Allen County was created on April 1, 1824 and was formed from Delaware New Purchase and Unorganized Land. The Delaware New Purchase: Set up in 1820, portions were set apart as the entire counties of Allen, Bartholomew, Hamilton, Henry, Johnson, Marion, Rush, and Shelby. Parts of the counties of Delaware, Hendricks, Madison, and Morgan also were located in the Delaware Purchase. In 1827, the name of the tract was changed to the Adams New Purchase. The County was named for Kentucky Col. John Allen, killed during the War of 1812 Some sources say he died at the siege of Fort Wayne, others the Battle of the River Raisin. The County Seat is Fort Wayne . See also County History for more historical details.
Allen County is divided into 20 Civil Townships as follows: Aboite, Adams, Cedar Creek, Eel River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Madison, Marion, Maumee, Milan, Monroe, Perry, Pleasant, Scipio, Springfield, St. Joseph, Washington and Wayne.
Cities, Towns and Communities include Aboite, Academie, Arcola, Avalon, Bluecast, Boston Corner, Carrolls, Cedar Canyons, Cedar Shores, Cedarville, Concordia Gardens, Country Club Gardens, Crestwood, Cuba, Dixon, Dunn Mill, Dunfee, East Liberty, Edgerton, Ellisville, Five Points, Four Presidents Corners, Forest Ridge, Fort Wayne, Gar Creek, Georgetown, Grabill, Halls Corners, Harlan, Hessen Cassel, Hoagland, Huntertown, Hursh, Leo, Levert, Liberty Hills, Manor Woods, Maples, Meadowbrook, Middletown, Milan Center, Monroeville, New Haven, Nine Mile, Poe, River Haven, Rolling Hills, Royville, Sheldon (now Yoder), Sunnymede Woods, Thurman, Tillman, Timbercrest, Times Corner, Townley, Wallen, Waynedale, Westlawn, Westmoor, Williams, Woodburn, Yoder, and Zulu.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Allen County: The county newspaper holdings are under regular revision, as new microfilm holdings are added. These files are not up to date; there are continuous updates and corrections.
PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.
NOTE: The date listed for each category of record is the earliest record known to exist in that county. It does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and certainly does not indicate that all such events that year were actually registered.See also the Allen County Courthouse History
Allen County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1824 , Probate Records from 1825 and Court Records from 1824 and is located at Courthouse # 200, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; (260) 449-7245 The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a ministerial officer who is the custodian of the Clerk's record and seal, issues process, accepts filings of commencement of actions in litigation, enters judgments and orders of the court, receives money in his official capacity, makes certified copies of record, issues many miscellaneous licenses, and keeps a record of all wills and matters of trust in probate proceedings.
Allen County Recorder has Land Records from 1824 and is located at 206 City-County Building, 1 East Main Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; (260) 449-7165. The county recorder's function is to maintain permanent public records involving a wide variety of instruments. These documents detail transactions involving real estate, mining, personal property, mortgages, liens, leases, subdivision plats, military discharges, personal bonds, etc. Generally, all of these instruments are recorded either for giving legal public notice of their existence or for safekeeping and future reference. The recorder maintains and preserves all legal documents affecting title to real property.
Allen County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at One East Main Street, 5th Floor, Fort Wayne, IN 46802-1804; (260) 449-7147 b&d, (260) 449-7247 m&d
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Indianapolis Newspaper Index, 1848-1991: Select articles from 1848-1888 Indianapolis daily newspapers; heavily focused on deaths and marriages. Select articles from 1898-1991 about people, places, events, and topics in Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Extremely limited for deaths; no coverage of marriages. Card file also available in the Microforms Area, second floor.
Reference & Government Services CD Collection: Database to allow searching of the hundreds of CDs from the federal government and other sources, part of the collections of the Reference & Government Services Division.
Indiana Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
Birth Certificates:
The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth records that occur in Indiana since Oct 1907 to the present.
Prior to October 1907, records of birth are filed only with the local health department in the county where the birth actually occurred.
Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy.
Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
In Person:
The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait time is less than an hour.
Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains death records that occur in Indiana since 1900 to the present. Prior to 1900, records of death are filed only with the local health department in the county where the death actually occurred.
For deaths occurring from 1900 to 1917, the city and/or county of death is required in order to locate the record.
Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy.
Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
In Person:
The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait Time is less than an hour.
Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
Marriage Certificates: Certified copies of marriage certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the Clerks of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage was granted. Fees vary.
Divorce Certificates: Certified copies of divorce certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Indiana newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
Click Here to Search Indiana Voter Lists & Census Records! - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable.
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Census Records by clicking the link below:
Indiana Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1807 State Census Index; 1810 Wayne County Census Index; 1812 Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at County Maps
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Maps. Email us with websites containing Allen County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Indiana Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.
The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
Indiana World War II Servicemen: Database to locate information about Indiana men and women who served in World War II who were mentioned in one of the Indianapolis daily newspapers during the war.
Records of county taxes were kept as early at 1842, although most were discarded. Remaining ones would be at the county courthouse. National Archives-Great Lakes Region has records of the Internal Revenue Service for Indiana for 1867 to 1873. These are tax assessment records, arranged by district and then chronologically.
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Allen County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Indiana State Library,
Attn: (Division or Staff Name),
140 North Senate Avenue,
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296
Loan Desk and General Inquiries: 317-232-3675,
ind@statelib.lib.in.us
Genealogy Division: 317-232-3689,
genealogy@statelib.lib.in.us
Indiana Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Indiana Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
The commissioner's office of each Indiana county may have burial records for soldiers, sailors, and marines. If available, the records should include name, age, date of enlistment, discharge date, and death date. Records begin about 1862.
The Indiana State Library holds records of inscriptions from some Indiana cemeteries. The "Indiana Cemetery Locator File," compiled by the Genealogy Division, is an alphabetical listing of cemeteries, indicating the location in the state and the designation in the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library where inscriptions may be found.
Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Allen County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Indiana obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Indiana newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
Click Here to Search Indiana Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.
When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Allen County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Allen County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Indiana Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain
Allen County is bounded north by DeKalb and Noble, east by the State of Ohio, south by Adams and Wells, and west by Huntington and Whitley counties. It contains 672 square miles and was organized in 1824. It was named after the late Colonel John Allen, a distinguished Kentucky lawyer, who fell at the Battle of the River Raisin. Allen County is divided into twenty civil townships, commencing on the south line at the southeast corner; Monroe, Madison, Marion, Pleasant and Lafayette, lie in the first tier; Aboite, Wayne, Adams, Jefferson and Van Buren, lie in the second tier; Maumee, Milan, St. Joseph, Washington and Lake, lie in the third tier; and on the north line of the county are Eel River, Perry, Cedar Creek, Springfield and Scipio. The population of the county in 1830, was 1,000; in 1840, 5,942; and at this time [1849] over 13,000. Its principal streams are Little River and Aboite, which rise in the western part of the county, untie near the county line, and run into the Wabash, and the St. Joseph's and St. Mary's, both which rise in Ohio and run, the former south-west and the latter north-west, until they unite at Fort Wayne and form the Maumee, which then runs north-east into Lake Erie. All these streams, except Aboite, were formerly navigable in high water; but the erection of dams across them, and the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal, has superseded the old mode of navigation. Bee Creek, in the southwest, Crooked Creek, in the East, and Cedar Creek, in the north, are considerable mill streams, and the whole county is well watered.
The soil is generally of an excellent quality, being a sandy loam near the streams, and clay intermixed with marl in the interior, and well adapted to the cultivation of wheat, rye, corn, oats, grass, etc. The land is generally timbered, with occasional wet prairies, easily drained. In the northwestern part of the county are many oak openings, or barrens, all very fertile and easily brought into cultivation. The most common timber is oak, beach, walnut, buckeye, maple, ash, hickory, poplar, etc. Within this county were several Indian reserves, on one of which lived the famous Indian Chief Richardville, till his death in 1840. His wealth and influence kept other Indians near him, and many of them continued to reside here until their final removal west of the Mississippi, a few years since. This kept up a large amount of Indian trade, and until lately the agriculture of the county was not in a good condition. There is now every appearance that Allen will be one of the best, as it is among the largest, counties in the State. In aid of the business on the canal, plank roads are in the process of construction in several directions from Fort Wayne, and that town will soon be surpassed by no other in the State, except Madison and Indianapolis.
