St. Benedict Cathedral, commonly known in Evansville as St. Ben’s, is a Roman Catholic cathedral, parish church, school, and historic landmark located at 1328 Lincoln Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. It serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville and is one of the most prominent religious and architectural landmarks in the city.
St. Benedict Parish was established in 1912 to serve the growing Catholic population on Evansville’s expanding East Side. From its beginning, the parish developed a strong Benedictine identity through its relationship with the monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and the Benedictine Sisters of Ferdinand.
The present cathedral was constructed in 1927 and 1928. Designed by Evansville architect Edward J. Thole, the massive brick church was modeled after European basilicas and includes a 130-foot campanile, 65-foot interior ceilings, Italian marble, German stained glass, and a monumental baldachin above the sanctuary.
Originally built as a parish church, St. Benedict became the cathedral of the Diocese of Evansville in 1999.
The cathedral and its surrounding parish and school campus have played a major role in Catholic education, worship, architecture, and community life in Evansville for more than a century.
Establishment of St. Benedict Parish
St. Benedict Parish was established in 1912, at a time when Evansville was expanding eastward beyond its older downtown neighborhoods.
The parish was created to serve Catholics living on what was then the far East Side of Evansville.
From the beginning, pastoral responsibility for the new parish was entrusted to Benedictine monks from Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana. The parish was named for Saint Benedict of Nursia, founder of Western Christian monasticism and the patron associated with the Benedictine order.
Father Martin Hoppenjans, OSB, served as the founding pastor.
Education was also part of the parish from its earliest days. Benedictine Sisters from Ferdinand, Indiana, came to Evansville to educate children of the new parish.
This combination of Benedictine monks, Benedictine sisters, parish worship, and Catholic education established an identity that has remained closely associated with St. Benedict throughout its history.
First Church and School
Construction began in 1913 on the parish’s first major building.
Rather than immediately constructing separate buildings for worship and education, the growing parish built a multipurpose structure that could accommodate nearly every major parish function.
The building contained classrooms, space for worship, a cafeteria, and living accommodations for the Benedictine Sisters.
The upper portion of the building served as the parish church while other areas were devoted primarily to the school.
The building later became known as St. Meinrad Hall.
As the parish grew, additional buildings followed. A separate convent was constructed for the Benedictine Sisters, and a rectory was eventually constructed for the parish clergy.
By the 1920s, however, the parish had substantially outgrown its original worship space.
Growth of the Parish
St. Benedict developed at the same time that the surrounding East Side of Evansville was undergoing significant residential growth.
By 1926, the parish reportedly included approximately 600 families, while enrollment in its school had reached approximately 400 students.
The combination church and school building was no longer adequate for the growing congregation.
Parish leaders began planning a large permanent church that would not only accommodate the congregation but also serve as a major architectural statement for the Catholic community.
Construction of the present church began in May 1927.
Construction of the Present Cathedral
The architectural commission for the new St. Benedict Church was awarded to the Evansville firm of Thole & Legeman.
Architect Edward J. Thole Sr. was primarily responsible for the design, while Ralph Legeman served as engineer.
Thole had worked for some of Evansville’s leading architectural firms and had developed considerable experience designing major buildings throughout the region.
His design for St. Benedict was influenced by European church architecture he encountered while overseas during World War I.
The building was conceived as a smaller interpretation of a European basilica Thole had studied and photographed.
Thole added the prominent campanile, or bell tower, as a distinctive element of his own design.
The contractor was Hoffman Construction Company, associated with parishioner Michael Hoffman.
Construction proceeded rapidly.
Beginning in May 1927, the enormous church was substantially completed approximately ten months later.
The reported construction cost was approximately $230,000, an enormous investment for a parish church during the 1920s.
The completed St. Benedict Church was dedicated on March 18, 1928, by Abbot Athanasius Schmidt, OSB.
Architecture
St. Benedict Cathedral was designed in the Lombard-Basilica style, incorporating elements associated with Romanesque and Renaissance Revival church architecture.
The exterior is constructed primarily of dark buff brick beneath a red tile roof.
One of the most recognizable architectural features is the extensive use of rounded Romanesque arches.
An arcaded porch stretches across the front of the church, while side aisles extend along the main body of the building.
The cathedral’s dominant exterior feature is its campanile, or bell tower.
Rising approximately 130 feet, the tower helped make St. Benedict one of the most visually prominent structures on Evansville’s East Side.
At the time of its construction, the church was among the largest religious buildings in Evansville and southern Indiana.
Its scale remains particularly noticeable along Lincoln Avenue, where the cathedral rises above the surrounding residential neighborhood.
Interior
The interior of St. Benedict was designed to create the scale and atmosphere of a traditional European basilica.
The cathedral’s ceiling rises approximately 65 feet above the floor.
Massive columns divide the central nave from the side aisles, directing the eye toward the sanctuary.
Historically, the church could accommodate approximately 1,000 worshippers, although current parish descriptions place normal seating capacity at more than 900.
One of the cathedral’s defining features is the large baldachin, or ceremonial canopy, positioned above the main altar.
The sanctuary historically featured a high altar constructed of Italian marble.
Italian marble was also used extensively in other portions of the church.
The overall interior was designed to emphasize vertical scale, symmetry, and the visual focus of the sanctuary.
Stained Glass
The stained-glass windows are among the cathedral’s most significant artistic features.
The windows were produced by the Zettler Art Glass Company of Munich, Germany, a firm associated with major ecclesiastical stained-glass projects internationally.
