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[Evansville,] so called in honor to Dr. J. M. Evans, the first
physician who settled in the village. Dr. Evans is still an influential
and enterprising citizen of the place. The location of the place
is one of the finest in the County, being on the border of a
small prairie and in one of the finest groves in the County.
Allen's Creek passes through the eastern portion of the town,
furnishing an excellent water-power, on which is located a very
flourishing flouring-mill. The village was laid out in 1855 by
Messrs. H. G. and L. Spencer and H. Griffith. The post-office
was located before the village was surveyed and, at the suggestion
of Jacob West, called Evansville. The mail was carried from Union
for two years by Mr. West on horseback. At present the village
contains a population of about one thousand. The manufacturing
interests of the place are represented by one flouring-mill,
one cheese-factory, making annually from seventy-five to one
hundred and twenty thousand pounds of cheese, one planing-mill,
and furniture manufactory. The trade of the town is good. There
are about twenty-five stores and shops, a very large lumber business,
and an extensive tobacco trade. The inhabitants of the town are
principally American. The society good. Church and school interests
are zealously looked after. There are five churches in town,
one seminary building, costing $10,000, and a public school building,
costing $16,000. These schools are both in a flourishing condition.
For lithographic views of these buildings, and many others, principally
private, we refer the reader to the map within. |