Waynedale History

February 14, 2025 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

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 . . . Read More

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February 14, 2025 The Waynedale News Staff 4 min read

Historic Waynedale Businesses Surviving The Test Of Time

The Waynedale area, nestled in our corner of Fort Wayne, boasts a rich tapestry of businesses that have served the community for decades, each contributing uniquely to its historical and cultural fabric. . . Read More

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November 22, 2024 The Waynedale News Staff 8 min read

Big Boy’s Memories Remain

On Monday, November 18, 2024, the corner of Bluffton and Lower Huntington Roads fell silent as the iconic building that once housed Azar’s Big Boy was demolished. For many in Waynedale, this wasn’t just a building coming down—it was a piece of . . . Read More

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August 30, 2024 Alex Cornwell 2 min read

92 Years Of Honoring Our Community’s Legacy

The Waynedale News is celebrating 92 years of serving its community with heartfelt stories and local news. Publisher Alex Cornwell marks 15 years leading the paper, emphasizing the importance of community support. . . Read More

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August 30, 2024 The Waynedale News Staff 5 min read

Waynedale Masonic Lodge Celebrates 70 Years

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Waynedale Masonic Lodge, established in 1954. The Lodge has a rich history of community service and growth, culminating in the construction of its Temple in 1969. . . Read More

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February 16, 2024 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

We Are Historic Waynedale! ~ Celebrating 103 Years

Nestled in the heart of Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Waynedale community stands as a beacon of unity, tradition, and resilience. Its inception by Abner Elzey in 1921 marked the beginning of a journey from a vision of a close-knit community to the vibrant . . . Read More

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February 16, 2024 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

Standing Against The Test Of Time ~ Waynedale Celebrates 103 Years

In an era where the digital tide has reshaped the landscape of media and journalism, the enduring presence of The Waynedale News in Fort Wayne, Indiana, stands as a beacon of community spirit and resilience. . . Read More

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February 16, 2024 Rev. Christopher W. Riley 4 min read

The First African-American Woman To Pastor In Fort Wayne

A very wise woman once said, that people catch visions in three different ways. There are those that will receive the vision and move on it. There are those who will receive the vision and sit on it. . . Read More

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February 16, 2024 The Waynedale News Staff 3 min read

Our Community Back When ~ Waynedale Celebrates 103 Years

The following is based on the first-hand accounts of local historian, Edgar B. Noble Jr. In the heart of Waynedale, a community nestled within Fort Wayne, Indiana, stands a testament to the persistent spirit of early 20th-century America—a building . . . Read More

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December 24, 2023 The Waynedale News Staff 1 min read

County Organized 200 Years Ago

On December 17, 1823, Allen County was organized by an act of the Indiana General Assembly. The new county was to be named in honor of Colonel John Allen, an attorney and Kentucky state senator who was killed in the War of 1812. . . Read More

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September 1, 2023 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

St. Therese Catholic Church Celebrates 75 Years

Since 1948, St. Therese Catholic Church has been an integral part of the vibrant Waynedale community. Its rich history, marked by resilience and devotion, serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of this parish. . . Read More

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February 17, 2023 The Waynedale News Staff 1 min read

The History Of Waynedale Radio

The call letters were WDBV (550AM)-Clyde Quimby and the Strand Theater owned it. WDBV was not only a radio station but also furnished the music that was piped directly through Mr. . . Read More

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February 17, 2023 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

Celebrating Waynedale’s 102nd Anniversary!

For some, Waynedale is a place where they live. For others, it’s a place to work. However, most people you ask who know the community will say it’s a very special place to be. . . Read More

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September 9, 2022 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

Historic Waynedale Pop-up Museum Ready For All To Experience

The long-awaited day is here! We are proud to release the secret we’ve been working on for quite some time and teasing Waynedale News fans on social media about. As a thank you to our community for supporting us for the past 90 years, The Waynedale . . . Read More

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February 25, 2022 The Waynedale News Staff 4 min read

The Founding Of Our Community

In the early 1870s the railroad spur at the Lower Huntington Road intersection created a minor land boom. Pioneer landowners such as the Masons, Bradburys and Weavers, sold lots to people wanting to move to the suburbs out of the busy Fort Wayne area. . . . Read More

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February 25, 2022 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

Happy 101 Years, Waynedale! – From The Publisher

Can you feel it? It’s the beginning of a new era in the Waynedale community! On February 15, 2022, Waynedale celebrated its 101st year since it’s founder, Abner Elzey, began the unincorporated town on that day in 1921. . . Read More

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February 25, 2022 Paul W. Fairfield 4 min read

How The Waynedale Fire Department Began

The following is a history of the Waynedale Fire Department, written in 1983, by Paul W. Fairfield, with assistance from James and Catherine Mason, Delmar Green, Mrs. George Prince and Kenneth McCague. . . Read More

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February 25, 2022 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

The Fort Wayne Aviation Company

As you drive west from Waynedale to 5036 Lower Huntington Road, before you get to Smith Road, you come to what was once the Fort Wayne Aviation Company. The property is on the north side of the road and if you look north, you can see the south side . . . Read More

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April 23, 2021 Michael Morrissey 4 min read

GOOD MORNING & HELLO SUNSHINE!

A new business has successfully stepped into the void left by the closing of a beloved Waynedale institution. The Hello Sunshine Bakery has been operating at the Waynedale Bakery’s old location, 2610 Lower Huntington Road, since early February, the . . . Read More

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February 26, 2021 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

WE ARE WAYNEDALE, 100 YEARS LATER!

What does a hundred years mean? For our community, a hundred years ago, on February 15, a vision was sought by Abner Elzey. As he stood on the corner of Lower Huntington Road and Old Trail, and wished for a community in which anyone could build a home . . . Read More

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February 26, 2021 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

HOW OUR COMMUNITY CAME TO BE

The farmland that once comprised the area of Waynedale, though fertile, was also highly alkaline. During the Pleistocene period a vast sea covered the region of northern Indiana. While it flourished, billions of sea creatures died and left a rich deposit . . . Read More

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February 26, 2021 The Waynedale News Staff 2 min read

DO YOU RECALL WHAT IT WAS LIKE?

Did you know that over 2,500 members belong to a unique Facebook group that focuses on pictures, memories and discussions of Waynedale past? The “Waynedale Recollections” group appeals to not just historians; it is open to anyone who is interested . . . Read More

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June 19, 2020 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

AZAR’S BIG BOY WILL NOT REOPEN

Months after closing in early April, assumedly because of COVID-19 shutdowns and lack of business, many speculated about when or if Azar’s Big Boy would reopen. Then, on Monday, June 8, social media was a-buzz with reports from unnamed employees . . . Read More

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January 31, 2020 Alex Cornwell 3 min read

UMBER’S HARDWARE SET TO CLOSE IN SURPRISE DECISION

In the wake of Avalon Pool, Baer Field Motorsports Park and the Waynedale Bakery recently closing, this week, Umber’s Do It Best Hardware in Waynedale announced that it too will close its doors. . . Read More

A Look Back At Our Community In 2019 Elmhurst Featured Local News Spotlight Waynedale History

May 25, 2018 Alex Cornwell 2 min read

PRESERVING A KEY ELMHURST FEATURE AHEAD OF DEMOLITION

Over the past 3 weeks, alumni Don and Hope Dressler have been working to preserve key elements of the gym floor at Elmhurst High School. A race for time against the excavator which will be coming to that side of the building within the next few weeks, the couple have been working to preserve the ‘E’ and both Trojan Head graphics which adorn the wooden floor. . . Read More