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PHOTO GALLERY: Baker Street Station throughout the years

Take a step into history and dream about the future as the Baker Street Station celebrates 100 years

Downtown Fort Wayne landmark was nearly demolished

This postcard image shows people in the waiting room of the Baker Street Station in downtown Fort Wayne, which initially was known as the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. (Courtesy photo from Victor Martin)
President Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower, second from left, made an election campaign stop on Sept. 15, 1952, at the Baker Street Station in downtown Fort Wayne. At left is the late E. Ross Adair, then a Republican U.S. representative from Fort Wayne. Eisenhower is one of many famous people who stopped at the station. (Courtesy photo from Victor Martin)
President Harry Truman and the Presidential Special pulled into the Pennsylvania Railroad Station on the afternoon of June 4, 1948. The president was greeted by former U.S. Sen. Samuel D. Jackson, who introduced the president to a small group of guests before Truman addressed a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 people at the station. .Here the president spoke with railroad employees H.L. Morrision, left, of Beaver Avenue, and Frank E. Buchanan of Faye Drive. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
President Harry Truman and the Presidential Special pulled into the Pennsylvania Railroad Station on the afternoon of June 4, 1948. The president was greeted by former U.S. Sen. Samuel D. Jackson, who introduced the president to a small group of guests before Truman addressed a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 people at the station. .In his speech, the president spoke about the need for a European recovery program, a temporary draft for the armed service, and of universal military training. (Photo by The
On a weekend campaign trip by train from Philadelphia to Chicago, where he was scheduled to speak at Soldier Field, President Franklin Roosevelt made a brief stop Oct. 28, 1944, at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Fort Wayne. .On the platform with the president were several of Indiana's Democratic Party leaders, including Gov. Henry F. Schricker; Fred Bays, state chairman; Frank McHale, national committeeman; Joseph Suelzer, district chairman; and former governor M. Clifford Townsend. (Phot
On a weekend campaign trip by train from Philadelphia to Chicago, where he was scheduled to speak at Soldier Field, President Franklin Roosevelt made a brief stop Oct. 28, 1944, at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Fort Wayne. .Thousands assembled north of the Harrison Street elevation to hear the president, who told the crowd he would like to be elected or defeated by a "big vote." (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Fort Wayne Pennsylvania Railroad Station became a dance hall for three hours April 18, 1951, when the Pennsy Foremen's Club waved its magic wand. .After the 8:51 train pulled out for New York, the shop foremen pushed the benches aside, and soon the hall was filled with the sounds of dancing feet, the music of a fiddle, drum and piano, and the voice of the square dance caller. .Like Cinderella's coach, the station was turned back into a quiet, dignified "pumpkin" at midnight. (Photo by The Ne
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, arrived on their special train for a campaign stop in Fort Wayne on Sept. 15, 1952. Their visit was part of a whistle-stop swing of 12 Midwestern states. Rep. E. Ross Adair introduced the Republican candidate for president, who spoke to a crowd of 5,000 at Pennsylvania Railroad Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
In this undated photo, ivy is shown growing along the brick walls of the Baker Street Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Taken March 20, 1991, the Baker Street Station is shown boarded up after Amtrack closed the station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Baker Street Station stand empty on Nov. 28, 1984. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
On Nov. 26m 1986, scaffolding inside the Baker Street Station awaits restoration experts. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
On Dec. 28, 1989, passengers wait for the train from Chicago at Baker Street Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Baker Street Station stand empty on Aug. 15, 1989. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Baker Street Station facade pictured on March 5, 1986. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Baker Street Station facade pictured on Dec. 13, 1982. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Christmas decorations still hang on two lamp poles outside the Baker Street Station on March, 11, 1987. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Cars drive by the Baker Street Station on June 29, 1979. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Baker Street Station stand empty on June, 29, 1979. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The hallway leading to the next train at the Baker Street Station stand empty awaiting passengers on Nov. 28, 1984. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Craig Leonard works to repair walls in the Baker Street Station on Nov. 25, 1986. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The photo taken on Nov. 28, 1984 shows the deterioration inside the Baker Street Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The photo taken on Nov. 25, 1986 shows the deterioration inside the Baker Street Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
The Pennsylvania Railroad tracks on the north side of the Baker Street Station looking east shows the tracks, pipes, cars and signals on Oct. 19, 1943. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
The Pennsylvania Railroad tracks outside Baker Street Station looking east shows the tracks, pipes, cars and signals on Oct. 19, 1943. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
In this undated photo, the Baker Street Station is shown by ariel view as well as the surrounding Fort Wayne neighborhoods. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
On Nov. 23, 1956, the Wolf & Dessauer Department Store hosts Santa at the Baker Street Station. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
Guest of Wolf & Dessauer Department Store's Santa Claus meet and greet wait at the Baker Street Station on Nov. 23, 1956. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
Guest of Wolf & Dessauer Department Store's Santa Claus meet and greet wait in a train car at the Baker Street Station on Nov. 23, 1956. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
Albert Einstein sits inside a train car parked outside the Baker Street Station on March 4, 1931. Einstein stopped in Fort Wayne, but did not leave the train car. He was on a tour a United State tour en route to New York on the Manhattan Limited. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Library)
Trainmen picket the Baker Street Station on Dec. 10, 1970 during a strike. (Photo courtesy of The Allen County Public Library)
Jeff Halter of Elkhart, an employee of Conrail’s Bridge and Buildings Dept., boards up the windows of the Baker Street Station on Nov. 14, 1990. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Taken Nov. 11, 1990, passengers and train buffs wait for the last train from the Baker St. Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Passengers wait for a train on Nov. 11, 1991, the last day of service at the Baker Street Station. (Photo by The News-Sentinel)
Walter “Skip” Sassmannshausen holds a photo submitted by a local resident that shows a thousand people gathering at the Baker Street Station, formally known as the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. (Photo by Jaclyn Goldsborough of The News-Sentinel)
To celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Baker Street Station, Walter “Skip” Sassmannshausen is compiling memories and photos for a book on the station. This is a photo of the possible cover of the book. (Photo by Jaclyn Goldsborough of The News-Sentinel)
In this undated photo gathered by Walter “Skip” Sassmannshausen from a local resident shows a train hurling down the tracks toward the Baker Street Station. (Photo by Jaclyn Goldsborough of The News-Sentinel)
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