Construction of the building started in 1888. Interestingly, it was built on the turn around basin of the Wabash and Erie Canal, which connected Lake Erie to the Ohio River here in Evansville. The canal finally reached Evansville in 1853. The canal only operated until 1865, however, as it could not compete with&nbsp;railroads, which were faster and more efficient.&nbsp; Once the courthouse was built, it became an important focal point for the city. It was a campaign stop for candidates seeking state and national office, including Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and other Presidential candidates. No major court trials occurred here. In 1969, the county government vacated the courthouse and moved to another building. There were plans to demolish it but the cost of doing so was too high. As a result, the county leased the old courthouse to an organization called the&nbsp;Conrad Baker Foundation, which worked to restore and open it for public use. The foundation, which changed its name in 1990 to the&nbsp;Old Courthouse Preservation Society,&nbsp;operated it until 2000. The county assumed ownership once again under the&nbsp;Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners. Another organization, the&nbsp;Old Courthouse Foundation, and the county jointly manage and work to&nbsp;restore and preserve the building.&nbsp;

Built in 1891, the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse is one one of Evansville's most prominent landmarks.

The tower has two levels and features four clocks and a large bell. 

Website

This large, stately building is the historic Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse. Completed in 1891, it operated as the seat of county government until 1969. Louisville architect Henry W. Wolters designed the building, which occupies a whole city block, in the Beaux-Arts style. Considered a fine example of this style, the exterior features numerous columns, sculptures and carvings, and the interior is just as elaborate, featuring marble walls and floors and ornate ironwork. The most prominent feature of the courthouse is the tower, which reaches a height of 216 feet and houses an enormous 4,200-pound bell. As one of the city's most important landmarks, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Today, the building serves as an event venue and houses the offices of the County Engineer and Veteran Service. A few private businesses lease office space as well. 

Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse

This short walk takes visitors and residents to several of the leading monuments, museums, and historic buildings in the heart of Evansville. Highlights of the tour include the Evansville Museum, Four Freedoms Monument, the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse, the Willard Carpenter House, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and the Reitz Home Museum. Be sure to also visit the Evansville African American Museum on the east side of town and historic Willard Library just north of this tour.

Like many museums, the impetus for creating a museum in Evansville began with women's organizations that hoped to provide a way for residents to learn about history and art. The organization sponsored exhibits starting in 1900 and also sponsored touring exhibitions of artifacts and art.&nbsp;Residents worked to create a small museum within the Barnes-Armstrong Mansion in Sunset Park that opened in 1906 under the leadership of the Women’s Federated Clubs of Evansville. That museum closed in 1910 owing when the city decided to condemn the historic mansion as unsafe.&nbsp;Another museum opened in 1928 in the former YWCA building. After World War II, a campaign to create the current museum led to the opening of the current museum which has expanded significantly since its opening in the 1950s.&nbsp;

This general history, science, and art museum was constructed in the 1950s and has grown to include a collection of over 50,000 artifacts. The current museum was dramatically expanded in 2014, but the organization dates back to efforts to create exhibits and museums in the late 19th and early 20th century. Highlights of the museum include permanent exhibits drawn from the museum's collection that interpret the history of the city, works by area artists. The museum is also home to a vast collection related to transportation that includes a three-car train and a model train that travels through a scale recreation of the city of Evansville. The museum is also home to the Koch Immersive Theater which offers programs related to astronomy and other sciences. 

Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science

The Four Freedoms Monument has been standing prominently on Evansville's riverfront since it was built in 1976. It commemorates the country's four freedoms: freedom of speech, religion, want, and fear. It consists of four 24-foot-tall limestone columns surrounded by 50 pedestals that represent each state and 13 concentric steps representing the original 13 colonies. The Ionic columns represent the four freedoms. Designed by Evansville architect Rupert Condict, the monument was erected to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. It also has ties to Evansville as the columns were once part of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad depot, which was torn down in 1961. 

Four Freedoms Monument

Remarkably, thanks to the rescue efforts of 4,000 Works Progress Administration workers, no one in Indiana died during the 1937 flood. However, over 100,000 people lost their homes. The Red Cross spent $11 billion in today's money to help Evansville residents. In order to prevent and manage future floods, the state created the Indiana State Flood Commission, which established the&nbsp;Evansville-Vanderburgh Levee Authority District. The District designed and built the levee system.

This historical marker describes the levee system that protects Evansville and Vanderburgh County from floods. The marker is located on the Riverside Plaza and is just north of the Four Freedoms Monument. The levee system consists of 17 miles of earth and concrete flood walls, 19 pumping stations, and gated structures that protect water from flowing into city pipes and roadways. It was built in response to a disastrous flood in January and February 1937, which extended from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cairo, Illinois. In Evansville, the water rose up to 57 feet. The levee system was built in 1944. 

