A mural on Main Street |
River views, a charming Main Street, and a cat café selling 16 different types of macarons – there’s really no need to say any more...but I will.
Evansville is situated on the Ohio River in the southwest corner of Indiana, right next to Kentucky and Illinois. It only came
onto my radar last month when my kids told me it was less than a 4½ -hr drive
from Huntsville, and they were attending a concert at the arena there. I knew
absolutely nothing about this city, so I decided to go along. I had such a
great time exploring the city over three days, which was not nearly enough time
to experience all it has to offer. I didn’t even make it to the Dream Car
Museum! I’m definitely going back.
Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau on the riverwalk in a repurposed park pagoda |
Nowadays, it seems that just
about every city has a thriving/revived and walkable downtown, and Evansville
does not disappoint. In addition to gorgeous historic architecture, a
riverfront promenade, and prehistoric Native American mounds, Evansville has
attractions I would not expect to find in a city of this size (less than 120,000
people), including a 45-acre zoo, an 11,000-seat arena, an art museum with a very impressive permanent collection, and a new
(2017) land-based Tropicana casino.
Downtown is full of interesting architecture and monuments. The Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse was built in 1888 on the site of a basin in the filled-in Wabash and Erie Canal. A tunnel leads to the Old Vanderburgh County Jail across the street, which was modeled after Liechtenstein Castle.
Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse |
Old Vanderburgh County Jail |
Koch Family Children's Museum in the old Art Deco-style library building |
The old post office and customs house (now an event center) |
Main Street has plenty of restaurants in the historic buildings, including Arazu (Mediterranean food) |
River Kitty Cat Café on Main Street |
Kitties napping in the glass-enclosed kitty lounge |
Almond, Coffee Caramel, Creme Brulee, and White Chocolate macarons |
Fun on Main Street |
The Bru Burger Bar is located in this fabulous Streamline Moderne-style Greyhound bus station built in 1938.
The Evansville Museum of
Arts, History and Science is much larger than I expected and includes art
galleries, a hands-on children's science section, an immersive theater and
planetarium, an anthropology gallery, and an old Evansville city street recreation.
The history collection includes furniture made by Abraham Lincoln and objects
owned by his parents. The art collection includes American and European works from
the 16th century to the present. The museum is located right on the river, so there is a nice view from
the outdoor sculpture garden.
The Transportation Center is also on the campus of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science.
Angel Mounds State Historic
Site is also located on the Ohio River, about 10 miles east of downtown. Here
you can see the mound remains of a town built by people of the Mississippian
culture and occupied from 1100-1450 AD. The site includes a small museum and an
outdoor recreation of a section of the impressive wall that once surrounded the town. Inside the museum you can see how this type of wall was built.
I took a walk through the Tropicana Evansville Casino to see all the colorful lights. I tried to play a quarter machine but it didn't take quarters (cards only)! The casino complex includes several restaurants and hotels, along with an event space with floor-to-ceiling views of the river.
Imagine having your local library in a Victorian gothic building like this! The Willard Library was built with private funds in 1885 and is one of the oldest libraries in the midwest. The interior features lots of beautiful oak wood, and the children's section (in the basement) has modern stained glass windows. The library is supposed to be haunted by the Grey Lady. You can even watch for her on the Willard LibraryGhostCams.
I visited the Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden on a very rainy Monday morning, but the grounds were still beautiful. It was founded in 1928 and has a few artifacts on display from its early days. However, it is a thoroughly modern zoo with large enclosures surrounding a central lake. Animal exhibits are grouped by region, including an indoor Amazonia rainforest. My favorite animal was the prehensile-tailed porcupine, native to South America. The zoo also has a carousel, pedal boat rides, a tram, and beautiful views of the lake area.
Here are some more pictures of the architectural (including Mid-Century Modern) and art sights around downtown.
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