Brief History of the Evansville, Indiana Region
The region surrounding Evansville, Indiana is located in a shallow valley on the Ohio River not far from where it empties into the Mississippi River. The River System has played a major role in the settlement of the region by not only modern-day residents but Native Americans as well.
The Woodland Native American Cultures traded heavily with other cultures and brought exotic artifacts and plants into the area as well as moving great amounts of earth to create mounds. This began changing the landscape from a woodland refuge to a human settlement.
The Pre-historic people of the Middle Mississippian Culture occupied a settlement now known as Angel Mounds, just east of the city. The site was discovered to be a Chiefdom and was the regional center for a large community as it was home to several thousand people that survived by hunting and farming. After the site had been abandoned for a hundred years, roving bands of other native American cultures moved through the area. (Find out more at: www.angelmounds.org )
In 1812, Hugh McGary Jr. purchased land on the Indiana side of the Ohio River to start a settlement to be known as McGary's Landing. In 1814, to draw in more people, he renamed it Evansville after his friend Colonel Bob Evans, an officer under General William Henry Harrison who was renowned in the years following the War of 1812. By 1819, the town thrived due to the extensive river trade, much of it lumber from extensive hardwood forests. When the Wabash and Erie Canals wewre finished in 1853, the city's growth accelerated.
World War II required the production of P-47 Thunderbolt planes and Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) and Evansville was a site chosen for the industry. Plane manufacturing was established north of the city and runways laid out next to the warehousing (what is now the location of the Evansville Regional Airport). The LSTs were built on the banks of the river to be floated up stream when completed. once the military production ceased, the infrastructure left behind led to the increased industrialization of the area. The 1950s and 60s held the highest populace consuses.
The Ohio River Valley and the Woodlands of the Evansville, Indiana region was habitat for many species of animals. The area had a great variety of ecosystems such as wet lands, forests and caves that provide food and shelter. Human settlement has not been without its environmental costs. Due to the destruction of forests and the fur trade, almost all of the large predators have been eliminated. Pesticide poppultion caused near extinction of many vulnerable species of birds and reptiles. Man-made dams have prevented the spawning of certain fish species. Fortunately in recent years, the Ohio River has become much cleaner due to environmental concerns and a change in industrial practices. A resurgence of attention to soil conservation and an embracing of hardwood tree heritage have occurred to further the preservation of the area.
