Celebrating Our Community As Waynedale Enters 104th Year
As we welcome the dawn of a new year, we also celebrate a 104-year tribute to neighbors, businesses, and the deep sense of pride that defines Waynedale.
February 15, 1921, Abner Elzey, began this dream of “Waynedale,” which for him, idealized a community in which anyone could build a home to his own design and enjoy suburban life. The name came as a combination of Elzey’s son, “Dale,” and what people at the time were calling Fort Wayne, “Wayne.” Then, in 1957, the Fort Wayne City Council voted unanimously in favor of the annexation of Waynedale into Fort Wayne.
Over the past century, so much has changed since the area’s humble beginnings, but what has been strikingly consistent is the will of the people who call this place home and who work hard to continue to provide for and build the community.
Waynedale is truly unique. It’s still a place where we wave at neighbors. We understand the importance of supporting local businesses. And we do our best to protect and improve upon our community in a way that not many people in other communities do.
At the heart of community, we have people who are leaders in faith, in business, in support, and in togetherness. As a community, it’s simply incredible the amount of hard work and love that everyone has for this place that we endearingly call Waynedale.
Look no further than our local events to see this mission in action. This past December, more than 450 families came out to see Santa on the Waynedale Christmas Trolley. Over a thousand shamrocks were found at local businesses during the 2024 March Waynedale Shamrock Search. Thousands of people line the streets each year for May’s Waynedale Memorial Day Parade. During the fall, there are more Trunk-or-Treats and festivals than you can put on your calendar.
But that’s not all. Waynedale is home to multiple food pantries (including a pet food pantry), social support services, and just about every week there is at least one free-will donation meal to be found. We are a community who doesn’t have everything, but we certainly are a community who cares.
When you’re bored, we have trails to travel, niche businesses to explore, historical sites to learn from, parks to take our families to, and even a front-row seat to watch planes take off.
Waynedale may not be the hustle and bustle of the big city or have all of the modern looks of the new neighborhoods, but we have our own kind of appeal not found anywhere else. It’s often said that the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, but the true lesson is that it’s pretty good right here. And, only to get better if we continue to believe in the spirit of Waynedale.
If you are interested in Waynedale’s history, visit waynedalenews.com to search 20,000 pages of news archives.
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