Evansville On The Ohio
November 6, 2011 - February 26, 2012
Constructed in 1880 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the packet steamboat
Evansville traversed the waters of the Tri-State until it burned on
July 31, 1931 at Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Presented in partnership with the EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS
and ROBERT L. AND PAULETTE ROESKE REID
The Town Hall exhibit is in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the opening of the western waterways to steamboat travel by the historic journey of the boat New Orleans. Evansville on the Ohio recalls this historic event and to a larger extent, examines the City’s relationship to the Ohio River.
As a community that developed from the shores of the Ohio River, Evansville’s history is inexorably tied to this waterway. The commerce and travel afforded by the development of the steamboat helped a fledgling Evansville gain its footing as an industrial hub in the 19th century. Products produced in and around Evansville – such as furniture, plows and stoves – were readily transported to consumers via the River. In the early to mid 20th century, the City’s location on the river helped lead to its selection as a manufacturer of Plymouth automobiles and producer of Landing Ship, Tanks (LSTs) during World War II. The Ohio has also been a hub of social activity in the City from the early days of Sunset Park through the recent development of the Greenway along the riverfront.
In contrast to the benefits of being a river city, Evansville has also suffered the wrath of the Ohio on several occasions. Floods created havoc in Evansville and the Ohio Valley and led to the creation of a vast levee system around the City. Major floods occurred in 1884 and 1913 and most memorably the great flood of 1937—the largest natural disaster in the City’s history. The 75th anniversary of the 1937 flood will be marked in this exhibition.
Today, the Ohio River continues to play an important role in the life of Evansville and its citizens and through documents, photographs and models, Evansville on the Ohio will illustrate the various aspects of the City’s historic interaction with this waterway.
