Newburgh is an incorporated town in Ohio Township, Warrick County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The town is part of the larger Evansville metropolitan area, and Ohio Township, which Newburgh shares with nearby Chandler, includes the town. It is the easternmost suburb of Evansville.

The area has been inhabited by various cultures, dating back at least 10,000 years. Angel Mounds was a permanent settlement of the Mississippian culture from 1000 AD to around 1400 AD. By 1850, Newburgh was one of the larger riverports between Cincinnati and New Orleans, and was the first town north of the Mason–Dixon line to be captured by Confederate forces during the Newburgh Raid during the American Civil War. Shortly after the mid-nineteenth century, Newburgh's growth leveled off until the economic boom of the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in substantial growth as a bedroom community for families looking for new housing developments near Evansville.

Today, Newburgh is locally known for its historic downtown district that features a number of specialty stores, antique shops, and restaurants along its riverfront. The town remains a popular residential community for people working in or near Evansville.

History

As a town situated on the fertile banks of the Ohio River, Newburgh has a long history of human activity. Western explorers first arrived in the area in the 17th century. For centuries prior to that, it had been inhabited by the Shawnee people and was near the center of prehistoric Mississippian culture as late as 1450 A.D. He secured land grants in 1812 and in 1818 platted what became known as Sprinklesburgh (sometimes called "Mount Pleasant"). It was the first town in Warrick County. The original plat of Sprinklesburgh consisted of about 12 blocks immediately west of today's downtown Newburgh.

Abner Luce founded Newburgh almost directly to the east of Sprinklesburgh in 1829. In 1841, Luce's plat was merged with Sprinkelsburgh and the name of the town was changed to Newburgh. However, when the national railway system came to southern Indiana, it bypassed Newburgh completely in favor of Evansville, beginning a permanent shift in regional economic dominance. On July 18, 1862, Newburgh was the first town north of the Mason-Dixon line to be captured by the Confederate forces during the American Civil War in what would come to be known as the Newburgh Raid. Colonel Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson, with a partisan band, crossed the Ohio River and confiscated supplies and ammunition without a shot being fired. The Confederates would have been unable to shell the city (as promised) had Newburgh put up a fight. The Confederates' cannons were an assemblage of a stove pipe, charred log, and wagon wheels. The raid convinced the federal government that it was necessary to supply Indiana with a permanent force of regular Union Army soldiers to counter future raids. Many of the structures used in this raid are still standing, including the Exchange Hotel.

Newburgh's economy benefited from the construction of the Lock and Dam 47 in the 1920s, and its replacement in 1974 with the Newburgh Lock and Dam. The town also benefited from the arrival, and later expansions, of the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), built in 1957. Many of Newburgh's residents are commuters to businesses and industries in Evansville and surrounding areas.

In 1994, Newburgh leaders planned to annex large areas that would have extended town limits to Frame Road (west) and SR 66 (north and east). This would have given Newburgh the ability to plan land use for large open, undeveloped areas. However, by 2001, the town's leadership shifted its focus away from annexation toward planning in the well-established current town limits.

Geography

Newburgh is located at . According to the 2010 census, Newburgh has a total area of , of land. Plans to expand town limits through annexation have been abandoned in favor of planning and development within the current town limits. The town's architecture includes representative examples of Italianate, Greek Revival, and Classical Revival style architecture.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Newburgh has a humid subtropical climate (abbrev. CFA) on climate maps.

Law and government

thumb|right|The [[Old Newburgh Presbyterian Church]]

Newburgh uses the council-manager form of government, led by a five-member town council and a clerk-treasurer. The town council holds both legislative and executive powers while the clerk-treasurer is responsible for financial matters. All are elected for four-year terms. The council employs and oversees a town manager who is responsible for municipal personnel, budget, and day-to-day operations of the town government.

{| class="sortable wikitable"

! District !! Council member !! First elected !! Term ends !! Political party !! Other titles

|-

| 1 || William F. Kavanaugh || 2011 || 2019 || Democratic Party || President

|-

| 2 || Allyson E. Claybourn || 2018 || 2022 || Democratic Party ||

|-

| 3 || Stacie Krieger || 2015 || 2019 || Republican Party || Second Vice President

|-

| 4 || Anne Rust Aurand || 2011 || 2019 || Republican Party ||

|-

| At-large || Carol Schaefer || 2018 || 2022 || Republican Party ||

|-

|}

Some of the governmental functions are handled through Warrick County officials. The county maintains a small claims court that is fit for small, civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

Newburgh is represented by Holli Sullivan (District 78) in the Indiana State House of Representatives and Vaneta Becker (District 50) in the Indiana State Senate. The town is located in the 8th District of Indiana (map) and served by U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, a resident of Newburgh.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Newburgh had a population of 3,344. The median age was 44.7 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.7 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,492 households in Newburgh, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.3% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 3,325 people, 1,455 households, and 935 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,585 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.2% White, 1.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 1,455 households, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.7% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the town was 42.1 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 31.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census There are four elementary schools, two middle schools, and Castle High School. The four elementary schools are Castle, Newburgh, Sharon, and Yankeetown. The two middle schools are Castle North and Castle South. The Indiana Board of Education awarded all of Newburgh's public schools an "A" grade, the highest possible. Additional private schools are located in surrounding communities.

Prior to 1959, Newburgh had its own high school. The school colors were navy blue and old gold, and the mascot was the Wildcats. That year, it merged into Castle High School.

Newburgh is served by two branches of the Ohio Township Public Library System. The branch was established on May 15, 1916, in downtown Newburgh as a Carnegie endowed library. The Downtown Newburgh branch underwent a renovation that was completed in 1984. The Bell Road library became the main branch in 2005. In 2017, the library joined the Evergreen Indiana consortium, which allows patrons to borrow materials from over 100 libraries across Indiana.

Cultural features

Several blocks of Main Street in Newburgh have been intentionally groomed to give off a historic village "river town" air. Some events are held on the shore of the river near the town's lock and dam, with others in the antique downtown section of Newburgh. Summerfest (formerly called the Summer Social), held at St. John's Catholic Parish and School during the month of June.

Each fall, the historic downtown association hosts popular "Ghost Walks" where attendees learn of the town's history of mining, the Civil War, and the Underground Railroad.

Notable people

  • William Bartelt, historian and author, considered the greatest living scholar on Abraham Lincoln's youth in Indiana
  • Jamey Carroll, Major League Baseball player
  • Ernie Haase, musician, grew up in Newburgh
  • Mock Orange, band
  • Michael Rosenbaum, actor Smallville
  • Marcia Yockey, local television weather personality
  • Lily K. Donaldson, Miss United States 2022

Sister cities

Newburgh has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

Newburgh, Lancashire, United Kingdom

See also

  • List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

References

  • Official website