Photography and text by Rain San Martin
Downtown Fort Wayne’s “Be A Tourist in Your Own Town” day occurred this year on September 11th, 2011. We walked the grounds of Historic Fort Wayne, which showcased a replica of the Old Fort http://www.oldfortwayne.org/ , located near Headwaters Park, just off of Spy Run.
The Fort was originally built for protection against Native American’s in 1815. It was one of three in Fort Wayne. The brochure states that their Mission is:
“To establish the Old Fort as a historic education center for the Northeast Indiana area focusing on the eras from the Native American Culture to the Civil War.”
As we entered the site we were welcomed by a friendly woman crocheting in a bonnet and apron characteristic of what a homemaker wore in the pioneer days. Civil War era military Re-enactors with guns and fire booming canon’s guard the wooden fortress. Patrons crowd around a blacksmith as he wields a hook. His hammer shapes the fiery hot metal.
We make our way through the grounds to view the sleeping and eating quarters. Kitchens of yesteryear have a hearth as it’s centerpiece. Candles, metal pots and pans, long cooking utensils, hanging herbs and wooden benches create the setting for this rustic former dinning spot of our ancestors.
Rain San Martin is a composer www.RainSanMartin.com, digital artist and homemaker living in Fort Wayne, IN
































