Indiana County Courthouse Histories

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Vanderburgh County
Named for: William Henry Vanderburgh - Revolutionary War, Indiana Territory Judge
Organized: 1818
County Seat: Evansville
Number of Courthouses: 4

Number	Years	Type	Detail
1	1820-1855	Brick	Plans 2/15/1819. 34x46 - 2-story. Accepted May 1820. ~$6,000. Builder: Elisha Harrison & Daniel F. Goldsmith - April 1819. Finishing improvements were made through 1833.
2	1857-1891	Castle	Arch: & Builder: James Roquet Started in 1852, contract $14,000. Partially Occupied in 1855 but destroyed by fire in December 1855. - No record loss. Rebuilt: Frank B. Allen, $14,300
3	1891-1969	Castle	Arch: Henry Wolters. Occupied February 1891. $650,000. Charles Pearce & Co., Sept. 1887, Bid $379,450, Paid $466,004?
4	1969-Present	Modern	City/County Building, $25M.

Early Court Sessions were held in the home of Hugh McGary. McGary's home had also been used when Evansville was earlier the county seat of Warrick County.

The payment method for the 1820 Courthouse was so convoluted it is impossible to determine an accurate amount. It was greater than $5425, but just how much greater is not determinable. The payment method of the 1857 courthouse was likewise convoluted in that it included town lots as partial payment.

The 1891 Courthouse has been underutilized since the new courthouse in 1969. The County is still trying to decide what to do with it.

Plans to demolish the building have met with fierce opposition.

All four Evansville Courthouse have been in different locations. The 1891 Courthouse is built over the Wabash and Erie Canal boat basin on land purchased in 1873 for $54,000.