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Health Care
Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes first opened its doors in February, 1908 as a 25-bed facility. It is now considered to be a well respected, regional referral medical complex with an operating complement of over 260 beds, serving southwestern Indiana and southeastern Illinois.
Throughout its history, Good Samaritan Hospital has grown to meet the health care needs of residents in several neighboring counties in southwestern Indiana and southeastern Illinois. While progressive in our utilization of advanced technologies, we have remained committed to an atmosphere of personal, compassionate patient care.
With a highly trained medical staff, Good Samaritan offers a wide scope of medical and surgical services.
Good Samaritan Lincoln Trail Hospice is another service available in the region that fills the special needs of those dealing with a terminal illness. Lincoln Trail Hospice serves people within a 50-mile radius of Vincennes. In addition to volunteers there is a full-time professional staff of 19.
Wabash Valley Human Services, with administrative offices at 525 N. Fourth St., Vincennes, is a community action agency providing four counties with an array of services.
Welch Diabetes Center in Vincennes continues to expand. Stressing early diagnosis and education, the center reinforces its focus through support and encouragement for patients.
Today, in addition to the administrator, the center has two nurses, a full-time dietitian, and a coordinator and part-time dietitian to meet the expanding needs in southwestern Indiana and southeastern Illinois.
Knox County Association for Retarded Citizens is a multi-faceted organization headquartered in Vincennes providing services for citizens with disabilities. KCARC services include a children's program which provides early childhood intervention.
Affiliated with Vincennes University, Generations is a not-for-profit corporation which serves elderly and disabled individuals of all ages in Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Knox, Martin and Pike counties.
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History - Historic Attractions
Founded in 1732, Vincennes, the oldest city in Indiana, was a French fur trading outpost. Today, visitors can step back to the era of the fur trader and the missionary priest at the Old French House and Basilica of St. Francis Xavier.
From 1800 to 1813, while Vincennes was the capital of the Indiana Territory, the Territorial Legislature met in a variety of locations. One of the buildings from which the Territory was governed has been preserved here; considered the oldest major government building in the Midwest, it is now used to interpret early government in the Territory. Next to the capitol building is the Elihu Stout Print Shop, a replica of the building where Eilhu Stout printed the law of the Territory was well as the Territory's first newspaper, the Indiana Gazette. The site also includes the Maurice Thompson birthplace, the small frame house where the author of Alice of Old Vincennes was born; and the Log Cabin Visitor's Center, where visitors may view a videotape on Vincennes History.
Grouseland is the home of William Henry Harrison and his family from 1803 - 1812, when Harrison, later ninth U.S. President, was Governor of the Indiana Territory. During Harrison's governorship of the Indiana Territory, Grouseland was the focal point of the social and official life of the Territory.
Some Historic Vincennes "Firsts":
- Site of the First Catholic church in Indiana. (1749)
- Was the First county organized in Indiana. (1790)
- Home of the First newspaper in Indiana. (1799)
- Site of the First Presbyterian church in Indiana. (1806)
- Site of the First Masonic Lodge in Indiana.
- Home of the First bank in Indiana. (1814)
- Host to the First medical society in Indiana. (1817)
To view a map of the Vincennes area identifying historic sites and other places of interest, click here.
Map reference:
For more information on these and other great places to visit in Vincennes and Knox County, visit the Convention and Visitor's Bureau or call 800.886.6443.
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Entertainment/Recreation
Vincennes and Knox County offer a wide variety of entertainment and recreation for any taste. Vincennes University offers a full season of dramatic and musical productions and the Old Town Players, a non-profit community theatre, offers four presentations per season. There are also numerous productions of professional theatre troupes in nearby cities.
Vincennes University is currently home to the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center in honor of one of Vincennes favorite sons.
Outdoor recreational opportunities are in abundant supply in the area as well. Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, golfing, you name it, Knox County has the perfect location for your favorite pursuits.
Baseball, basketball, football and soccer are also available for fans and participants.
Knox County Parks
- Ouabache Trails is the largest recreational area in the area with 254 acres of rolling woodlands. Located on Old Fort Knox Road, it includes primitive and modern campgrounds, more than four miles of nature trails, three playgrounds and fishing access to the Wabash River.
- Pyramid Mound consists of two acres on Ramsey Road in Vincennes. People who are interested in prehistoric or Indiana archeology will find this area interesting. A trail takes visitors to the top.
- Hillcrest Park is located off Hillcrest Road on Pine Hill Drive and includes picnic spots and shelter houses that can be rented.
- Emison Mill is located between Emison and Bruceville in Knox County and has a fishing pier and picnic locations.
Vincennes Parks
- Gregg Park, this 40-acre site is the home of Rainbow Beach swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, an enclosed shelter house, and open-air shelter house, horseshoe pits, volleyball facilities and a variety of playground equipment. Each spring it is home of the popular fund-raising event Relay Knox County, a Team Event to Fight Cancer.
- Kimmell Park on the banks of the Wabash River, provides campsites with electrical and water hookups, a shelter house, boat ramp, multipurpose court, playground equipment, basketball courts, a boathouse and rest rooms.
- Four Lakes has lighted tennis courts, a shelter house, playground facilities and small lakes for fishing.
- Lester Square Park has lighted tennis courts, a multipurpose court, a baseball field, playground facilities, basketball courts and volleyball areas.
- Chicago Park includes a multi-purpose court, ball diamond, playground apparatus and shelter house.
- Kelso Creek Park has three softball fields which are lighted, rest rooms and a concession stand.
