A visit to Evansville might begin at the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse, a fine example of Beaux-Arts architecture. Completed in 1891, the courthouse exterior features statuary groups, bas-relief limestone carvings, and a giant clock housed in a bell tower; interior touches include marble floors, wainscoting, oak woodwork, brass handrails, and silverplated hardware. Another building of historic interest is the John Augustus Reitz house and museum, a 17-room French Second Empire style home built in 1871. It gives visitors an intimate look into how one of Indiana's wealthiest families lived. Also in downtown Evansville, the Old Post Office and Customs House, built in 1869, is a classic example of the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style, featuring round arches over window and door openings and extensive use of stone masonry and towers.
Locals can test their luck at Casino Aztar, the state's first gaming riverboat. Named the City of Evansville, the riverboat is a 310-foot-long replica of the racing side wheel steamboat Robert E. Lee, and can accommodate 2,700 passengers. It offers three levels of casino action, including 1,250 slot machines and more than 70 gaming tables, including blackjack, craps, roulette, Caribbean stud, and a big six wheel. The boat is also home to five restaurants and two sports lounges. Adjacent to the boat is the Aztar hotel, with 250 guest rooms, suites, and meeting and convention facilities.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site, one of the best preserved prehistoric Native American towns in the eastern United States, dates from a period as early as 1200 A.D. when the Mississippians—as the inhabitants have been named by archaeologists—lived on the Ohio River. The site features reconstructed houses, a temple, and partial reconstruction of the original stockade wall that surrounded the settlement. An interpretive center has videos and exhibits on Indian culture and excavation at the site. Angel Mounds also features a burial mound, one of the largest prehistoric structures in the eastern United States.
New Harmony, west of Evansville, was founded by the Harmony Society in 1814 as a utopian religious community and sold in 1824 to Robert Owen, who attracted scholars, scientists, and educators to participate in communal living. The 30,000-acre community still has a population of 850 people, and visitors can take self-guided tours through the tree-lined streets of modest clapboard houses and quaint Victorian-style shops. The Atheneum, the visitors' center designed by architect Richard Meier in 1979, is the starting point in learning about the importance of New Harmony. Nearby, the Workingmen's Institute, established by William Maclure in 1838, stands today as Indiana's oldest continuously open public lending library. The town also houses two labyrinths. A traditional shrubbery maze, based on Harmonist design, was reconstructed by the Indiana Department of Conservation in the late 1930s. And the Cathedral Labyrinth is a recreation of the floor labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral located outside of Paris, France.
Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden, a 67-acre zoological park containing lakes, ponds, and wooded hills, houses more than 500 exotic and domestic animals from 200 species. Many animals are free to roam in open areas surrounded by moats. The zoo also features a petting zoo, the Children's Enchanted Forest, paddle boats, bumper boats, a tram, and the Discovery Center, which focuses on the world's vanishing rainforests and animals. The Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve is comprised of 200 acres of virgin hardwood forest within the city limits, offering a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and wildflower species. Many trees reach 100 feet tall, and some are estimated to be nearly 300 years old. A Nature Center offers hands-on educational exhibits, a wildlife observation area, gift shop, and special events throughout the year.
The Repertory People of Evansville, a local theater group, stages five productions per year, ranging from classical works to one-act shows. Established in 1925, the Evansville Civic Theatre specializes in musicals and comedy, and features local performers in all of its productions. Recent productions have included Come Blow Your Horn and Some Enchanted Evening. Among other local arts organizations are the Philharmonic Chorus, Symphonic Band, Master Chorale, Dance Theatre, and Children's Theatre. The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra is recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the Midwest. Its two programs per year feature world-renowned guest musicians and an active supporting guild. The orchestra recently moved into the restored and renovated Victory Theatre, a 1921 movie house reopened as a performing arts center.
The Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, located on the Ohio riverfront, offers more than 30 changing artwork exhibits dating from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. Its Main Street exhibit is a re-creation of a 1900 American community. The Koch Planetarium and Science Center, located within the museum, presents changing and permanent exhibits on science and technology; a steam locomotive, tavern car, and caboose are displayed on the grounds. The planetarium offers regular sky shows in its domed theater. At the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and State Park, visitors can see the Young Abe Lincoln Outdoor Drama, a living pioneer farm, and the grave of Lincoln's mother. The site is where Abraham Lincoln lived from age 7 to 21.
The Evansville Freedom Festival, lasting from mid-June to the Fourth of July, is Evansville's biggest celebration. It features a variety of activities for the family, including hydroplane racing, concerts, parades, carnival rides, food, and a fireworks display. Evansville's week-long Fall Festival, sponsored by the West Side Nut Club, is one of the largest street festivals in the country. It features free entertainment, carnival attractions, unique foods, selling booths, amateur talent competitions, and a parade. The annual Ohio River Arts Festival combines art appreciation, food, and family entertainment during the summer, and the First Night Celebration throughout downtown Evansville welcomes in the New Year alcohol-free.
One of the premier hydroplane races in the Midwest is Thunder on the Ohio, which attracts the fastest unlimited hydroplanes for the main event of Evansville's Freedom Festival celebration. Ellis Park Horse Track, in operation for more than 75 years, sponsors weekly thoroughbred horse racing July through Labor Day. The park offers both dirt and turf racing, and several top training stables base part of their summer season there. The Evansville Otters, a Frontier League baseball team, plays its home games at Evansville's Bosse Field.
The University of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana field several sports teams, including the University of Evansville Aces, a Division I basketball team, and the University of Southern Indiana Eagles, a NCAA Division II basketball team.
Evansville offers a wealth of recreational activities for active residents and visitors. Activities include camping, fishing, boating, water skiing, hiking, swimming, tennis, and youth and adult sports programs. There are also more than 40 golf courses within an hour's drive of Evansville. Burdette Park features 145 acres of land dedicated to picnic areas, camping facilities, sports facilities, and vacation cottages. It is also home to an aquatic center with water slides, three pools, and a snack bar.
Evansville's shopping options range from unique specialty stores to malls filled with national chains. The city's downtown area, or Main Street, has more than 36 shops and restaurants. Antique and gift shops are especially popular, as are the restaurants featuring Italian, Mediterranean, Korean, Chinese, and local cuisine. The area also houses a number of bars and pubs. Shoppers looking for locally grown and fresh produce head to the Evansville Municipal Market. Built in 1918, the open-air market still offers flowers, local produce, and handmade crafts.
Evansville's dining scene is equally as diverse. Options include everything from fine dining to fast food, and restaurants offer ethnic dishes as well as regional cuisine. Locally-owned favorites, Italian bistros, authentic Mexican, Chinese and Japanese fare, homemade Amish cooking, tasty Indian selections, traditional German restaurants, all-American delis, corner pubs, and terrific barbeque are all available options.
Visitor Information: Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau, 410 S.E. Riverside Drive, Evansville, IN 47713; telephone (812)421-2200; toll-free (800)433-3025