Vanderburgh County, which consists of 171,000 citizens, has a rich and fulfilling history that dates back to the early 1800’s.
On January 7, 1818, Vanderburgh County was formed by a statute and was named in honor of Judge Henry Vanderburgh, a member of the Indiana Territory legislative council and territorial judge. Three months later on March 9, the Board of County Commissioners of Vanderburgh County met for the first time. Since there was no established courthouse at that time the county used Hugh McGary’s two-story house for court and general meeting purposes.
Only two days after the first County Commission meeting, Evansville was officially made the Vanderburgh County seat of government. The following year, in 1819, the Board of County Commissioners adopted plans to build a courthouse in Evansville.
Through the course of the years, there have been four courthouses constructed. The third courthouse which is still located on Court Street was built in 1890 and remains as a historical landmark in the downtown Evansville area. The current courthouse, built in 1969, resides on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and is the fourth courthouse since 1820. Attached to the courthouse, is the Civic Center Complex that holds all the county departments such as the commissioners, auditor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, jail and several other offices.
We hope that you will browse our web site to find more information on the county departments and other resources that can be useful to you.