Introduction to Evansville, Indiana
Located along the banks of the Ohio River in the southwestern corner of Indiana is the city of Evansville. As the regional hub for the Tri-State (Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois) area, Evansville is home to the University of Southern Indiana and also to the University of Evansville. The city, which is also known as the "River City," serves as the county seat of Vanderburgh County.
Evansville houses a regional airport and is close to several major thoroughfares, including Interstates I-64 and I-164; U.S. Routes 41 and 60; and Indiana State Highways 57, 62, and 66. The city benefits from a very broad and diverse economic base, whose principal industries include manufacturing, healthcare, retailing, and business/finance services.
Initially settled in 1812 by Hugh McGary, Jr., Evansville was laid out in 1817 with the assistance of General Robert M. Evans, a local attorney and territorial legislator for whom the community was ultimately named. In 1847 Evansville became incorporated as a city, and shortly thereafter its first railroad, the Evansville & Crawfordsville Railroad, was established. By the middle of the 20th century, Evansville evolved as a major industrial center and by the latter part of the century, had transformed itself into a regional commercial and medical hub. The city's economy received a major boost in 1995 with the opening of Casino Aztar, the first riverboat casino in the state of Indiana. The associated entertainment facility includes a 250-room hotel, shops, restaurants, and a nearby entertainment district.
Evansville Attractions
Evansville is home to a number of significant cultural, historic, and artistic sites. The Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science houses a large permanent art collection with paintings, sculptures, and exhibits which span the decades from the 16th century to the present day. The Angel Mounds State Historic Site comprises one of the best preserved prehistoric Native American sites in the country. The Evansville African American Museum, one of the city's newest attractions, chronicles the struggles and celebrates the successes of the city's African American community throughout the past 70 years. The Reitz Home Museum, Evansville's only Victorian House Museum, is recognized as one of the nation's finest examples of Second French Empire architecture. Performing arts have a home in the city's Victory Theatre, residence of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. Located on Evansville's downtown cobblestone walkway, the Victory Theatre hosts a wide variety of concerts, plays, and Broadway shows. Evansville's Mesker Park Zoo features hundreds of animals roaming freely in natural habitats surrounded by trees and exotic plants. The zoo, which opened in 1928, is housed on a spacious 50-acre park.
Evansville is home to two professional sports teams: the Evansville Otters and the Evansville BlueCats. The Otters are an independent minor league baseball team which plays in the Frontier League. The team plays its home games at one of the city's landmarks, historic Bosse Field. Built in 1915, the stadium was the first municipally owned sports facility in the United States. It was the site of the filming of the 1992 movie, "A League of Their Own." The BlueCats are a pro football team belonging to the United Indoor Football Association (UIF). The BlueCats play at Evansville's Roberts Stadium, which is also the home court for the University of Evansville men's and women's basketball teams.