Vincennes

Vincennes is a small city in Knox County in southwestern Indiana near the Illinois border on the east bank of the Wabash River. The downtown sits around an old church and a tree-lined square with red brick storefronts.

French fur traders founded the post in 1732 as a trading station on the Wabash before it fell under British control and was captured by American troops in 1779. The settlement served as the first capital of Indiana Territory from 1800 until 1813.

Riverside property patterns still follow the long-lot divisions of French settlers who laid narrow parcels running from water to inland fields. Several old Catholic churches and street names recall the early French-speaking community along the Wabash.

The downtown core is walkable with parking lots along main streets near the university buildings and the riverfront park. Museums and memorials open during daytime hours while most downtown shops remain accessible until mid-afternoon.

A sundial on the university grounds is formed by a living tree whose trunk serves as the gnomon while numerals lie on the ground around it. The oldest newspaper in Indiana started here in 1804 under the name Western Sun.

Location: Knox County

Inception: 1732

Elevation above the sea: 128 m

Website: http://vincennes.org

GPS coordinates: 38.67833,-87.51611

Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:23