YESTERYEAR: 100 Block of Main Street

YESTERYEAR: 100 Block of Main Street

by Pat Sides

The group of stylish women, who worked for the Evansville Courier, lingers outside the entrance to the newspaper’s offices at 125-127 Main Street in the early 1920s. The man posing with his camera a short distance from them is William Deeds, one of the Courier’s photographers. 

Located near the riverfront, this city block, like most of the rest of downtown in the early twentieth century, was a hub of activity. Crowds often gathered in front of the Courier building for updates on the “breaking news” of the day, which was posted on signs in the front windows, such as those visible behind the women.

Next to the newspaper building is Henry Hermann’s candy store, which operated in Evansville for over a century. Next to it was perhaps one of the first restaurants to offer Chinese cuisine in Evansville, Y. K. Yee’s short-lived Victory Inn at 121 Main, which in this photo advertises chop suey on its sign.