Design
Can a Rap Video Make Fort Wayne Cool?
Haunted by negative top ten lists, the Indiana city tries to convince kids it's a place worth making a life in.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, a heartland city of 254,000, is haunted by top ten lists. It was named the dumbest city in America by Men’s Health in 2005, and has since experienced the dubious honor of being named one of the fattest cities in the country as well.
So it's no surprise that local leaders have spent the past few years trying to give the city's image a makeover. They’ve expanded its trails system, invested in math and science education, and marketed the city as among the country’s safest, most family-friendly places to live. Still, college graduates leave in droves.