THE BEGINNINGS OF WALDEN SUBDIVISION…
In 1835, Jesse Tryon of Oneida County, New York, originally purchased the land we now call Walden. The purchase was made under an Act of Congress passed in 1820. This was a time in Allen County history when the canals would not be completed for another seven years and Johnny Appleseed was still traveling the area.
After several more owners and division of the original 320 acres, the land was sold to George and Eliza Hartman of Allen County, Indiana in 1854. They were the first “local” owners. Over the next 90 years the land was divided into smaller parcels and sold many times, all the while remaining farmland “out in the country”.
In 1946, Gregory and Anastasia Maciejko purchased approximately 200 acres of the land. Gregory died in 1961 and Mrs. Maciejko and her son, Martin, continued to farm the land.
The developer, now known as North Eastern Enterprises, conceived the idea for our community in 1971. They purchased a portion of the land from Mrs. Maciejko in 1971, more in 1972 and made the final purchase in 1974. Mrs. Maciejko would not release the deed until the developer promised to name a street after her son. We know it as Marty’s Hill Place. In June 1987 North Eastern Enterprises began construction of the Manors of Walden thus completing the Community of Walden.
In the 1970s when Walden was being planned and built, one of the advertising slogans was “…for the children”. Walden, with its wide streets, large yards and 8 ½ acres of parks, was to be a place where children could (with a measure of security) ride bikes, roller blade, play basketball; in short, play and enjoy childhood in an area of partial retreat from urban life.
When Walden was conceived, an area was set aside for Walden Elementary School. In the 1980s it was decided that the school was no longer needed for the community, and the property was sold to the developer who built homes in the area which is now the Manors of Walden. Thus, Walden was finally completed.
The name “Walden” was chosen because several of the initial builders were planning colonial homes and an early American theme. Several street names were taken directly from the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau and, of course, Thoreau Avenue was named after the author. Before deciding on Walden Pond as a location for his experiment in simple living, Thoreau almost bought a farm—the Hallowell Place—which is situated on the Sudbury River. The Merrimack River is in the same area and Thoreau sailed there several times. Brister’s Spring was in an area down the road from Walden Woods where an ex-slave named Brister Freeman lived and where Mr. Thoreau said it was a “…privilege to drink long and healthy draughts”. Fitchburg and Weston are towns near Concord. The Boston and Fitchburg Railroad ran near Walden Pond. Thoreau also mentioned Winslow, who was a former governor of the Plymouth colony and, of course, there is a whole chapter in Walden entitled “Solitude”. Vance Avenue, having nothing to do with Henry David Thoreau, was named for Captain Samuel Vance, a “receiver of public monies” in the earliest years of our city.
The Community of Walden was annexed into the “All America City”, Fort Wayne, in March of 1996.