Evolution of the Riverfront: The First Century
Evolution of the Riverfront: The First Century
Since Evansville’s humble beginnings in 1812 as McGary’s Landing on a bank of the Ohio River, the riverfront has undergone tremendous change. From muddy shores with only a few houses in the beginning, then as a busy steamboat port in the latter 19th century, to a newly constructed Dress Plaza in 1936, and now as an inviting place to walk and bike with a backdrop of modern buildings, Evansville’s riverfront has continually played an important role in the community’s life. Through imagery, this blog looks at the first century of this evolution.
The Riverfront in the late 19th Century
These two photographs show Evansville in the heart of the industrial age as factories in the city produced items such plows, stoves, and furniture, and steamboat trade was at its apex. This was at a time that Evansville had grown into a city of over 50,000 people. With this growth also came challenges such as air quality. Note the amount of coal smoke emitted by steamboats and factory smokestacks. This was in addition to home heating stoves which also burned coal.
Thomas R. Lonnberg
Chief Curator & Curator of History