YESTERYEAR-Evansville Riverfront, 1913

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This view of Evansville’s riverfront was probably photographed from the top of the Pagoda shelter house in Sunset Park, which had been built a year earlier. City officials were attempting to develop and beautify the park, but the weather was not cooperating. In that year, flood waters reached Riverside Drive and deposited debris along the riverfront. A cannon from the Civil War era is still visible near the boat at left, and on the far right is the Gilbert Sanitarium, which was acquired by the Hadi Shriners in the early 1920s.

FOOTNOTE: We want to thank Patricia Sides, Archivist of Willard Library for contributing this picture that shall increase people’s awareness and appreciation of Evansville’s rich history. If you have any historical pictures of Vanderburgh County or Evansville please contact please contact Patricia Sides, Archivist Willard Library at 812) 425-4309, ext. 114 or e-mail her at www.willard.lib.in.us.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Our population was about 70,000. I can’t help but notice how formal everyone in the picture is dressed and the new trees planted.

  2. The boat in the foreground appears to have a set of ramps built on to it. I wonder if this might be one of the boats used to ferry the traction cars across the Ohio at the present day Twin Bridges location. I am given to understand that when they came to the end of the line on our side that they were rolled, passengers and all, on to the ferry boats to make the trip across, where they were rolled back on the tracks on the Kentucky side to complete their trip to Henderson.

  3. Interesting to see the canons at the waters edge. Who were they worried was going to attack?

        • That is Stovepipe at the bottom of the picture, in the light trenchcoat. He had apparently just lit the fuse and was hieing out of there as quickly as he could. We should all be thankful his device didn’t go off or we’d all be speaking Stove.

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