Less than two decades after Vanderburgh County was formed in 1818, Assumption Catholic Church was founded in downtown Evansville. The city experienced substantial growth in the aftermath of the Civil War, which led Assumption to erect a more spacious building at Seventh and Vine to accommodate the expanding congregation. The new edifice was completed in 1873, followed less than a decade later by the construction of a school building adjacent to the church. After the Diocese of Evansville was formed in 1944, Assumption was designated a cathedral. The Cathedral, seen here in 1949, was razed in 1965 to make room for the Winfield K. Denton federal building.