The manufactures of the county consist of four large tanneries, one large foundry, one distillery, four breweries, eight flouring mills, ten sawmills, one woolen factory, and one oil mill. There are in the county thirty dry goods stores, twenty grocery stores, thirteen warehouses, three drug stores, and one bookstore; many of the stores are very large. There are also twenty Lawyers, sixteen Physicians, and twelve Preachers of the Gospel. Among the different denominations there are three Presbyterian Churches, one Catholic, tow Methodist, one Dutch Reformed, one Lutheran, one Christian, one Episcopalian, one African, and one Baptist. The Methodists have a good Female High School or College, and the Catholics have a school under the charge of the Sisters of Providence. The lands of the county returned for taxation amount to 357,952 acres.
Fort Wayne, the County Seat of Allen County, is beautifully situated on a high bank, opposite to which, on the north, the St. Mary's and the St. Joseph, the former from the southeast and the latter from the northeast, unite and form the Maumee. On the site of this town was the old "Twightee Village," or principal seat of the Miamies, in their language called Ke-ki-o-que, a place of importance a hundred years before European settlers arrived. Here too was old Fort Wayne, erected by order of General Wayne, in September 1794, and just below this Fort, on the opposite side of the Maumee, was fought the disastrous Battle of General Harmer, on the 22nd of October 1790. This place, at one time, was called "the French Stores," as it was, for a long time, a place of resort for many of their traders, and near it was the carrying place from the navigable waters of Lake Erie, to those of the Wabash. Fort Wayne continued to be a military post until 1819, and until the removal of the Miamies and Pottawatamies west of the Mississippi in 1841, it was extensively resorted to by Indians for the disposal of their furs, and for the purpose of spending their annuities. The population of Fort Wayne is at this time [1849] about 5,000, and the rapid improvement of the country, the successful business of the Wabash and Erie Canal, and the opening of the plank roads into the interior, which have been commenced with much spirit, now rank it among the most important towns in Indiana. A branch of the State Bank is located here, which has always been managed with much prudence; the Methodists have a flourishing Female College, the Catholics have an Institution under the direction of the Sisters of Providence, and there are five other good schools in the town. The Methodists, Old and New School Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Africans, have good Churches. The stores, warehouses, and private dwellings are mostly in good taste, and there is every prospect that for twenty years to come, Fort Wayne will continue to improve rapidly. It is situated 112 miles northeast of Indianapolis, in latitude 41 deg. 5 min. and longitude 8 deg. 7 min west.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Since the first visit by LaSalle, Allen County has been one of the most important sections of Indiana, and its active history can be traced back to the days of the French explorers. What is now Ft. Wayne was an Indian trading center and early gateway to Indiana and the West. Today it is outstanding as a center of industrial, cultural and artistic activity.
The county was named in honor of Colonel John Allen, a distinguished Kentucky lawyer who commanded early military forces against the Indians. Geographical location has been a pronounced factor in determining its prosperity, particularly in its earlier history. Located in the northeastern part of Indiana and bordering the State of Ohio, it was a controlling point in an important line of travel between the great Lakes and Mississippi Valley. Ft. Wayne's location at the mouth of the Maumee River also was an important factor as travel became greater.
The county, largest in the state, is made up of twenty townships, having a combined area of 661 square miles. Ft. Wayne, with a population of 114,546 [in 1938], is the County Seat. The city can scarcely be equaled from the standpoint of colorful history. Because of its location "where three rivers meet," the area now known as Ft. Wayne was one of the most important centers of early American Indian life.
Toward the close of the seventeenth century the French succeeded in establishing a post at Ft. Wayne and held it until 1760, when it was surrendered to the English. At the close of the French and Indian War the English considered it as one of their prizes. However, they had little success in holding it, losing it to Chief Pontiac in 1763. For a thirty-year period this was a scene of continuous strife, turmoil and bloodshed. President Washington dispatched three armies to the West to establish here what he said would be an important post for the nation. Two of these were defeated, but the third, under General "Mad Anthony" Wayne, overwhelmed the Indians and English and established a stockade which became known as Fort Wayne. The community growing up around the fort was incorporated as a town in 1829 and a city in 1840.
