In 1851, the New Albany and Salem Railroad Station was constructed in New Albany, IN as a stop along the railroad known as the Monon Railroad. This station was the most elaborate stop on this…

In 1813, brothers Joel, Nathaniel, and Abner Scribner arrived at the Falls of the Ohio with plans to become the founders of a new town. They planned out their settlement in the area that is today New…

The Carnegie Center is housed in the former Carnegie Free Public Library (constructed in 1902) and is a division of the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. Staff at the Center have developed a…

The New Albany and Salem Railroad played a crucial role in the commercial and industrial development of southern Indiana for more than a century. Organized in 1847, the railroad linked New Albany…

From the 1850s until the early twentieth century, Freedomland Cemetery served as the main burial ground for African Americans in New Albany. Originally called the “Colored People’s Burial Grounds”…

Presbyterians have been active in New Albany since its beginnings in 1813. The Scribner family, which founded the town, brought their Presbyterian faith with them from New England. Presbyterians in…

Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church traces its roots to the first Methodist congregation founded in New Albany. In October 1816, several settlers began meeting for prayers in a cake shop owned by…

From the mid-1820s to the Civil War, shipbuilding fueled New Albany’s economic growth. New Albany shipyards produced $12 million worth of rivercraft by 1860. Production began in 1819 and peaked in…

The Old Pike Inn is one of the best-recognized buildings in New Albany. Built about 1840, it is served as the home of the “Old Pike Inn,” a tavern operated by the Kreutzner family, from 1945 to 1995.…

St. Mark’s United Church of Christ reflects New Albany’s European immigrant heritage and the destruction caused by the devastating flood of 1937. During the early nineteenth century, political…

By the early 1870s, New Albany became a bustling river town with extensive commercial activity and a large number of industrial facilities. Nationwide economic trends disrupted New Albany’s economic…

Brewing played a significant role in the commercial landscape of New Albany for most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The arrival of large numbers of German immigrants during the 1840s and…

The Schmitt Furniture Company is one of New Albany’s oldest businesses. Founded in 1936 by Charles Schmitt, Sr., the company opened for business in a store at State and Market Streets. In 1944, it…

Dedicated in October 1977, the Holy Trinity Heritage Court commemorates the history of Roman Catholics in southern Indiana. The court marks the site of the former Holy Trinity Church. The court…

Before the Civil War, New Albany was the largest city in Indiana. It also had the largest population of black residents in the state. At least eight percent of Indiana blacks lived in Floyd County.…

During the Civil War, New Albany became a strategic supply and training center for the Union Army. Federal officials turned the Floyd County Fairgrounds into Camp Noble and converted local schools…

Before the Civil War, African Americans had limited educational opportunities. White children had access to tutors, private academies, and, in some areas, public schools. By contrast, black…

The business of history is a relatively recent addition to New Albany’s commercial landscape. Not until the era of the New Albany sesquicentennial in 1963 did citizens show significant interest in…

The Ohio River flood of 1937 is one of the greatest disasters in American history. Heavy rain began falling in the Louisville area on January 9 and continued with only brief interludes until January…

Ferries played a crucial role in moving people and goods across the Ohio River throughout much of New Albany’s history. Although the river could be crossed on foot at the Falls of the Ohio during…

After the Civil War, African Americans strived to become full participants in society. Many saw education as crucial for advancement. In 1869, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation…

The Reno Gang of Seymour, Indiana began with brothers John, Frank, William, and Simeon Reno. When Seymour founder Meedy Shields authored a legislative bill ensuring that all trains using the Ohio and…

As New Albany and Louisville grew as industrial centers after the Civil War, transportation connections became vital for efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods. The first bridge…

The Sherman Minton Bridge is a two-deck, two-span steel through-arch bridge that carries Interstate I-64 across the Ohio River west of Louisville. Completed in 1962, the bridge dramatically improved…

In the early 1830s, Andrew and Mary Israel arrived in New Albany, Indiana, from Ohio. Andrew, a native of Kentucky, earned his living as a cobbler. Mary, originally from Virginia, helped her husband…

Atkins Chapel is one of the oldest places of worship in southern Indiana. In 1822, Jacob Antrim, a United Brethren circuit-riding preacher, organized a church in Lafayette Township, immediately north…