Mad Anthony's town

The waters of St. Mary's, St. Joseph and Maumee Rivers flow together here in northeast Indiana near the Ohio border, which made it the perfect spot for General Anthony Wayne, the Revolutionary War hero, to build a fort in 1794. The fort is long gone, but the rivers of Fort Wayne have played other roles in the history of this city which combines tradition with a charming urban flair.

First time visitors to Fort Wayne may be surprised by the multitude of offerings. The downtown, with its many renovated 19th and early 20th century buildings, makes an appealing backdrop to the numerous cultural and recreational activities.

Flowers your thing? Check out the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in the downtown where showcase gardens change six times a year to coincide with the changing seasons. The restored Embassy Theatre next door, on the National Registry of Historic Places, is home to the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and also hosts Broadway shows that draw such stars as Martin Short, Styx and Heather Headley, who is from Fort Wayne.