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Evansville doesn’t always make the shortlist of Midwest travel destinations, but Indiana’s third-largest city—after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne—has a rich river-town history, a genuinely gorgeous historic district, and one of the best “Greetings From” murals in the country.
I’m fascinated by the River City for a simple reason: I was born there eons ago—but only lived there for three months. So in June, I finally took the opportunity to go home again and see the town through my Photowalks eyes. With camera in hand, I set out to explore Evansville the way I know best: on foot, one photo at a time.
This itinerary follows the route I took for the Photowalks episode, with plenty of great photo opportunities along the way.
Evansville sits on a bend of the Ohio River in southern Indiana, close enough to Kentucky that locals have their own name for the area: Kentuckiana. During the 1800s it was one of the busiest river ports in the Midwest, and the wealth generated by steamboat traffic is still evident in the handsome brick buildings that line Main Street today.
Stop 1: Snap a Photo at the “Greetings from Evansville” Mural
Kick off your morning at the vibrant Greetings from Evansville mural.
Address: 318 Main Street, Evansville, IN 47708
Inspired by the colorful postcards of the 1930s and ’40s, this massive artwork doubles as a visual checklist for the city’s iconic landmarks. Each letter represents a piece of local pride—from Bosse Field and the Old Courthouse to the local zoo and seasonal festivals.
Stop 2: Stroll the Main Street Historic District
From the mural, head down to Main and Third Streets to begin an architectural photo walk.
Evansville’s history as a booming 19th-century river port means the streets are lined with beautifully preserved brick facades. Continue toward First Street, where you’ll find authentic cobblestone blocks and elegant Victorian homes that have survived for well over a century.
It’s an easy, enjoyable walk that immediately gives you a sense of the city’s history.
Stop 3: Marvel at the Old Courthouse
Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse
201 NW Fourth Street, Evansville, IN 47708
Just off Main Street stands one of Evansville’s architectural gems.
Spend a few minutes admiring the courthouse’s magnificent dome, which dominates the downtown skyline and photographs beautifully from almost every angle.
Stop 4: Walk the Riverfront
Riverfront Plaza
Riverside Drive, Evansville, IN 47708
Conclude your morning with a stroll along the Ohio River.
Evansville proudly calls itself the “River City,” and this scenic mile-long promenade offers sweeping views across the water into Kentucky. It’s peaceful, photogenic and a reminder of how important the river was in shaping the city’s history.
Stop 5: Lunch at Bru Burger Bar
Bru Burger Bar
222 Sycamore Street
Evansville, IN 47708
When hunger strikes, head to one of Evansville’s coolest adaptive reuse projects.
Bru Burger occupies the beautifully restored former Greyhound Bus Terminal, preserving much of the building’s mid-century character while serving what’s said to be excellent burgers.
Because of that, I skipped the usual Grilled Cheese and got a Patty Melt instead. The fries were incredibly salty, but I complained, and got a new order, salt free, that was just right.
Afternoon: Hollywood History and Ice Cream
Stop 6: Step Back in Time at Bosse Field
Bosse Field
23 Don Mattingly Way
Evansville, IN 47711
https://www.evansvilleotters.com
After lunch, make the short drive to Bosse Field.
Opened in 1915, it’s the third-oldest professional baseball stadium in America after Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. If it looks familiar, that’s because it appeared prominently in A League of Their Own.
Even if there’s no game, it’s worth stopping by to appreciate one of baseball’s great historic parks.
Stop 7: Grab a Retro Ice Cream Cone
Option One: Zesto
102 W. Franklin Street
Evansville, IN 47710
https://www.zestoonfranklin.com
Founded in 1949, Zesto remains one of Evansville’s classic roadside ice cream stands. Order a soft-serve cone with the famous Twinkle Kote topping. (And what’s that, you ask? Try a mixture of crushed peanuts (often shaped as a peanut brittle-style crunch) combined with rainbow or chocolate sprinkles. )
I also loved the Big Top Drive-In, another Evansville institution since the 1940s, if for nothing else than its classic sign.
Big Top Drive-In
1213 W. Maryland Street
Evansville, IN 47710
My Personal Memory Lane
The second half of my visit became much more personal.
I stopped at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville—formerly St. Mary’s Hospital—where I was born. Yup, still standing after all these years.
3700 Washington Avenue
Evansville, IN 47750
https://healthcare.ascension.org/locations/indiana/ineva/evansville-ascension-st-vincent-evansville
Then I drove to the house on Walnut Lane where my family lived during my first three months of life.
While I obviously don’t remember living there, standing in front of that house was surprisingly emotional. I found it.
How many people can honestly say the very first home they ever lived in is still alive and well?
A Visit to My Father’s Old TV Station
My father–then known as Jerry Granowsky–moved to Evansville with his then 19-year-old wife Judy from Indianapolis after accepting a job at WFIE-TV.
1115 Mt. Auburn Road
Evansville, IN 47720
It was his first opportunity to move from cameraman to on-air television personality.
Years later, I discovered recordings of him talking about those early days. He hosted cowboy shows, introduced movies, and often had to fill thirty minutes of airtime simply by talking into the camera.
He always said Evansville taught him how to think on his feet. Eventually he became a radio executive in New York before returning to television in San Francisco with the travel series Bay Area Backroads.
Looking back, it’s pretty obvious where I inherited my love of travel television.
The station is still there. I wish I’d asked if I could come inside.
One Last Surprise
It was in Evansville that our family became the Grahams.
When my father arrived at WFIE, management told him that Granowsky would be too difficult for viewers to pronounce.
“How about Graham?” his boss suggested.
My father agreed.
Just like that, Jeffrey Alan Granowsky became Jeffrey Alan Graham.
Years later, when I began my journalism career, I decided “Jeff Graham” sounded a little too ordinary for a newspaper byline. So I expanded it to Jefferson Graham.
Don’t you think it has a better ring?
Meanwhile, all year long, people kept asking how I planned to celebrate my birthday. They didn’t believe me when I said I’d be celebrating by going home to Indiana.
As it turned out, Photowalks sponsor Best Western had sent me on a Midwest road trip that began in northern Indiana, continued through Indianapolis and French Lick, and ended in Louisville and the Bourbon Trail. Evansville wasn’t originally on the itinerary.
But how could I pass within an hour of the city where my life began and not stop?
I’m glad I did and I sure can’t wait to come back!
(FYI: The Graham family also has a rich history in Indianapolis, which I will be exploring on an upcoming episode of Photowalks, coming soon.)
