Evansville’s Top 10 List – “Making Evansville Famous”

Evansville, Indiana has found its way into many state, national, and world “Top 10 Lists” in recent years. As these lists have been published online and in print, Evansville is making a name for itself on the world-scene, but it seems that it is the negative that is drawing the world’s attention. However, if you were never to drive into the city of Evansville, you may never even know about the great things in this city that are staples to our culture. Things like; The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, The Eastland Mall, Burdette Park, the memories from Robert’s Stadium, The Evansville Otters, Zesto’s, Grippos & Ski, Don Mattingly & Bob Griese, The Pie Pan, or Mesker Amphitheater would never be factored-in to the “cultural flavor” of this city when considering only Evansville’s recently written fame and popularity according to the nature of exactly which “Top 10” list you are reading.

The following includes Evansville’s ranking in some of the Top Lists upon which Evansville has landed. From World War 2 to last month, our city’s fame has been determined by a number of factors which may be very foretelling of some collectively underlying issues which just may need to be addressed. Conversely, these topics may also bring to our recollection “the way it used to be” and spark a cooperative effort for Evansvillians to be “the change we need” to make this city shine brightly and on a much more positive list once again.

10. Obese-city. In March of 2011 a Gallup poll labeled Evansville as the most obese city in the world after a World Health Organization survey on obesity ranked America 3rd with an estimated 66.7% of the population being overweight. “The only nations to top the US – and they did so by large margins – were the Pacific islands of Kiribati and America’s own territory, American Samoa. Gallup surveyed over 180 areas (in 2010) and found 37.8% of the residents in Evansville to be obese.  That is compared to a national average of 26.6% obese citizens (and 66.7% that are just overweight),” stated Mark Johanson of the International Business Times. Obesity is determined by a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 determines that a person isn’t necessarily “obese,” but rather “only overweight.” Approximately 45,000 Evansville citizens are considered obese while those who are merely overweight was not included in the Evansville study. It would be safe to assume by the national average that approximately 36,000 – 40,000 more Evansvillians are overweight. The averages indicate that approximately 81,000 – 86,000 (or around 70%) of us would benefit greatly from a balanced, chemical-free diet, and exercise.

9. Misery. Gallup surveyed hundreds of thousands of Americans in 189 metropolitan areas in the U.S. and in 2012 and 2013, Evansville was ranked 8^th and 10^th among the most miserable cities in America. Gallup-Healthways measures the physical and emotional health of the residents and also accounts for financial, employment, and social indicators. “The index ranks well-being by averaging scores in six categories: life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities,” stated Julie Zeveloff from Business Insider. While the results are a bit of a downer, the city’s population is not diminishing due to the miserable conditions, but gradually growing. Apparently for Evansville, misery loves company.

8. Suicides. Clearly there is a direct connection from the level of misery to the number of suicides in Evansville. In the March 15^th, 2007 edition of the USA Today, Evansville received national media attention for number of suicides in the first three months of the year. While not receiving any official ranking in the way of “highest in suicides per capita,” Evansville did indeed surpass the national average. Jessie Halladay of the USA Today stated, “Suicides in the southwestern Indiana county of 173,000 usually don’t exceed 30 a year. There have

been 15 since Jan. 1 — nearly triple what Vanderburgh County had experienced at this point in 2006. If the pace continues, Vanderburgh County’s annual rate per 100,000 people would be 43. That’s about three times Vanderburgh County’s usual rate and four times the state rate. The national rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 11.1.” Annie Groves of the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office said, “Based on its population, Vanderburgh County has had one of the highest suicide rates in Indiana.” Vanderburgh County recorded 40 suicides altogether in 2007 with a notable increase in suicides every year thereafter, save for 2008, in which the number dropped slightly to 38.

7. That’s Methed-Up. While Indiana was crowned in 2011 as the “Crystal Meth Capital” of the United States, Vanderburgh County became known as the meth capital of Indiana, making Evansville the number 1 meth city in America. Officers were “tweaked” when 116 meth labs were discovered in Evansville in 2011 which was the most in the state. To boot, it was the second year in a row that Vanderburgh County topped the list and is having difficulty “Breaking Bad.” When compared to the obesity ranking above, it seems that the remaining 30% of Evansvillians who are not overweight are high on crystal meth, weigh 90lbs… and probably have very clean homes.

6. Poisoned Premies. According to a recent study from the Environmental Health Perspectives, EPA data reveals that preterm births have been linked to exposure to airborne particulate matter. The EHP reports, “Studies of prenatal exposure have associated particulate matter and other ambient air pollutants with adverse birth outcomes.” While obviously not the only factor of preterm birth rates, PTB seems to be synonymous with an increase in airborne pollutants or particulate matter and Indiana just made the #1 State in the country for the highest (per capita) preterm births related to exposure to airborne particulate matter, with a higher rate in the state in urban counties. Among those counties in Indiana that has the highest rate of Preterm Births, you guessed it, the greatest concentration is right here in and around the Evansville area. According to this study, there must be something in the air.