Ft. Wayne is located on the Maumee, St. Joseph and St. Mary Rivers, eighteen miles west of the Ohio line. Six main railroads provide transportation facilities for its diversified industries. Included among the products are: amplifying systems, artificial limbs, automatic phonographs, batteries, belts, boats, boilers, burial vaults, car wheels, caskets, chairs, tables, cigars, coats, dairy equipment, electrical appliances, farm tools, fertilizer, foundry products, gas manufacturing equipment, gasoline station equipment, gears, gloves, harness, mattresses, wearing apparel, meters, mining machinery, motors, motor trucks, oil burners, paper products, pipe organs, pistons, radio equipment, refrigerators, boxes, traffic signals, trailers, washing machines, ironers, water softeners, welding compound, wire coil and yeast. The city had 149 manufacturing establishments, employing 11,380 wage earners, according to the 1935 federal census figures.
Ft. Wayne's position in the heart of a rich agricultural area has resulted in a complete and modern system of commodity distribution through dozens of wholesale and jobbing houses, and hundreds of retail stores. There are 1,620 retail establishments and about 200 wholesale concerns.
Ft. Wayne has one of the most efficient public school systems in the United States. Among its educational, religious and cultural facilities are a Lutheran College; three public and four parochial high schools and academies; twenty-three public and twenty-two parochial grade schools; one technical college; a Bible Training school; a university extension center; and art school; two historical museums; four orphanages and children's homes and numerous music schools. The library, with five branches, contains 229,840 volumes. There are seventy-nine churches located in the city, many of these among the largest and most beautiful in Indiana. The city's welfare work is carried on thorough the Community Chest, which supports nineteen welfare agencies.
A number of organizations have been formed for sponsoring various cultural activities. These include a Civic Symphony Orchestra which presents a series of concerts each year; the Ft. Wayne Community Concert Association, which sponsors a number of recitals by noted musicians and singers; the Ft. Wayne Art School Association, which presents exhibits of paintings and sculpture; and the "Old Fort Players," a dramatic club of amateur performers who produce shows at the civic theater.
Sixteen beautiful parks and playgrounds located conveniently in the districts throughout the city provide ideal places for recreation and relaxation. They total 820 acres. Their facilities include pavilions, ball fields, tennis courts, recreational apparatus, swimming pools and picnic grounds.
Seven golf courses are located in or about Ft. Wayne. One of these, Foster Park, is municipally owned and operated. Within a radius of fifty miles of the city are located some three hundred lakes ranging in area from a few acres to one containing 3,800 acres. These waters, as well as the many tributary streams, offer splendid opportunities for all types of outdoor amusements.
There are numerous markers and monuments of historical and artistic significance. The Courthouse, the fifth built in the county, contains a bust of Colonel John Allen, as well as paintings and murals of artistic note. In Hayden Park there is an equestrian statue of General Anthony Wayne. Memorial Park contains a bronze and marble memorial to the soldiers of the First World War. A bronze tablet in Swinney Park stands in memory of the soldiers of the Revolution. A monument in Lawton Park commemorates the services of the soldiers in the Civil War. Lakeside Park, noted for its rose garden, is the site of a statue of General Henry W. Lawton. In addition, there are numerous art studios, galleries, and old residences of cultural and historical note. The Irene Byron Memorial Hospital is located eight miles north of the city. He historic Homestead Penn House is on Coldwater Road.
Probably the most outstanding of these places of interest is the Lincoln Museum, which was opened nine years ago by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. Its curator, Doctor Lewis O. Warren, has been collecting Abraham Lincoln's books, pictures, letters, etc., for a number of years, and at the present time the museum contains the largest collection of literature ever assembled about one man. On the plaza in front of the building is a large statue of "Lincoln, the Hoosier Youth." Every year hundreds of visitors from throughout the nation stop in Ft. Wayne to inspect this museum.
In keeping with the modern development of Ft. Wayne, there are two airports; the Paul Baer Municipal Airport and the Guy Means Airport. The former is recognized as one of the finest fields in the country. There are two radio broadcasting stations in the city, one with a power of 10,000 watts and the other a 100-watt station. Both are members of the coast-to-coast network. Ft. Wayne has two large daily newspapers.
The city has two national and two state banks as well as a number of other financial institutions, including one joint stock bank, an industrial loan and investment company, a home loan and savings association, and a federal savings and loan association. Deposits in the two national and two state banks on December 31, 1936, totaled more than $45,000,000. During the preceding year the total resources were increased some $15,000,000.
The census for 1835 listed 4,148 farms with an average acreage of 92.1 and a total value of $25,671,064. In all, the county had 164 manufacturing establishments, employing 15,015, on pay rolls totaling $17,104,134. The value of the industrial output was $86,418,717
The county tax valuation for 1936 was $202,454,370.
