At the centennial of its founding by General Anthony Wayne in 1794, the city of Fort Wayne could boast prosperity and rapid growth as a leading industrial center of the Midwest. By the start of World War I, it had become the second largest city in Indiana.

The images collected here offer a comprehensive look into the history of this remarkable city. From the Wabash & Erie Canal at “Summit City” to the Nickel Plate Railroad, from the Johnny Appleseed marker in Swinney Park to the International Harvester truck plant, and from the Aveline Hotel to the Lincoln Bank Tower, Historic Photos of Fort Wayne captures unique and rare scenes of Fort Wayne through the lens of hundreds of historic photographs.

Published in striking black and white, these images communicate the historic events and everyday life of two centuries of people building a unique metropolis. Historic Photos of Fort Wayne is sure to captivate anyone curious about the city’s past, from the student of history to the local history buff.