Sierah Barnhart

Scattered across Fort Wayne, there are 57 playgrounds and 48.75 miles of trails maintained by Fort Wayne Parks and Recreations. The parks vary greatly in size and amenities. Some offer playgrounds or splash pads, while others have tennis courts, pickleball courts, soccer fields, or basketball courts. Some have large grassy areas with tall trees or benches, while others have gardens, carefully designed by the Parks and Recreation gardeners.

For the past 90 years, there has been a cluster of unassuming greenhouses nestled between Lawton Park and Science Central. But unless you’ve worked or volunteered there, you likely haven't seen inside. There is a cluster of unassuming greenhouses nestled between Lawton Park and Science Central. This facility helps over-winter large tropical plants from the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.

Chess has been rising in popularity as a "hip" pandemic pastime since The Queen's Gambit hit Netflix in 2020. But you might not realize Fort Wayne has a thriving chess subculture of its own that's "much bigger than you would expect," says participant Nathan Miller. While Miller describes himself as "a terrible chess player," he got into the game casually about three years ago after learning about a local group started by Brian Walker called TakeaStan ChessClub.