Joshua Schipper

Crossroads of History Joshua Schipper

Every day we drive our cars through time. One minute we are traveling through the 18th century, then we veer into the era of the Civil War before merging into Prohibition. What if George Washington met John Calhoun? Or if Chief Pontiac had met the inventor of the gasoline pump? They meet on the map of the Summit City. Through simple asphalt and concrete, these figures converge in intercenturial intersections that we drive through to work each day. Not only does the map remember prominent Americans, but it also remembers a simple farmer who loved his three daughters. Join us as we embark on a journey through time to find out why the roads in Downtown Fort Wayne slant 15 degrees, why so many road names change as you drive to work, and why Arron's Oriental Rug company sells rugs on a non-existent street!