FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The City of Fort Wayne says that a small residential area near Broadway, and several commercial buildings on the west side of Fairfield Avenue at Taylor Street are now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s official list of properties considered worthy of preservation.
The City released the following:
The Maple Place Historic District is the best example in Fort Wayne of what is called a “Bungalow Court,” and it has the distinctive characteristics of this intimate type of residential area. A group of 14 homes all face Maple Place, a narrow and straight drive that terminates at a small cul-de-sac with a large circular, cut stone planter in the center. The entrance to Maple Place, from Maple Avenue off Broadway, has welcoming cut-stone gate posts, with inset limestone reading “Maple Place.”
This compact area was developed by the City and Suburban Building Company in 1912. The first Bungalow Courts were introduced in Pasadena, California in 1909, and the arrangement was copied all over southern California. The Maple Place example is a Midwestern adaptation, as it has a street in the center, rather than a pedestrian court. The 14 homes are an exceptional collection of early 20th-century bungalow and Craftsman house types and styles.
“We’re so proud that Maple Place is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places,” said Sarah Aubrey, President of the Broad River Neighborhood Association, who advocated for the listing. “This affirms what we’ve always known – that our architecture and history are truly special. The designation recognizes the unique historic character of Maple Place and will build community pride for generations to come.”
The Irishtown Commercial Historic District is a small group of historic buildings on the west side of Fairfield Avenue at Taylor Street, 1936-2024 Fairfield Ave. The buildings represent the period of 1868 to 1954, and they range from Italianate style to mid-20th Century Modern. The district is significant for the remarkably intact group of commercial buildings that served the residents of the Irishtown Neighborhood, the area primarily east of Fairfield that was home to many Irish families in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
From 1868 to the mid-1950s, this commercial district included groceries, shoe stores, butchers, a hardware store, restaurants, and even the first Scott’s grocery store, which later grew into a large supermarket chain. These commercial buildings are still in use today, occupied by several neighborhood businesses.
“These historic district listings are part of the implementation of the Packard 2030 Plan, adopted in May 2023,” said Creager Smith, Fort Wayne Historic Preservation planner. The plan encourages and supports designation of eligible National Register Historic Districts because properties listed in the National Register may be eligible for either commercial or homeowner rehabilitation tax credits. “The ‘Preservation is About the Future’ economic impact study of Fort Wayne also shows that homes in historic districts tend to appreciate faster, and are more resistant to market downturns than those in comparable neighborhoods that are not designated.”
These projects were funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund. The Fund is administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. The applications were prepared by consultants Jill Downs and Kurt West Garner. They were reviewed by Fort Wayne Historic Preservation planners and had public hearings before the City’s Historic Preservation Commission.
The City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division works to establish Fort Wayne as the Community of Choice for residents, visitors, and businesses by growing the economy, strengthening neighborhoods, and supporting housing options. Visit CityofFortWayne.in.gov/CD for more information.
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