Vanderburgh County

Formed in 1818, Vanderburgh County was named for Captain Henry Vanderburgh, a Revolutioary War veteran and judge for the Indiana Territory.  The County Seat is in Evansville, which was originally named McGary’s Landing after Hugh McGary who began the town.  It was renamed in 1814 to sound more attractive to potential land buyers.  When his wife Mary died, she was buried at a cemetery that eventually  had a church constructed over it.  They found her body and recognized her by her bright red hair and determined to let her stay in her burial spot.  So the church was built over her, which was later bulldozed and the parking lot to the Old Jail was built over it.  While not the largest county in Indiana, it has an amazing 94 locations listed on the National Historic Register.  Evansville is located on the Ohio River and is the location of Angel Mounds State Historic Site, home to prehistoric Native Americans.  There are 12 earthen mounds located there.