Historic Lamasco Walking Tour
A companion for the Lamasco walking tour highlighting
the town that could have been
Joe Engler
HistoricEvansville.com
Lamasco City








Separate town northwest of Evansville founded 1836
First Ave. westward to St. Joseph Ave., from river north
to Columbia St.
Named after founders Law, McCall, and Scott
Streets on cardinal directions, as opposed to downtown
parallel to the river
Primarily German immigrants
Factories along Pigeon Creek, W & E Canal, Ohio River
Wide primary streets allowed for growth
Merged with Evansville in 1857, Independence stays
separate
9
10
11
8
7
DQ
6
1
5
4
3
2
12
Lamasco and the “West Side”







Bridges over Pigeon Creek helped both areas grow
Independence annexed 1870s
Schools established to serve the area - Fulton (1871),
Baker (1872), Columbia (1875), Centennial (1876)
Several downtown churches created missions to serve
the area
Street cars traveled major streets allowing easier access
to extremities of the city 1880s
Elite homes along First and Fulton Avenues
Commercial growth along Franklin and Pennsylvania Sts
Blomer Residence





Built c1874 for
Frank Blomer
Co-founder of
Blomer, Schulte, &
Rietman furniture
Brick Italianate
Target
Exterminating
1970s
Now Reich &
Associate
insurance
Walden Sanitarium





Modern 7 room hospital with office space
Designed by Anderson and Veatch at a cost of $9000
Combined residence of Dr R M Walden
Begun December 1922 and completed May 1923
Home to a variety of physicians over the years
Municipal Market




Built 1917-8 Clifford Shopbell & Co
1955-1980 Hose House No. 3
Used as bus transport
1998 threatened until Fire & Rain took over
Third and Illinois


Intersection little changed
200 N Third




201 N Third



Federal style built c1860
Max Gatch grocer 1900
117-9 N and 121 N Third


Third and Illinois looking north c1890
Built c1880
Kesel grocery and saloon
c1900
Schlundt and Caldemeyer
grocers c1910


Commercial buildings c1880
Dr Wm Fitsch drug store and
offices c1900
Rich Confectionery 1950s
Now Bee Gees Apartments
Trinity Lutheran









Lots dedicated when Lamasco was
platted
Frame church built 1840
Present church built 1871
Gothic style Sutermeister & Co (Ft
Wayne) architect
East wing added 1904, west 1917
School built 1894 near Willard
Library
Lutheran school built 1956
School relocated to St Paul
Parsonage c1920
Hose House No. 3



Built 1895 facing
Pennsylvania St (Lloyd)
West Side Expressway
chopped off front and
tower removed
Moved 1955 to the
Municipal market, later
relocates to Fulton Ave
Park
Hose House No. 3 in the 1970s (top)
and as it looks now (bottom)
Weber Hall / Carpenters’ Hall




Weber’s Hall built c1890
Weber’s Malt House on
Fourth Ave, also known
as Franklin Brewery,
made malt extract
Carpenters union
purchases building 1922
and becomes known as
Carpenters’ Hall
1940 addition in rear
Headquarters of Local 90
Carpenter Union 1932
Fulton Avenue Park



John Law Park
Public building served as courthouse and
later school, gone by 1880
Fire station eastern edge built 1979
Fulton Ave Park c1889
Lamasco Bank





Designed by Clifford Shopbell
& Co Sullivanesque style
Built 1919-20 at Fulton and
Franklin
Moved across st 1961
Merged with Citizens Bank
1976, becomes branch office
Murals celebrating merger of
Evansville and Lamasco
decorate inside
1930 ad for Lamasco Bank
Good Shepherd Episcopal




St Paul established mission church in the Lamasco area
Built 1873 at Michigan and Third
1893 becomes temple for Evansville Society of
Spiritualists
Converted to apartments c1990
Third Ave Residences



418-20 N - Miller duplex built
c1860 for Christian and John
Miller dealers in groceries,
produce, etc
400 N – Michael Dauszmann
(Daussman) c1860 cartman
318 N - Mayor Dress c1900
Kappler Bros







Corner of Second and
Virginia
Built c1892
Kappler Bros grocery
Sandwich shop 1930s
Pop and Gils Tavern
Murphy’s Mortgages
Now vacant
First Avenue Presbyterian





Established 1875 as a
north side mission
Brick chapel dedicated
April 2, 1876
Southwest corner of
Virginia St and First Ave
Remodeled 1914 after
storm damage, tower
added
Later rear additions
claim First Ave houses
Hartig Residence





Built 1891
William F Hartig
Northwest corner of
Virginia and First
Queen Anne
Purple street signs
from early 1900s on
side of residence
Rietz Residence




Built for Dr Paul C
Rietz 1906
Designed by Harris &
Shopbell
Queen Anne with
Tudor elements (half
timbered tower)
Northeast corner of
First and Virginia
Wm Boetticher Residence





William Boetticher of
Boetticher & Kellogg
Built 1899
Designed by Frank
Schlotter French
Chateau/Queen Anne
Southeast corner of First
and Virginia
Owls home next door was
father’s
First Ave Mansions
Other grand
homes along
First Ave
Emanuel Lutheran







Corner Franklin St and First Ave
Built 1856
Tower added 1874
School built 1890
German-speaking, later banned
Parish house addition 1927
School razed c1995