- The Vincennes Cub League Complex on Bambino Drive is home of five lighted baseball and softball fields. As one of the finest youth baseball/softball facilities in the country, the complex includes a modern concession stand/pressbox, children’s play land, and a state of the art indoor hitting facility. Over 500 games are played each year from April to August. The site has played host to four Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken World Series’ since 1998, including a live national telecast of the August 26, 2001 championship game on Fox Sports Net.
Sports
- The Vincennes Youth Soccer League is a relatively new addition to the sporting scene and one of the fastest growing.
- The Vincennes Cub League is another good example of the popularity of local youth sports. Headed into it’s 49th year, VCL now has 62 baseball and softball teams involving approximately 725 local boys and girls from age three through high school.
- The Girl's and Women Softball League in Vincennes is about 25 years old and currently serves approximately 350 girls on 33 teams in five age brackets. Games are played on three fields, with another in the planning stages.
- The South Knox Baseball League also has a long history of success. It's been around for at least 40 years. Unaffiliated with any national baseball organization, the local league serves about 180 players each year. Tee ball was added in 1997 and Pony League for players age 14 to 18 in 1998.
Golf Courses - Knox County
- Elks Country Club -- semiprivate
- Vincennes Country Club-- public
- Bicknell Country Club -- public
Golf Courses - Lawrence County
- Lawrence County Country Club -- semiprivate
- Cedar Brooke Par 3 -- public, par 3
Golf Courses - Daviess County
- Washington Country Club -- semiprivate
- Country Oaks in Montgomery -- Public
Golf Courses - Sullivan County
- Sullivan Elks Country Club -- Semiprivate
Golf Courses - Crawford County, Ill.
- Quail Creek Country Club in Robinson -- semiprivate
- Oak Glen Golf Course in Stoy -- public
Golf Courses - Dubois County
- Sultan's Run in Jasper -- semiprivate
- Jasper Municipal -- public
Golf Courses - Vigo County
- Hulman Links Golf Course -- public
- Rea Park Golf Course -- public
- Country Club of Terre Haute -- private
Golf Courses - Evansville Area
- Helfrich Hills Golf Course -- public
- Fendrich Golf Course -- public
- Hamilton Golf Course -- public
- Clearcrest Pines Golf Course -- public
- McDonald's Golf Course -- public
- Oak Meadow County Club -- Semiprivate
- Evansville Country Club -- Semiprivate
- Quail Crossing - public
- Victoria National -- private.
Golf Courses - Orange County
- French Lick Springs Resort -- resort, two courses.
Golf Courses - Pike County
- Pride's Creek Golf Course -- Public
Golf Courses - Martin County
- Loogootee Lakeview Golf Course -- public
- Crane Naval Station
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Dining
A wide variety of dining experiences await you in Knox County. Choose from your favorites, including:
- Japanese
- Korean
- Chinese
- Middle Eastern
- Italian
- Mexican
Shopping
Shoppers find a wealth of choices in Vincennes and Knox County. Refer to the Map to locate addresses provided.
Antiques & Crafts
- The Farm Gallery Country Store
US 41 South of Vincennes - 812.882.0640
- The Hitching Post
1717 Washington Avenue - 812.882.9372
- Old Gimbel Corner Antiques
202 Main Street - 812.886.8805
- Old Town Antique Attic
1804 Washington Avenue - 812.882.0903
- Yesteryear Antiques & Folk Art
305 Main Street - 812.886-2459
- Shakers Landing Antiques
1238 South 18th Street - 812.886.6024
- Ray's Variety Shop
1508 Broadway Street - 812.886.1007
- The Pine Box
1043 Washington Avenue - 812.882.9045
Art Galleries & Gifts
- Shaker Prairie Shop
1701 Hart Street - 812.882.0747
- Art Gallery & Historical Museum
Van Eaton Building, 102 North 3rd
Confections
- Charlie's Carmel Corn & Candy Shop
427 North 2nd - 812.882.8008
Gift & Specialty Shops
- Carol's Collection
405-b Main Street - 812.882.0472
- Fleur de lis Lingerie
212 Main Street - 812. 882.4175
- Something Special
423 Main Street - 812.886.6589
- The Accent Shop
2102 North 6th Street - 812.882.6536
- The Rasberry Cottage
2019 Washington Avenue - 812.882.1716
- On A Wing
1024 Washington Avenue - 812.886.9141
- Scruples
324 Main Street - 812.882.8780
- First Street
19 North 1st Street - 812.882.7300
Shopping Complexes
- Vincennes Plaza
6th Street
- Knox Plaza
6th Street
- Kimmell Crossing
Kimmell Road
- Downtown
Main Street
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Special Events
The region has many annual celebrations ranging from historical re-enactments to festivals that delight area residents and keep visitors coming back year after year.
Major events include the Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous held each Memorial Day weekend in Vincennes since 1976. The Rendezvous has developed into a fantastic mix of sights and sounds ranging from authentic Revolutionary War re-enactments to demonstrations of 18th and 19th century lifestyles. The battle re-enactments are complete with the cannons thundering and the crackling of musket fire throughout the weekend.
Crafts and skills demonstrated by participants include such things as blacksmithing, silver smithing, weaving, basket making, moccasin sewing and shingle splitting. For two days the grounds near the George Rogers Clark Memorial and the area known as the French Commons are transformed by fife playing, uniformed parades, historic ceremonies and much more on the sacred site of an actual Revolutionary War battle.
The park is along the historic Old Cahokia Trace which was a primary link for settlers heading west to St. Louis during the early 19th century.
The north side of the park reflects this point in time during Old Settler Days through re-enactors demonstrating lifestyles and skills of that period. They offer a wide variety of crafts, entertainment , food and wares while sharing their knowledge of the past in the present.
No matter what the season, there are special events to entertain.
Spring
