Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Lincoln Gardens

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, June 16, 2021

1. Lincoln Gardens Marker

Inscription.
Side A- African Americans settled in Evansville in the early 1800s and established a vibrant community here in Baptisttown by 1890. Segregation and discrimination led to a section of overcrowded, dilapidated buildings. With citizen support, city officials applied for New Deal funding to clear part of this area in the 1930s and develop a federal housing project, Lincoln Gardens.

Opened in 1938, Lincoln Gardens provided low-cost housing managed by and for African Americans. During WWII, occupants started a club for African American service members barred from the local USO. Lincoln Gardens served as a community center for decades. Saved from demolition, this building opened as the Evansville African American Museum in 1999.

Erected 2020 by Indiana Historical Bureau, Evansville African American Museum, and Indiana Landmarks. (Marker Number 82.2020.1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Civil Rights • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.

Location. 37° 58.222′ N, 87° 33.403′ W. Marker is in Evansville, Indiana

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, in Vanderburgh County. It is at the intersection of Garvin Street and Lincoln Avenue, on the left when traveling north on Garvin Street. The marker is at the Evansville African American Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 579 S Garvin St, Evansville IN 47713, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Tri-State Region

and in Southern Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Ohio River Valley,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Evansville African American Museum Founder’s Marker (a few steps from this marker); Charlie Wiggins (within shouting distance of this marker); Home of Johnson Duncan Cox (approx. half a mile away); Lucia E. Blount (approx. half a mile away); Wabash and Erie Canal (approx. 0.6 miles away); John W. Boehne Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); Refugee Camp (approx. 0.7 miles away); Home of Matthew W. Foster (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Evansville.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, June 16, 2021

2. Lincoln Gardens Marker

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, June 16, 2021

3. Lincoln Gardens Marker

The last surviving section of Lincoln Gardens, the old "Erie" building. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, June 16, 2021

4. The last surviving section of Lincoln Gardens, the old "Erie" building.

The building has been repurposed as the Evansville African American Museum. Much symbolism is involved in this building.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2021, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 720 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 27, 2021, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.