Oakland Park Fort Wayne, IN

Where the St. Joesph, St Mary’s and Maumee rivers meet was the original home of the Miami tribe Kekiong, which means “blackberry bush.” In the 1680’s, French trappers and fur traders began to explore the region, and they established a post nearby. Fort Miami was eventually built on the site, but after the French and Indian War, the territory was ceded to the English. Soon, many Native American nations rose up against British rule and retook the fort as part of Pontiac’s Rebellion. They maintained control for 30 more years. Today, Fort Wayne has become the county seat and cultural hub of northeastern Indiana with 15 museums and art galleries, the philharmonic orchestra, a botanical conservatory, a zoo and Indiana University. The annual week-long Three Rivers Festival is held every June with over 80 events including the International Village, concerts and fireworks. Other annual events include the Festival of Trees and the Greek Festival.

Made of only a few square blocks, you must venture to nearby districts for dining and nightlife. Many nightclubs in downtown Fort Wayne and some restaurants may be accessed a short distance away. The recently remodeled Taqueria Flores serves authentic Mexican food. The restaurant has become known for its huge burritos and rich, spicy salsa. Sunday's special, named Carnitas night, has become popular, and menudo, Pozole and calda de Rez are weekend specials. Penguin Point has been serving the area for over 40 years. Known for The Big Wally, a unique hamburger with the restaurant's own special sauce, the menu also has a Jalapeño Swiss burger and a Western burger on demand. Another specialty, the $6 pork tenderloin sandwich sprinkled with coleslaw and accompanied with crinkle fries and a drink, has also become a popular dish. The Friendly Fox, with its warm atmosphere in a converted, vintage drug store, may be best known as a small neighborhood restaurant and coffee shop located a few blocks northwest of Oakland Park. The restaurant's menu features appetizers, salads and a wide variety of sandwiches using only local ingredients for fresh, made-to-order menu items. For appetizers, try the butternut squash flatbread or the Korean barbecue lettuce wrap followed by either a beef brisket panini with gorgonzola or a vegetable grilled cheese panini stuffed with portabella mushrooms, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers and Muenster cheese. The Fox has an outdoor seating area for warm, Midwestern summer evening dining.

Supplied by the Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation (Citilink), bus service runs to the various neighborhoods. Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) serves as the primary airport with five airlines providing direct service to 13 locations. Greyhound Lines, which has routes to Indianapolis, Toledo and Detroit and Lakefront Lines, which has service to Chicago, Columbus and Akron, both serve the Fort Wayne area. Amtrak service can only be accessed from Waterloo, Indiana, 25 miles north of Fort Wayne at the Capital Limited and Lake Shore Limited stop. Interstate 69 and auxiliary beltway Interstate 469 runs south to Indianapolis and north to Port Huron, Michigan. Biking has become popular throughout Oakland Park and the adjoining neighborhoods where it's safe due to the low traffic levels. 80 miles of multi-use trails run throughout the metropolitan area, but no bike lanes have been created in downtown Fort Wayne. Taxis and Uber service the area, but they must be called for pick-up.

There are many city parks throughout Fort Wayne. Victoria Park stands the closest to the neighborhood. The nearest large park may be the 172 acre Kreager Park, complete with softball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, an open-air pavilion and plenty of open space. Since 1908, the 24-acre Lakeside Park by the St. Joesph River has been open. It has basketball and tennis courts, fishing, a playground, a walking path and a rose garden. The only dog park in the area, the Pawster Park Pooch Playground at Foster Park West, has separate small and large dog areas. Fees for the park cost $25 annually for residents and $40 for non-residents. The Pooch Pass must be worn on the dog’s collar.

The cost of living in the Oakland Park neighborhood of Fort Wayne stands at 8 percent less than the Indiana average with the median rental one-bedroom listing for $546 per month. The price of gas costs around 5 percent less than the national average.. A hand crafted beer range from $4.50 to $7. A bus ride on Fort Wayne’s Citilink is $1.25, $0.60 for senior citizens over 60.

Since Oak Park has mainly residences, you must travel a few blocks to reach any shopping areas. The Southgate Plaza is the nearest mall satisfying grocery, gas, bank, liquor and shopping needs. Parking has been made readily available. For more upscale shopping, the Jefferson Pointe Mall has shops such as American Eagle Outfitters, Barnes and Noble, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Old Navy, and LOFT. Food outlets include Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano, Cold Stone Creamery, and Panera. The 18-screen Carmike Cinema can be accessed inside the mall. The major grocery stores are Kroger, Meijer and Walmart. George's International Grocery, featuring unusual and hard to get items like blood sausage, cod roe, chicken feet, several types of olives and spices from around the world, also has a shop in the area. On weekends, George's sells carnitas by the pound and always has hot chicarones available. The closest farmer's market and also Fort Wayne's oldest opens every Saturday from Easter through Mid-December. The Southside Farmer's Market has existed since the 1920's. Besides fresh produce, hormone-free meat, baked goods, herbs, local honey, fresh eggs and cider, plants, antiques, books, jewelry and a flea market also run at the location.