Evansville Grove Society, Inc.

09/04/2026

House Tour Article #3: 44 W. Main Street – The Tower House

Check out the latest house tour article about 44 W. Main Street. While collaborating with Ruth Ann Montgomery to write the article, we had the good fortune of getting the home’s abstract from the current owner, Jan Taylor. It turns out the original homeowner is not who we thought it was. Intrigued?

https://www.grovesociety.org/historic-house-tour-2026-campbell-combs-tower-house/

We hope to see you on the tour on September 19th!

The Campbell-Combs house at 44 West Main Street is a highly distinctive Late Victorian structure originally built in 1881. Also known as The Tower House for its square, steeple-shaped tower, the home is an example of so-called “stick-style” architecture, which added trim boards, soffits, gables,...

08/31/2026

The 2026 Historic House Tour is fast approaching! Below are links to articles about the history of two of the homes on the tour: Evans Hall 104 W. Main Street and the Baker/Otto Home at 39 W. Liberty Street.

Watch for articles about the houses at 44 W. Main Street, 112 Grove Street, and 224 W. Church Street.

https://www.grovesociety.org/historic-house-tour-2026/

https://www.grovesociety.org/historic-house-tour-2026-baker-otto-house/

We hope to see you on the Tour!

The house at 39 West Liberty Street is a marvelous example of Italianate design, inspired by 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which first appeared in England at the beginning of the nineteenth century and became very popular in the United States from the late 1840s to the 1890s. The Ev...

08/29/2026

The Grove Society museum at 15 Antes Drive (entrance to the lower park) is open today from 1-4 PM. Stop by to get your 2026 Historic House Tour tickets!!

08/25/2026

Sharing the link to the historic house tour press release that ran in last week’s Evansville Examiner.

https://www.grovesociety.org/evansville-to-show-off-its-hidden-gems/

Over the next few weeks, we’ll post individual articles about each of the houses featured on the tour. These buildings and the people who lived in them are an important part of Evansville’s rich history. We hope you find them interesting and we hope to see you on the tour on September 19th.

Whether you’ve lived in Evansville all of your life or just part of your life, you know the small city has one of the most intriguing collections of Victorian era homes in our region. More than a sleepy bedroom community of Madison, Evansville is an historic and storied community at the heart of W...

08/19/2026

The 10th Annual History in the Park is in the books! What started out as a gloomy, muggy Sunday turned into a sunny, breezy afternoon with lots of people coming together for a nice picnic and stories about some of Evansville’s notable residents.

Mayor Abbey Barnes kicked off “History on the Street: Evansville’s Banner Project” with her inspiration for the banners featuring Evansville residents on the downtown light posts along with the challenges she encountered bringing the project to fruition. Ruth Ann Montgomery spoke about Dr. John M. Evans’s life and service. Parker Gibbs showed slides and told stories about his grandmother, Ethel Gibbs, renowned artist and creator of the Evansville Wives and Mothers Club. Emily Templeton Schnabel spoke of her great-grandfather Peter Templeton, Sr., who was an internationally renowned expert on Percheron horses. Derek Allen shared stories of his formidable grandmother, Ida Conroy, Evansville’s first woman mayor. Finally, Arthur McEvoy, a Grove Society board member, presented Burr W. Jones’s history in Wisconsin law and politics.

All of the presentations were well-researched, given with care and respect for the person’s story they were telling. The best though, were the presentations given by the descendants of Ethel, Peter, and Ida. They shared their stories with pride, heart, and humor. We know their families were proud of them; we sure were.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who presented, everyone who showed up to listen, and to everyone who threw a “ducat in the bucket” also known as making a donation. All of us on the Grove Society Board are grateful for your support! A video recording of the entire program will be available on the Grove Society’s YouTube channel https://www.grovesociety.org/on-demand-content/, in the near future.

We'll see you August 2027 for the next History in the Park!

08/12/2026

The 10th Annual History in the Park is this Sunday, August 16th, at the Pruden Pavilion (upper park) in Leonard-Leota Park. Lunch starts at 12 PM. This year's presentation, "History on the Street: Evansville's Banner Project," will begin promptly at 1 PM. Bring your appetite and lawn chairs!

08/03/2026

After a long hiatus, Evansville's Historic House Tour is back!

The Evansville Grove Society is hosting the tour on Saturday, September 19th, from 1 PM to 5 PM in Evansville’s historic districts. Five landmark homes will be included on the tour, all of them within walking distance of each other. Admission for the event will be $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the event, when the Grove Society will have a tent on First Street between Evans Hall (104 W. Main St.) and the Tower House (44 W. Main St.). Children 12 and under will be admitted free.

Tickets may be purchased online at grovesociety.org. Tickets will also be on sale at the Society’s Museum in the Historic Baker Building, 15 Antes Drive in Leonard-Leota Park, Saturdays between 1 and 4PM, or through the Evansville Chamber of Commerce during regular business hours. All proceeds benefit the Grove Society and their work preserving Evansville’s history.

We hope to see you in our beautiful community!!

07/17/2026

Join us for History in the Park on Sunday, August 16th! This year's featured presenter is Mayor Abbey Barnes, who will talk about the historic banner project in downtown Evansville along with five guest presenters who will share stories about five of the historical figures featured on the banners. Don't miss it!

07/06/2026

At noon on July 4, a group of fifteen Evansville resident volunteers organized by the Grove Society gathered at the Tom Kerkenbush memorial in Leonard-Leota Park to read the Declaration of Independence. A nice crowd gathered to hear the reading, including some people who had come all the way from Illinois to attend. Many who were there praised the readers, especially the young adults in the group.

Use the link below to read the full article, which includes an embedded link to the video recording of the reading. It’s worth watching just to hear the different voices reciting our nation’s founding document. We apologize for the barking dog halfway through.

Many thanks to our fearless readers! You were all amazing!

https://www.grovesociety.org/independence-day-reading-at-leonard-leota-park/

05/15/2026

The winner is....
Congratulations to Kelly J McKay, winner of our Commemorative Coin Contest! Kelly's artwork will appear on one side of a coin to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. This contest was sponsored by the Evansville Grove Society in partnership with the Eager Free Public Library. Look for more information on the coins coming in July.