5. Intoxi-city. According to Roadsnacks.net in a compilation study posted in September of 2015, Evansville was ranked as the 10^th drunkest city in Indiana. The study considered several factors for greater accuracy, factors such as city population, number of bars, pubs, wineries, and liquor stores per capita, number of drunk tweets (seriously) per location within the week prior, and even (our 17%, 12^th ranked city for) divorce rate since previous studies have shown that the divorce rate notably increases if one or both spouses in a marriage is an alcoholic.

4. Pill-poppin. While not on a top 10 list, Evansville did recently land on the top 20 for opiate abuse. On Wednesday, April 20^th, a report was released by Castlight Health, Inc. stating that Evansville was rated 19^th out of all U.S. cities for prescription pain pill abuse. Indiana is reported as having more pain killer prescriptions per year than residents. In 2015 the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s office reported that 31 out of 47 total overdose deaths were in some way related to prescription drug abuse. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reveal that there is an average of 109 pain killer prescriptions per 100 Indiana residents. Now that’s a hard pill to swallow.

3. Worst Drivers. According to a study posted by Bankrate.com on August 31^st of 2015, a study revealed that the worst state in America to drive in was Indiana. This mirrored a study from the early 2000’s which named Indiana the worst state for driving while the worst city to drive in was of course, Evansville. And it’s no wonder, with all the divorced, overweight, miserable, drunken, depressed, suicidal, pill-poppin, meth-heads on the roads here, it seems that not a one of us even knows how to use a turn signal.

2. On the Bright Side. According to a study by personal finance website NerdWallet.com Evansville, IN is ranked 4^th in the entire nation among “best cities to start a business.” The opportunities are certainly here. The city is peppered with vacant and available offices, restaurants, strip malls, warehouses, banks, and gas stations. The people are creative and always looking for innovative ways to introduce themselves, their products, their services, or their ingenuity. The market is wide open, and the customer base is booming for businesses who establish their “regulars.” With Evansville, IN having once been known as the “Test City of America,” our demographics are so versatile that, given a particular set of ingredients, a little ambition, and a lot of perseverance anyone can succeed.

1. X Marks the Spot – Along with cities such as New York, Boston, Washington D.C. Los Angeles, and Chicago, Evansville, Indiana was once rumored to be on Adolf Hitler’s top ten list of targets within the U.S. to be bombed due to the local production of P-47 planes, Briggs plant manufacturing of aircraft wings, and the Chrysler plant production of bullets. Also produced in Evansville were bayonets, shell casings, gun turret frames, trench coats, and more.

Evansville was once known for the citizens working together to support and assist the country in standing behind our armed forces and more specifically behind our troops, not just as a brief contribution to the war which may have led to a small sense of accomplishment, but as a way of life. Hundreds of troops stopped off in Evansville by train daily while thousands worked on LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks), and the city was crowded with camaraderie as the willing and helping hands reached out to anyone in need.

Transitional ‘hot beds’ were provided in shifts to troops needing a place to stay for the night, morning, or evening, and garages were opened up as sleeping quarters for soldiers. Grocery stores and restaurants donated food to the troops daily while knitting clubs created items to be sent abroad. The city of Evansville operated as a unit for a common goal, and it made this city shine. Obviously, Hitler never bombed Evansville or any of the U.S. cities on his list, but people still to this day tout the fame Evansville received from Hitler’s famous “Top Ten.”

So the questions we must ask ourselves are, “Can we shine like this today?”  “Did our momentary sense of accomplishment bring upon us such a pride that has caused us arrogance, division, contentiousness, stirred up strife, and left Evansville in a place of apathy and stagnation?” “How can we, the citizens of Evansville, bring back the level of camaraderie and unified continuous accomplishment we once saw?” “Is the humility and self-sacrifice of the 1940’s the spirit behind our comeback?”

This city once operated as a well-oiled machine with helping hands and giving hearts with each person applying their resources, their time, and their giftings to help the next person. Today we have so much potential to do the same and much greater if we set our focus on finding the problems, offering solutions, putting our money where our mouth is, setting our feet to motion, and “putting our hands to the plow” to get the work done. I implore you – there’s a whole city out there waiting for you to change it. What if your voice is the voice that changes Evansville? How would you change it today? How will you make Evansville famous?

UPDATE:

Lilly King of Evansville, shining Olympic Champion, has won the gold in the 100 meter breaststroke in the 2016 Summer Olympics, rising above the somewhat negative personas of Evansville, its polls and its citizens, and made Evansville famous once again with an amazingly positive impact. Congratulations Lilly!!

To Evansville; just like Lilly, we each have an opportunity before us to make a positive difference in the world around us. Again, the question must be asked and the challenge must be issued: How will you make Evansville famous?