FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Architecture & Community Heritage (ARCH) Inc., the Fort Wayne area’s historic preservation organization, announced that tickets are now on sale for July’s walking tours.
The tour schedule will visit downtown and six different neighborhoods through the summer and includes both historic and architecture tours and haunted tours, ARCH said. New bicycle tours are also planned once a month.
In addition to ARCH’s popular, free Three Rivers Festival event, Dearly Departed which is held from 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. on July 12 at Lindenwood Cemetery, two additional Lindenwood walking tours (each with different content) are scheduled this summer, for which admission will be charged.
Tickets purchased online in advance cost $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. Tickets purchased the day of the tour can only be purchased at the tour meeting spot and will cost $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger, cash and correct change only. Visit the ARCH’s website for more information and to purchase tickets.
Masks are recommended for unvaccinated tour guests and optional for anyone who is more comfortable wearing one, ARCH said.
July’s walking tour schedule:
- July 1: History of Downtown. New tour for 2021! Learn to see the city’s origins from the sidewalks of today’s downtown. Meet on the One Summit Square plaza at Calhoun and Wayne streets. 7 p.m. Admission charged.
- July 8: Built Heritage of West Central. New tour for 2021! Dive deep into the styles and stories of Fort Wayne’s signature historic district. Meet on the Wayne Street side of Library Plaza. 7 p.m. Admission charged.
- July 10: Jazz Age. This tour debuted in 2020, so if you missed it then, now’s your chance! Skyscrapers, movie palaces and speakeasies lined these streets back when jazz was all the rage. Meet outside the Grand Wayne Center on Jefferson Boulevard. 10 a.m. Admission charged.
- July 10: Bicycle tour of Main Street/Nebraska. New tour for 2021! Stories of what happened inside the walls, giants of industry and flood memories add a lot to think about to this easy bike ride through history. Riders are required to wear a helmet and are asked to bring water to stay hydrated during the ride. You will ride at your own risk. Meet in the parking lot of Swinney Park West. 10 a.m. Admission charged.
- July 15: Murder, Mystery & Mayhem. (Three Rivers Festival event) Thrill to tales of spooks, the macabre and gruesome crime while you visit the places where it all happened. One of our most popular tours. Meet at the Anthony Wayne statue in Freimann Square. Admission charged.
- July 22: A Stroll along West Rudisill. New tour for 2021! Explore the architectural heritage of this iconic boulevard, honored and protected as part of the National Register of Historic Places. Meet in the First Missionary Church parking lot, 701 W. Rudisill Blvd. 7 p.m. Admission charged.
- July 24: Welcome to Williams Woodland. New tour for 2021! Tree-lined streets showcase more than a century of pride in these historic homes. Learn their stories on this tour. Meet at the corner of Webster and Taber streets. 10 a.m. Admission charged.
- July 29: Haunted Wells Street. New tour for 2021! Much mystery, more than a touch of tragedy and plenty of thrilling stories are packed into the few blocks of this pleasant commercial street. Meet at the corner of Wells and Fourth Streets. 7 p.m. Admission charged.
ARCH said tours will be cancelled if storms with thunder and lightning or dangerous winds are occurring. Otherwise, guests are asked to dress for the weather and bring an umbrella, if necessary.
For more information, go to the Events/Tours page of ARCH’s website or call the ARCH office at 260-426-5117.
