BY NICOLE THOMAS

Known as the “River City,” Evansville is Indiana’s third most populous city. It’s home to Angel Mounds State Historic Site, one of the country’s best-preserved Native American sites, as well as Bosse Field, one of the oldest ballparks in the country.

The city’s wild side

As one of Indiana’s first zoos, the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden opened in 1928 with just
two lion cubs, antelope, and an elephant. Today, the 45-acre zoo in Evansville homes more than 700 animals and welcomes more than 205,000 visitors each year. The zoo was built around Lake Victoria, where visitors can either walk along it or rent paddle boats to spot birds, turtles, and fish. Open 365 days a year, visitors can also discover exhibits featuring wildlife from around the world, feed giraffes and penguins, or stroll through the zoo’s botanic garden.

Genealogy and ghost stories

The Willard Public Library is a Gothic Revival-style library in Evansville known for its extensive genealogical archives. Researchers from across the country visit during the library’s annual “Midnight Madness” week in June, when it remains open until midnight for family history research. The library is also said to house the “Grey Lady,” the ghost of Louise Carpenter, the daughter of its founder, Willard Carpenter. After Willard’s death, the library was donated according to his will, but Louise disputed the decision and claimed ownership. She ultimately lost her court case, and local lore says her spirit resides in the building. A custodian first reported seeing the “Grey Lady” in 1937, and others have claimed to have smelled her perfume. Since the late 1990s, visitors have searched for the “Grey Lady” through the library’s ghost cams and during its annual October Ghost Tours.

A nutty tradition

Evansville’s largest street festival, the West Side Nut Club’s Fall Festival, takes place each year during the first week of October along Franklin Street. Drawing nearly 200,000 visitors, the event features a parade, fair rides, live music, and 137 food booths hosted by nonprofit organizations. Since 2019, the Nut Club has also hosted an annual half-pot drawing during the festival. The 2022 drawing set a record, reaching $1.64 million.

City Facts

FOUNDED: 1812

NAMED FOR: Colonel Robert Morgan Evans, an officer in the War of 1812

POPULATION: 117, 298

Editor’s Note

We have been highlighting Indiana’s counties since January 2019, and finally covered the last county in the August issue. For the rest of the year, we will feature Indiana’s major cities.