago.
Most of the population growth occurred in the 19th century with immigration from Germany and Ireland. The large numbers of Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches reflect this. German-language newspapers were published into the 20th century.
Fort Wayne has an elected mayor, clerk and city council-style of government.
Fort Wayne's mayor is Democrat Graham Richard, who has served in the post since January 2000. He was elected to a second term in 2003.
Democrat Sandra Kennedy has been Fort Wayne's city clerk since 1983.
The Fort Wayne Common Council is a nine-member legislative group that serve four-year terms. Six of the members represent specific districts; three are elected city-wide as at-large council members. The council elected on November 4, 2003 will serve until December 31, 2007:
Modern Fort Wayne is set in a productive agricultural area, but has always been an important transportation hub. Founded at the confluence of three rivers, the city was the summit of the Wabash-Erie Canal. Fort Wayne also site at the high point between two Indiana watersheds; hence its nickname, "Summit City."
Current Fort Wayne straddles Interstate 69, and is served by Norfolk Southern, Conrail and CSX rail lines as well as Fort Wayne International Airport and Smith Field regional airport.
Even for a regional "summit," Fort Wayne is fairly flat. There are some local wetlands and gravel pits. The soil is the deep dark brown earth characteristic of the Midwest.
Fort Wayne's first park, the 0.2 acre Old Fort Park, was established in 1863. The newest park, the 170 acre Salomon Farm Park, was established in 1995. As of 2004, the city had 87 parks covering 2,199.55 acres. Other parks include:
In the mid-20th century, Fort Wayne was a major manufacturing center of the northeastern United States. Major employers included General Electric, International Harvester, and Tokheim gasoline pumps. Phelps Dodge, Rea Wire, and Essex Wire comprised the largest concentration of copper and enamel wire manufacturing in the world. In the latter half of the 20th century, shifts in manufacturing patterns resulted in a reduction of the importance of manufacturing to the city economy, and Fort Wayne could be counted among the relatively stagnant "rust belt" cities of the northeast.
In recent decades growth based on a more diverse economy has resumed.
As of the census of 2000, there were 205,727 people, 83,333 households, and 50,666 families residing in the city. There are 90,915 housing units at an average density of 444.6/km² (1,151.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 75.45% White, 17.38% African American, 0.39% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.91% from other races, and 2.26% from two or more races. 5.78% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 83,333 households out of which 31.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% are married couples living together, 14.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% are non-families. 32.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.41 and the average family size is 3.08.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,518, and the median income for a family is $45,040. Males have a median income of $34,704 versus $25,062 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,517. 12.5% of the population and 9.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.5% are under the age of 18 and 7.6% are 65 or older.
In 2003, the Census Bureau revised the population of Fort Wayne upward to 220,486 to reflect neighborhood annexation after 2000.
Fort Wayne is the 105th-largest television market in the United States according to Nielsen Media Research.
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Fory Wayne has three sister cities:
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