Fort Wayne, Indiana relocation

[Rowena]

There is a position open with my husband's company in Fort Wayne, Indiana and we are looking into it. Anybody from this area that can fill us in? I would be in heaven, trying to start a market gardening business and fertile soil instead of desert soil would be nice!

[Snowdancer]

I lived there in the late 70's so I really can't give you any info that's current.

I liked it there when we lived there and if you do move there, check out the Zoo. I do remember the soil was nice dark loam and the winters were cold & snowy.

You want to hear something funny, we moved from IN to CA, looks like you're doing the opposite.

Good Luck with the decision.

[Rowena]

I don't know if we will do it, but we definitely want to move eventually and this position in Fort Wayne would make it a lot easier transition. I would love to have more snow, very little here in the High Desert, but of course I know I will develop a hate/love relationship with it!!

[stirfamily]

We live right outside of Fort Wayne in New Haven. Let's see....good housing does not cost you an arm and a leg. We've got great hospitals, an art museum, a world class children's zoo, a botanical gardens, a winning hockey team, a basketball team and our own baseball team, with a brand new stadium set to open next spring. Johnny Appleseed is buried here. A great parks and greenway trail system. An odd thing about Ft Wayne, you'll be travelling on one street and it changes names about a dozen times. We also have 3 rivers, the St. Joe, the St Mary's and the Maumee. We do have flooding problems at times but those are being addressed. We're surrounded by soy bean, corn and wheat fields and there is a substantial Amish community close by. If you're not a Hoosier already, our sales tax is 7% but our property taxes here in Allen County, where Ft. Wayne is located, were lowered by over 30%.
Oh, and as for soil, we have good old Indiana clay. You'll need to add lots of compost etc, but it's worth it. Also we used to be part of the black swamp so there's lots of mosquitos in the summer. Our winters aren't too bad. One year will be snowy and the next not so much. This past summer was wonderful. Lots of rain, sunshine and the garden did great.
If there's anything else you want to know, just let me know.
grandma chicken
aka Karen in NE Indiana

[Lazy J]

I was born and reared in Fort Wayne and recently returned to the area after a 15 year absence. My mother's family has been in the area since the 1860's and my father's since the 1880's.

Fort Wayne has many beneifts which Karen mentioned. I'd recommend a move here. It is a nice mix of cosmopolitan and midwest.

Jim

[NickieL]

Originally Posted by Snowdancer

I lived there in the late 70's so I really can't give you any info that's current.

I liked it there when we lived there and if you do move there, check out the Zoo. I do remember the soil was nice dark loam and the winters were cold & snowy.

You want to hear something funny, we moved from IN to CA, looks like you're doing the opposite.

Good Luck with the decision.

Hey there! I moved to indiana from california too!!!

Fort Wayne is to the east of me a bit...but not too far It's basicaly a mix of farm and town around here with fields of soy and corn right in town even. Lots of good bike paths, the dunes, the big lake...so lots to do outside. Someone above mentened swamp and mosquitos...they are bad here and the land likes to try and be swamp so plan your gardens carefully and look for property on higher ground.....I wish I'd known my yard would be a SWELL-----swamp for most of the year LOL! One thing for sure, I've not had to water much most summers, and when it isn't flooding here the garden does great!

[jer]

I live 45 minutes from Ft. Wayne and the cost of living is much cheaper here than in California. No earthquakes to speak of either! Nice growing season and lots of activities. Good Luck.

[booklover]

Ft. Wayne also has a really great LIBRARY!!