Reitz Home Museum

08/28/2026

We are excited to announce three more presentations in our 2026 Speaker Series! This fall, we’ll explore stories that highlight both the unique history of the Reitz Home and some of the fascinating, lesser-known history of our region.

🏠 This Saturday, August 29 at 3:00 PM
The Bishop’s House, 1944–1972
Presented by Sr. Rebecca Abel, OSB

📜 September 16 at 6:00 PM
A Christian Duty: A Tragic Tale of the Southwest Indiana Underground Railroad
Presented by Dr. Randy Mills

⚾ October 15 at 6:30 PM
The History of Baseball in Evansville
Presented by Kevin Wirthwein

From the years when the Reitz Home served as the Bishop’s residence, to the Underground Railroad in Southwest Indiana, to Evansville’s rich baseball history, each presentation offers an opportunity to discover another chapter of our community’s past.

Mark your calendars, invite a friend, and join us as we continue discovering the people, places, and stories that have shaped our region!

The Speaker Series presentations have been made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

08/25/2026

Just a few more days until Sr. Rebecca Abel's talk. Join us Saturday, August 29th.

On Saturday, August 29, Sister Rebecca Abel will be presenting at the Reitz Home Museum. Last year she spoke to a packed house — standing room only! So be sure to RSVP and come listen to her presentation on The Bishop’s House, 1944 - 1972.

Saturday, August 29 | 3:00 p.m. Central Time
112 Chestnut St, Evansville, IN 47713
812-426-1871 or [email protected] to RSVP

08/18/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 🍂✨

Join us on October 16, 2026 at Igleheart Gardens for an unforgettable autumn evening benefiting the Reitz Home Museum.

🎟️ Tickets: $150
Tickets are limited, so be sure to reserve yours early!

🤝Sponsorship opportunities are available.
✉️Invitations will be going out soon.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets or learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please call 812-426-1871 or email the Reitz Home Museum at [email protected]

An Evening in the Gardens — Preserving History for Future Generations. 🍁

08/08/2026

🍂Fall Wine Down to the Weekend is almost here! 🍷

We are less than one month away from kicking off our Fall 2026 series at the Reitz Home Museum!

Join us Thursday evenings from 5–7 PM for:

🎵 Live music
🍷 Wine & beer available for purchase
🍁 A fun way to welcome the fall season

We still have sponsorship opportunities available! If you or your business are interested in sponsoring a Wine Down to the Weekend event, please contact us:

📞 812-426-1871
📧 [email protected]

Come join us, bring your friends, and Wine Down to the Weekend! 🍷🎶🍂

08/06/2026

🏛️✨ Step back in time with us at the Reitz Home Museum! ✨

Join us Saturday, August 29 at 3:00 PM for a fascinating presentation with Archivist Sr. Rebecca Abel, OSB.

📖“The Bishop’s House, 1944–1972” explores the years when the Reitz Home served as the Bishop’s residence before becoming the museum we know today. Through Sr. Rebecca’s personal memories and firsthand historical accounts, you’ll get a rare glimpse into this remarkable chapter of the home’s history.

This program is made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We hope to see you there! 💛📚

07/28/2026

Join us Saturday, August 29 at 3:00 PM for an exciting talk connected with the history of the Reitz Home Museum.

Archivist Sr. Rebecca Abel, OSB will delight us with a presentation of The Bishop's House, 1944 - 1972. Using her own experiences of living in the home and historical firsthand accounts, visitors will learn about the Reitz Home before it was a museum.

This program has been made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

07/24/2026

Interested in being part of a fun group of community volunteers? The Reitz Home Museum's volunteer program is for you! Whether helping as a docent tour guide, assisting with programs, helping at the gift shop, or assisting behind the scenes, we have something for everyone.

Join us for one of our volunteer orientation sessions:
📅 Wednesday, July 29 at 10:00 a.m.
📅 Thursday, August 13 at 10:00 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.
📍 Reitz Home Museum
112 Chestnut Street
Evansville, IN 47713

RSVP by visiting the link below:
https://forms.gle/Hu4A8Q3pZ1YCtX7YA

Questions?
📞 (812) 426-1871
📧 [email protected]
Help us preserve the past while inspiring future generations. We hope to see you there!

07/15/2026

Make history come alive as a volunteer at the Reitz Home Museum!

Do you love history? Enjoy meeting new people? Want to make a meaningful impact in our community?

The Reitz Home Museum is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team! Whether you're interested in becoming a docent tour guide, assisting in our gift shop, helping with special events, or supporting the museum in other ways, we'd love to have you.

No previous museum experience is necessary - we'll provide the training. All you need is a passion for history and a desire to help preserve one of Evansville's most treasured landmarks.

Join us for one of our volunteer orientation sessions:
📅 Wednesday, July 29 at 10:00 a.m.
📅 Thursday, August 13 at 10:00 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.

📍 Reitz Home Museum
112 Chestnut Street
Evansville, IN 47713

RSVP by visiting the link below:
https://forms.gle/Hu4A8Q3pZ1YCtX7YA

Questions?
📞 (812) 426-1871
📧 [email protected]

Help us preserve the past while inspiring future generations. We hope to see you there!

07/11/2026

We are honored to be recognized as one of the organizations supported by Team McClintock in 2026. Their generosity and commitment to our community helps make our mission possible.❤️

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from the Reitz Home Museum! ❤️🤍💙

🧨Fireworks originally only sparkled their natural fiery orange across the sky, but in the Victorian era, they gained their rainbow colors. In the 1830s, Italians discovered that adding metals into the fireworks changed the explosion's color. This discovery eventually made it way to the US during a wave of Italian immigration in the 1870s.

Evansville too was no stranger to fireworks in the late 19th and early 20th century. This postcard was sent on 1909 from Evansville to Armstrong, Indiana. That year, the Evansville Daily Journal featured this July 4th headline: "It Looks Like the Same Old Fourth — Demand for Pyrotechnics Is Up to and May Exceed Normal This Year." The proceeding article tells how fireworks sales are increased from the previous year, followed by health advice to prevent "the usual long list" of injuries sustained on the 4th.