Courthouse History
ndiana is recognized for many things—basketball, auto racing, farmland, pork tenderloins the size of a dinner plate. And to connoisseurs of architecture, it’s also the home of one of the most glorious county courthouses in the United States. In 2003 the Secretary of the Interior declared the Allen County Courthouse a National Historic Landmark, (web link http://www.cr.nps.gov/nhl/) meaning that it possess “exceptional value or quality in illustrating the heritage of the United States.” Less than 2500 historic places have earned designation as National Historic Landmarks.
“Completed in 1902, the Allen County Courthouse is the embodiment of Beaux Arts architecture popular in the United States at the turn of the 20th century,” noted the National Historic Landmark nomination. “The building stands as a monument to the civic pride and progressivism of early 20th century America and represents a rare example of the combination of classical architecture, fine art and sculpture in an American county courthouse.”
Despite competition from nationally known architectural firms, county commissioners awarded the courthouse design contract to Fort Wayne resident Brentwood S. Tolan (1856-1923). Tolan, an Ohio native who moved to Fort Wayne in 1875, learned his architectural skills from his father, Thomas J. Tolan. The Tolan family made a name for itself in Indiana designing courthouses in Allen, LaGrange, Parke, Kosciusko, Whitley and Delaware Counties.
Beaux Arts designs can best be described as monumental combinations of classical elements accentuated by a profusion of details such as columns, porticos and pediments. (In layman’s terms, a Greek temple with a lot of froufrou.) The Allen County Courthouse is an outstanding example of the style. Its blue Bedford limestone exterior is accentuated by Doric and Ionic columns, carved relief panels, and symmetrically placed windows. A copper-clad dome crowns the roof.
The interior is a study in magnificence conveyed by color, decorative details and finishes, especially scagliola (pronounced skayl-YO-luh). The interior contains more than 15,000 square feet of scagliola—faux marble made from plaster—on columns, walls, pilasters and moldings. Internationally recognized decorative plaster expert David Hayles lauds the Allen County Courthouse scagliola as“…the most important example of the craft to be found anywhere in the world.”
Of the courthouse’s elaborate murals, Richard Murray, senior curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American Art, said: “What is found in the Allen County Court House is on a par with that of the Library of Congress, the Paris Opera, the Reform Club of London, and but a handful of statehouses.” The $35,000 ornamentation budget for the project exceeded the total cost of many other Indiana public buildings of the period. Murals are found throughout the courtrooms and other spaces, but the crowning glory is the rotunda featuring four works painted by Charles Holloway (1859-1941). Holloway, a native of Philadelphia, made a name for himself in Chicago where he created murals for the Auditorium Theater and the Columbian Exposition. In Indiana he also completed murals for the Wells County Courthouse and the Studebaker Company. Murals by other artists are found throughout the courtrooms.
Like Holloway, sculptors Robert J. Stack (1863-1942) and William Barth (1866-1915) traveled to Fort Wayne following their work at the Chicago Columbian Exposition. After completing the Allen County Courthouse and notable commissions, such as the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo and the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, both men returned to Fort Wayne to raise their families.
Such great works of art and architecture must be cared for faithfully to address daily grime and prevent deterioration from intensive public use. Despite Holloway’s return in 1911 to touch up his murals, wear and tear exacted their toll. Well-minded attempts at “restoration” also produced disastrous results that later required major attention. Such was the case in the 1930s when the WPA provided house painters to touch up the murals. Similarly misguided efforts by untrained painters throughout the twentieth century likewise compromised the other courthouse works of art.
Improvements undertaken from 1967-1975 provided modern conveniences such as new heating and air conditioning, wiring and plumbing upgrades, a new roof, new windows and doors, and landscaping. However, it was not until 1994, that large-scale restoration efforts were launched with the creation of the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust. Working upon the advice of nationally-recognized art and architecture authorities, the Trust set out to restore the courthouse grounds, building and artwork. It took eight years and over $8 million to complete the project.. On September 23, 2002, the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust dedicated a breathtaking total restoration. For a detailed discussion of the Courthouse’s history and restoration, see The Allen County Court House: A National Treasure Restored by Micahael C. Hawfield (Guild Press Emmis Publishing, 2002).
