Along the Heritage Trail

Tom Castaldi

Allen County Historian Tom Castaldi, a retired Essex vice president, hosts "On the Heritage Trail," which is broadcast at 6:35 a.m. and 8:35 a.m. Mondays on WBOI, 89.1 FM, and "Historia Nostra" heard on WLYV-1450 AM.

Blue Cast Springs eternal

Former site of sanitarium retains natural beauty

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi tells the story of Blue Cast Springs, which is in the news now as ACRES Land Trust’s newest preserve.

Along the Heritage Trail

Pioneer industrialist

Comparet was one of the first county commissioners

By Tom Castaldi

In Francis Comparet’s story, Historian Tom Castaldi illustrates Fort Wayne’s transformation from wilderness trading post to emerging city.

Along the Heritage Trail

Breaking new ground

Canal led the way west

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi explains what George Washington has to do with the beginnings of the Wabash-Erie Canal.

Along the Heritage Trail

Electrifying Christmas

in downtown Fort Wayne

By Tom Castaldi

We see a bright and wonderful past through the eyes of Historian Tom Castaldi as he tells the story of electrifying Fort Wayne’s Christmas.

Along the Heritage Trail

Methodists brought education to town

College later became Taylor University

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi walks us back to the early days of Methodism in Fort Wayne and tells the story of the denomination’s growth.

Along the Heritage Trail

The well-traveled soldier

But Henry W. Lawton always called Fort Wayne home

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi celebrates the memory of soldier extraordinaire Henry Lawton.

Along the Heritage Trail

Siege of 1812

Drunken commander almost lost the fort

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi remembers the darkest days of the War of 1812 in the besieged Fort Wayne.

Along the Heritage Trail

A different Civil War story

Quantrill went from teacher to outlaw

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi has an unusual story from the Civil War.

Along the Heritage Trail

A warrior’s tale

Wells led rescue from Fort Dearborn

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi tells a warrior’s tale about William Wells.

Along the Heritage Trail

All about ‘Aboite’

The battle, or fish story, behind the name

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi takes on the controversy surrounding the story of LaBalme and how Aboite got its name.

Along the Heritage Trail

Who was John Allen?

And why does our county bear his name

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi wants to be sure we all know about the real person behind Allen County’s name.

Along the Heritage Trail

Picture perfect

Photographer Charles Miner known for attention to detail

By Tom Castaldi

Photographer Charles W. Miner inspires Historian Tom Castaldi with his now-invaluable photographs of Fort Wayne.

Along the Heritage Trail

Villain in the making

Hamilton encouraged Indian attacks

By Tom Castaldi

Historian Tom Castaldi tells why Henry Hamilton was reviled as The Hair Buyer.

Along the Heritage Trail

Curling back

Fort Wayne rejoins a favorite sport

By Tom Castaldi

At the beginning of the new year of 1887, on Jan. 3, members of the Fort Wayne Curling Club gathered on the ice-crusted lake at the estate where businessman John H. Bass had his beautiful “Brookside” home to compete for a “point medal.” Contestants that day included James K. Mann, Thomas Kavanaugh, John Kidd, Fred A. Hull, R. Craik, W. Miller and James Gillie.