Evansville sits on our own little bend in the Ohio River, and from above it looks incredible.

Get our free mobile app

What's in a Name?

Evansville, Indiana was named in honor of Robert Morgan Evans who is considered one of the founding members of Evansville.  According to U.S. History, Robert Morgan Evans also served as an Officer in the War of 1812 under General William Henry Harrison.

Evansville, county seat of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, was formed following the War of 1812. Before white settlement, it was the site of an ancient Indian community, as witnessed by Angel Mounds, now a state historic site in Evansville. The town, established in 1817, was named in honor of Robert Morgan Evans, one of the founding members of the settlement.

Now that we know how Evansville got its name, how did Evansville become known as the "Crescent City?"  Well we don't have to look very far to find out how we got that nickname, we just need to look at the downtown Evansville riverfront.

Evansville's Nicknames

Evansville, Indiana has a few different nicknames, River City, Pocket City, and Stoplight City, but my favorite nickname for Evansville is Crescent City. Crescent City is also a nickname shared by New Orleans.

Crescent City

The reason Evansville is nicknamed Crescent City has to do with Evansville's location on the bend of the Ohio River.  One look at the riverfront from Dress Plaza downtown and it's easy to see the bend in the river, but nothing compares to the view from above.

I saw this photo on Facebook in an Indiana Landscapes group, and I thought it so perfectly showed how our city is nestled on that bend in the river and is a great demonstration of why we are called the Crescent City. A huge thank you to Chris Sitzman for allowing me to share your image!

Evansville Living has a great article that dives deep into Evansville's Crescent City nickname, which I highly recommend checking out.

The shape of the river — that crescent — has also played a role in the city’s development in terms of nomenclature and commercial image.“Business art,” which describes signage, symbols, and advertising, has used the crescent image since the records of Evansville commerce began.

Read the full article from Evansville Living, here.