ROOTED HERE
The history of Evansville
Evansville’s Ohio River setting frames its downtown and riverfront. Main Street, museums and neighborhood businesses offer places to explore beyond the central streets.
People who shaped Evansville
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Historic Churches of Evansville
WNIN explores the history and architecture of historic places of worship in Evansville.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1812
A landing on the Ohio River
Hugh McGary Jr. bought a two-hundred-acre tract and built a cabin near today's Main Street. The riverside site became the starting point of the later settlement.
Evansville Police Department historical account ↗ - 1817–1818
Evansville and its county seat
McGary worked with Robert M. Evans and James W. Jones to expand the town. The Evansville name honored Evans, and the community became the seat of newly formed Vanderburgh County in 1818.
Evansville Police Department historical account ↗ - 1847
City government
Evansville incorporated as a city in 1847. A city marshal took responsibility for local law enforcement as civic institutions developed beyond the earlier village structure.
Evansville Police Department historical account ↗ - 1857
Lamasco joins Evansville
The city annexed neighboring Lamasco. Its street grid followed compass directions while Evansville's followed the river, leaving a visible difference in the joined communities' street patterns.
Evansville Police Department historical account ↗ - 1863
A police department begins
Two men were employed to check downtown buildings at night. This small force became the beginning of the Evansville Police Department, which expanded after the Civil War.
Evansville Police Department historical account ↗ - 2005
A floating piece of history comes home
USS LST 325 arrived at its new Evansville homeport on October 3, 2005. The restored landing ship and its volunteer preservation effort connect the Ohio River waterfront with the city’s wartime heritage.
USS LST Ship Memorial ↗ - 2022
Recognizing the wartime home front
Evansville was designated an American World War II Heritage City in 2022. A local museum partnership now interprets that home-front history through linked walking and driving tours.
USS LST Ship Memorial heritage project ↗
See the history for yourself.
Check current opening hours and visitor information before you go: Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science.
For local services and public information, the local government website is a starting point. For historical research, consult local libraries, archives and museums and check collection-specific image permissions.
Selected milestones from the linked historical sources. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.