First settled by the French in 1732, and intensely fought over during the Revolutionary War, Vincennes (pop. 18,701) remained a lawless frontier until 1803, when it was named the territorial capital. A handful of early buildings, including a bank, a church, and a newspaper office, have been restored at 1st and Harrison Streets in the historic downtown area. Nearby, overlooking the Wabash River, the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park ($3) is a classical dome honoring Revolutionary War general George Rogers Clark, who led local militiamen in the capture of Vincennes from the British in 1779. (George Rogers Clark was the older brother of William Clark, of Lewis and Clark fame.)
The monument, built as a WPA project during the Great Depression, wouldn’t look out of place in D.C., but the rest of Vincennes is decidedly down-to-earth, with grain elevators, five-and-dime stores, and cafés along the busy railroad tracks.
The area around Vincennes is very flat farming country, notable for its large Amish communities (and numerous roadside “Amish Kountry Korner” stores and cafés), especially around Loogootee, 30 miles east of Vincennes.
