Sunday, July 12, 2009

Fort Wayne History

I was waylaid from working on the third Skunk-Guy installment by a fascinating project. I completed the script for a two act stage play based on the fantastic turtle hunt in Churubusco Indiana back in 1949. It was a story rich in local lore and humor, but more importantly it was a historic event.
As I move back to working on the Skunk-Guy books I appreciate all the more the historic elements woven into these stories. Even though the saga of Skunk-Guy takes place only thirty some years ago. A lot has happened since then. It is not the same world now that we lived in then. I even added special footnotes to the second novel explaining many of the differences from then and now.
The Fort Wayne Three Rivers Festival, which is going on right now, played a prominent part in the second book. The third book will follow suit. Fort Wayne land marks will find them selves a part of the plot such as the Wells Street truss bridge and the Historic Fort Wayne Fort that was just getting started back in the 70’s.
To the average 9 year old who reads the books the historic elements may not seem all that remarkable. But to those of us who grew up here it may rekindle some nostalgic recollections of of our home town. To anyone else in the world who has never heard of Fort Wayne, well, they may find that our neck of the woods is a pretty neat place to live.
I seriously doubt that there will be much of an influx in the populace here as a result of Skunk-Guy, but I love the place and I hope it shows.