Historical Marker: Ohio River Levee

In 1839, after immigrating to America, John Reitz married&nbsp;Miss Gertrude Frisse, a fellow immigrant from Prussia. The couple had ten children, two of whom joined their father in the sawmill industry. When Reitz's home was completed in 1871, two daughters, Julia and Mary,&nbsp;had already married and were living with their husbands in their households. The eight remaining children,&nbsp;Francis Joseph, Christine, Josephine, John Jr., Wilhelmine, Mathilda, Louise, and Edward, all moved into the new home with their mother and father. Ten years later, John Jr. married and moved into his own home. None of the remaining seven children ever married or moved out of the house. John Reitz died in 1891, and his wife died in 1893. Following their deaths, Francis Joseph and his maiden sisters took over decorating the house, filling it with late period Victorian furnishings and bringing to the house electricity and indoor plumbing. Much of the decorating and furnishing from this era is preserved today, maintaining the appearance of the family's life at the turn of the century.

Born on December 17, 1815 in Dorlar Prussia, John Augustus Reitz immigrated to the United States in 1830s to find better business opportunities. Originally interested in starting a ceramics business in Evansville, Reitz, like many others, quickly saw the potential of the sawmill industry and became a very successful "lumber baron." Reitz completed the beautiful home on 1st St. in 1871, and eight of his ten children lived in the home, along with his wife and him. Reitz's children had the house decorated in the late period Victorian furnishings, which today make the home a unique masterpiece to behold.

Reitz Home Museum

The congregation was founded in 1825 by a group of Evansville Methodists. They built their first church building, Locust Street Methodist Episcopal Church&nbsp;in 1839. By 1860, the congregation had grown enough to warrant a new, larger building. Unfortunately, the Civil War postponed the start of construction until early 1864. The church was finally finished two years later in March 1866. In the 1920s, a Tudor-style addition was constructed that contained classrooms, office space, a kitchen, and a gym.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Built in 1866 after two years of construction, Trinity United Methodist Church is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The building features two tall spires, stained glass windows, buttresses, among other architectural elements. It is a contributing property of the Historic Resources of Downtown Evansville, Indiana district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The church is modeled after St. Paul's M.E. Church in Newark, New Jersey. It is one of a handful of buildings in Evansville still owned by the original organization.

Trinity United Methodist Church

Located inside the historic former Central Library building, the Children's Museum of Evansville features hands-on exhibits promoting literacy, in 2006 but was initially founded in 1990 as a learning laboratory called Hands on Discovery. Notable highlights of the museum include a large duck, named Moe, in which kids can climb in, and an artmaker studio. The building itself was constructed in 1931 and the library operated here until 2004 when it moved to the current library building. The museum building was designed Art Deco style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.



Children's Museum of Evansville

Initially, it appears that the building housed the main offices of the Hercules Corporation, which McCurdy owned, and two hardware and automobile accessories companies.&nbsp;Hercules Corporation was comprised of a group of factories:&nbsp;The Hercules Body Manufacturing Company, The Hercules Gas Engine Company (this was located in the building), and the Indiana Color and Varnish Company. The Hercules brand continues today as the&nbsp;Hercules Manufacturing Company and is based in Henderson, Kentucky.&nbsp; McCurdy was friends of&nbsp;Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck, the founders of Sears, and produced engines under the Sears brand.&nbsp;Sears was unhappy with the contract with the Hercules Corporation and began negotiations to terminate it. During this process, McCurdy agreed to end the contract if Sears agreed to open a retail store in the building. Sears agreed and the store opened on October 5, 1925. The timing was right for this move. More and more people were living in cities around the country as advances in&nbsp;agricultural technology made farming less labor intensive. Factories were being built in cities as well, producing an increasing amount of consumer goods. Some within Sears feared that the store would take business away from the catalog department, which was very profitable. It took some time for the store to get going, as the company was learning how to best make it run efficiently. Eventually, the store became very successful and served as the basis by which other Sears stores would operate. As stated above, the building was expanded to provide more space.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the McCurdy Building is historically significant for being the location of the first Sears store in the country. The store, which opened in 1925, marked the company's transition into direct retail, which was independent of its catalog department. The building was constructed in 1920 by its namesake and owner William McCurdy (1853-1930), who at the time was the president of Old National Bank. The four-story building is actually comprised of three structures—separated by common walls—which were later constructed as additions. In terms of architecture, the building itself is significant as it was constructed with reinforced concrete, which was a relatively new development at the time. As of April 2019, it appears that the building is unused.



McCurdy Building

Located across the street from the old county courthouse, the Former Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Residence was built in 1891. Resembling a castle, its design emulates the Castle of Lichtenstein in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Its architecture exhibits a number of unique features including a round tower, step gables, turrets, crenelated roof lines, turrets, and portcullises. A tunnel that leads from the building to the courthouse was used to lead prisoners to and from court appearances. The building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now the home of a law firm. Apparently, visitors can see one jail cell that still exists. The sheriff and his family lived here until 1969 when a new jail was built.

