Vanderburgh County was formed on January 7, 1818, from Gibson, Posey, and Warrick counties. It was named for Captain Henry Vanderburgh, Revolutionary War veteran and judge for the Indiana Territory.
Evansville named for Robert Evans, who did not actually found the city, but his influence played a role in determining the future of the town. He was the ninth Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives.
The Wabash & Erie Canal joined with the Central Canal at Lock 73 in Warrick County. In Vanderburgh County, the Wabash and Erie Canal was originally part of the Central Canal that was to link Evansville Indiana to Peru Indiana via Indianapolis. The Central Canal was started in Evansville and around Indianapolis in the early 1830s. The Vanderburgh County section was completed near to modern day Seven Hills Rd in Warrick County. The approx. 22 miles of canal saw traffic from the time of its completion, circa 1836/37, until the demise of the Wabash & Erie Canal in the 1860s (locally). The Central Canal in Vanderburgh County took on two different names while waiting to become part of the larger canal: Central Canal South, later the Wabash & Ohio Canal.
In 1849, the Wabash & Erie Canal Company, decided to extend the Wabash & Erie Canal to Evansville from Terre Haute via the abandoned canal works of the Cross-Cut and Central Canals. Sometime in 1851/52 the Wabash & Erie joined the Wabash & Ohio Canal (Central Canal) at Lock 73, thus linking all 468 miles of the Wabash and Erie Canal. The Wabash & Erie Canal officially opened in this area of the state in 1853 with the first canal boat, the Pennsylvania, to navigate the entire canal in September of that year.
Canal Path & Structures
Other Historical Maps
The following tabs correspond to articles written from past Canal Society of Indiana publications and the county you are viewing. Click on the link to read the associated article.
(2017 – Present)
The Tumble is the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) current publication. The Tumble was the first publication of CSI to be completely internet based starting in 2017.
(2002-2016)
The Hoosier Packet was the official Canal Society of Indiana’s publication from 2002 through 2016.
(1986-2002)
The Newsletter began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Indiana Canals publication. The Newsletter was initially printed with information about CSI. In the mid 990s Newsletter took on a new format and absorbed Indiana Canals into this one publication which became the primary publication of the Canal Society of Indiana until 2002.
(1989 – 2002)
Indiana Canals began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Newsletter publication. Indiana Canals was initially printed with information about the how the canals function, mechanical features of old and what was still remaining. In the mid 990s Indiana Canals publication was absorbed into the Newsletter which became the prime publication of the Canal Society of Indiana.
Volume II (1990)
Volume IV (1992/93)
Volume V (1993/94)
Volume VII (1995/96)
Volume VIII (1997)
(1981 – 1986)
Indiana Waterways was the first publication of the Canal Society of Indiana. The first edition was published in 1981 several months before the establishment of the Canal Society of Indiana and became the source of information about the development of CSI and information to the members until the creation of Indiana Canals and the Newsletter in 1986.