Our Building's History

Science Central occupies the old City, Light & Power, Power Plant, which is made up of three building sections.  The front section housed the office, dispatch operation and 13,800 volts switchgear for the generating system.  The east half behind the front section was the turbine hall and at one time housed four turbine generators.  West of the turbine hall is the tallest half (91') of the building with the five brightly colored stacks, which in times past contained up to five 60' tall boilers.

When approaching the front doors of Science Central, you pass by a building stone identifying the 1929 contractors for the first phase of construction of our building.  When entering the front doors, you pass the blue-painted turbine wheel from the #3 turbine and a bronze plaque identifying 1934 officials.  After continuing up the main staircase you can see the blue-painted #2 generator in our Grand Exhibit Hall.  In 1934, this 15 megawatt turbine generator produced power for the city of Fort Wayne until it was shut down on February 28, 1975. 

The #2 turbine produced about 20,000 horsepower to drive the 15,000,000 watt 13,800 volt generator.  The turbine was powered with 700 degree steam at 400 pounds per square inch from boilers located on the west side of the turbine room wall.  Three 931 hp boilers from 1933 produced enough steam to drive the #1 and #2 turbines which powered a 7,500,000 watt generator.  Initially the #1 turbine operated on the lower steam pressure of 200 pounds per square inch while it was powered by boilers in place before the 1929 expansion began and before the new high tech, state-of-the-art, fusion welded vertical boilers of the 1930's were installed.

There were many expansions of the power plant from its beginnings in 1908 and many local builders and contractors were employed in construction and upgrades.  Local contractors were also employed in stabilization, repair, equipment demolition and remodeling in this building to prepare it for use as Science Central, a science discovery center for northern Indiana and the surrounding states.

Partial Timeline of Events in the Life of the City Light & Power Plant

1908-1975 - City Light & Power operated in Fort Wayne

1929 - Beginnings of major power plant improvements that eventually replaced all previous additions and expansions of the original 1908 plant.

1969 - Last attempt to upgrade plant:  added gas/oil fired horizontal boiler to replace 1933 #3 boiler and gas/oil fired gas turbine generator at 4th street.

1975, February 28 - City Light & Power Plant last produced electricity

1975, March 1 - plant leased to I & M

1975-1991 - City Light & Power Plant vacant

1989 - Science Central sponsored "Dinosaur's Alive" at Ft. Wayne Children's Zoo to show what they had in store for the new science center.

1991 - the City of Fort Wayne transferred the Power Plant building to Science Central.

1991, November - I&M contracts with Martin to remove excess equipment as part of the terms of the power plant building lease to Science Central

1992, July 9 - Mayor Paul Helmke and I&M FW Division Manager, Ron Prater, present Power Plant key to Science Central

1992, July 11-19 - the Power Plant is opened for tours by Science Central as an attraction for the Three Rivers Festival

1993 - Additional stabilization work on Power Plant building by I&M

1995, May 4 - Science Central construction improvements start with painting of the stacks.

1995, November - Science Central opens doors as science discovery center