Old Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Residence and Jail

The building was constructed as a tribute to the soldiers who fought in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. As such, the building was originally called the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today, a number of regular events take place here including Friday Night Bingo, ballroom dancing, roller derby, and concerts.

Veterans Memorial Coliseum in downtown Evansville has been serving as a multi-purpose event facility since it was built in 1917. At the time of its completion, it was one of the largest auditoriums in the Midwest and was the first modern building in the city erected for large gatherings and events. Architect firm Shopbell, Clifford & Co. designed the Coliseum in the Neoclassical style, with its main entrance featuring a large portico with Doric columns. 

Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Williard Carpenter was born in Vermont, he came to Evansville in 1837. Settling in Evansville, he quickly became of the most influential citizens. He was known as Evansville's "pioneer of public charity." He also acted as an agent to the Underground Railroad. The significance of the Willard Carpenter House for slavery was it one of the first stops slave came to who were crossing the Ohio River. There was a stone tunnel that led to the Carpenters house which was three blocks from the river. Runaway slaves would hide in the basement until they could be relayed to stations that were further north. Willard Carpenter was committed to was committed to the rights of African Americans. He was an aggressive leader in the Abolitionist movement. He contributed generously to his work. He aimed to improve the moral and intellectual culture of Evansville. In 1855 he completed the Willard Library. This library's purpose was that "be maintained for the free use of all persons who many desire to consult it." Willard Carpenter was known was the most well known philanthropists in Evansville. He is remembered for being outspoken and for his unwavering efforts to help to the rights of African Americans.

The Willard Carpenter House is located in Evansville, IN. The home was completed in 1849, and stands as a memorial to Willard Carpenter. The house is built out of brick and stone. It is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture. Carpenter was one of the most influential and aggressive pioneers. 

Willard Carpenter House

Albion Fellows Bacon was born on April 8, 1865 in Evansville.&nbsp;She and her older sisters grew up in McCutchanville, Indiana, their mother's hometown. Sadly, her father died shortly before she was born.&nbsp;One of her sisters, Annie Fellows Johnston&nbsp;(1863–1931), would become a well-known author of children's fiction.&nbsp;After graduating from high school, Bacon worked as a&nbsp;legal secretary and court reporter for a few years. During this time, she also&nbsp;toured Europe with Annie. In 188, she got married to Hilary Bacon and they had four children, all girls. In the coming years, Bacon contracted an illness, perhaps depression, which lasted a long time but was able to publish a poetry book—Songs Ysame—with Annie in 1897. Her social activism began around 1900 after she went to visit Evansville's tenement housing slums, which were located along the Ohio River at the time. Appalled by the poor living conditions she witnessed,&nbsp;Bacon found a new purpose in her life, coming to believe that substandard housing was the source of all social problems. As a result, she established a number of local organizations including the Men’s Circle of Friendly Visitors, the Flower Mission for poor working girls, a Working Girls’ Association, an Anti-Tuberculosis League, and the Monday Night Club. After failing to get tenement regulation included in the Evansville's building code, Bacon decided to take her&nbsp;efforts a step further in 1908 when drafted a model state housing law. She spent a year lobbying for it to the state legislature and, as stated in the overview, the legislature passed the housing legislation in 1909. Amendments to the law, however, reduced housing regulations in Evansville and Indianapolis. In response, she organized the Indiana Housing Association 1911, which lobbied the legislature to pass another bill in 1913. Bacon's efforts were also instrumental in&nbsp;getting the 1917 law passed, which authorized local officials to condemn unsafe or unsanitary housing.&nbsp; Bacon passed away on December 10, 1933 of heart failure. She is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.&nbsp;

Located outside the YMCA building, this historical marker commemorates the life and legacy of Evansville writer, social activist, and housing reformer, Albion Fellows Bacon (1865-1933). The daughter of a Methodist minister, Bacon became well known in Indiana and around the country for her commitment to improving the poor living conditions of tenement housing. She played a key role in the passage of housing reform legislation in Indiana in 1909, 1913, and 1917, and was appointed to the President's Conference on Home Building and Home Ownership in 1931. Bacon was also a member of other organizations such as the Indiana Child Welfare Association; the Women's Section of the Indiana State Council of Defense; the Indiana Conference of Charities and Corrections; and the Juvenile Advisory Commission of Indiana's Probation Department. She also a prolific writer of books, journals, and pamphlets, focusing most of her attention on housing reform. She also wrote poetry and children's stories. In 1907, she founded the precursor to the YMCA of Evansville—The Working Girls Association—which is why the marker is located here.

Historical Marker: Albion Fellows Bacon

The Old United States Post Office is arguably Evansville's most beautiful building. It was designed by Alfred B. Mullet in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and built in 1879. It features numerous interesting architectural elements including a frontal arcade, round arches, towers, and an oriel window (a bay window that doesn't reach the ground). The building's wings were added in 1918. The government occupied the old post office until the early 1970s. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, it has been restored and today serves primarily as an event venue but houses a few businesses as well. 

Historic Evansville Indiana Walking Tour

Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information