Since 1874, a hotel has stood at First and Locust streets, conveniently near the Ohio River, where visitors to Evansville arrived daily on steamboats. This is an 1889 view of the St. George in an era when the primary mode of transportation in the city was horse-drawn. Locally, the hotel was one of the grandest, but as Evansville’s prosperity steadily rose in the late nineteenth-century, business and civic leaders felt more modern buildings were necessary to enhance the city’s image. The St. George was razed in 1915, replaced by the McCurdy Hotel, which opened two years later, a few months after the Coliseum was built as an events center to promote tourism.
FOOTNOTES: 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.