The windows contribute significantly to the European character of the cathedral’s interior.
Together with the marble work, Stations of the Cross, altar furnishings, arches, columns, and baldachin, the stained glass made St. Benedict one of the most elaborate religious interiors constructed in Evansville during the early twentieth century.
Lincolnshire Historic District
St. Benedict Cathedral became an important architectural anchor for the neighborhood developing around it.
During the 1920s, several major institutions were being constructed along or near Lincoln Avenue.
These included Bosse High School, Reitz Memorial High School, the growing campus of Evansville College, now the University of Evansville, and St. Benedict.
The surrounding residential area developed into what became known as the Lincolnshire neighborhood.
St. Benedict Cathedral, its rectory, and its historic school facilities became contributing properties within the Lincolnshire Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
The cathedral remains one of the district’s most recognizable landmarks.
St. Benedict School
Education has been part of St. Benedict’s mission since the parish’s beginning.
St. Benedict Cathedral School began in 1913, only about a year after the establishment of the parish.
The Benedictine Sisters of Ferdinand staffed the school from its earliest years and maintained a presence at the school for generations.
The original combination church and school building eventually became primarily an educational facility after the present church was completed.
By the late 1940s, St. Meinrad Hall reportedly accommodated more than 1,000 students, reflecting both the growth of the parish and the importance of Catholic education in Evansville during the period.
St. Scholastica Hall
Continued enrollment growth created a need for additional educational facilities.
A second major school building, St. Scholastica Hall, was constructed in the early 1950s and completed in 1953.
For generations of St. Benedict students, it was commonly referred to as the “new school.”
The building added seven classrooms along with a gymnasium, auditorium, and cafeteria.
These spaces were used not only by the school but also for parish gatherings, athletic events, performances, and community activities.
St. Benedict Hall
Another major expansion of the campus was completed in 2004 with the construction of St. Benedict Hall.
The newer facility connected portions of the existing school campus and provided administrative offices, preschool and pre-kindergarten classrooms, a library, computer and science laboratories, and parish meeting rooms.
The addition helped transform the collection of buildings developed over nearly a century into a more unified campus.
St. Benedict Cathedral School currently serves students from preschool through eighth grade.
Creation of the Diocese of Evansville
St. Benedict existed for more than three decades before Evansville became the seat of its own Catholic diocese.
On October 21, 1944, Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Evansville.
Assumption Church, Evansville’s oldest Catholic parish, was selected as the first cathedral of the new diocese.
Henry J. Grimmelsman became the first Bishop of Evansville and was consecrated in December 1944.
Although St. Benedict was one of the city’s largest and most architecturally significant Catholic churches, it remained a parish church rather than the diocesan cathedral.
That would eventually change more than half a century later.
Assumption Cathedral and Holy Trinity
Assumption Cathedral served as the seat of the Diocese of Evansville until the 1960s.
The Assumption property was sold to the City of Evansville as part of the development of the new Civic Center complex.
Assumption was dismantled in 1965.
With the original cathedral gone, Holy Trinity Catholic Church became the diocesan Pro-Cathedral.
Holy Trinity served in that role for more than three decades.
During this period, however, St. Benedict increasingly became a location for major diocesan ceremonies because of its size and architectural prominence.
Episcopal Ordinations
St. Benedict hosted the ordination and installation of two Evansville bishops before it officially became a cathedral.
Francis R. Shea was ordained and installed as the third Bishop of Evansville at St. Benedict in 1970.
Nearly two decades later, Gerald A. Gettelfinger was ordained and installed as the fourth Bishop of Evansville at St. Benedict on April 11, 1989.
These events demonstrated the church’s growing importance as a diocesan gathering place.
Exactly ten years after Gettelfinger’s episcopal ordination, St. Benedict formally became the cathedral of the diocese.
Becoming St. Benedict Cathedral
On April 11, 1999, Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger dedicated St. Benedict Church as the cathedral church of the Diocese of Evansville.
The designation made St. Benedict the third cathedral church to serve the Diocese of Evansville, following Assumption Cathedral and Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral.
A cathedral is distinguished from an ordinary parish church because it contains the cathedra, or official chair of the diocesan bishop.
The cathedral therefore serves as the principal church of a diocese and hosts major diocesan liturgies and ceremonies.
St. Benedict retained its role as a neighborhood parish while simultaneously assuming its larger responsibility as the central church of the Diocese of Evansville.
Second Vatican Council Renovations
Like many Catholic churches constructed before the 1960s, St. Benedict underwent interior changes following the liturgical reforms associated with the Second Vatican Council.
The sanctuary was reorganized to accommodate the changing celebration of the Mass.
The original high altar was dismantled and a new altar was created.
The enormous baldachin was moved approximately 25 feet forward from its original location.
Despite these changes, much of the cathedral’s historic architectural character was retained.
Later Renovations
St. Benedict has undergone additional restoration and renovation projects intended to preserve the historic building while adapting it to contemporary parish and diocesan needs.
A major cathedral renovation began in 2018.
Work over the years has addressed the sanctuary, building systems, interior finishes, accessibility, worship spaces, and preservation of the cathedral’s historic features.
The parish has continued investing in the larger campus as both the cathedral and school remain active institutions.
Music Tradition
Music has long played an important role in worship at St. Benedict.
The enormous volume of the nave and the cathedral’s traditional basilica architecture give the church distinctive acoustical qualities.
Choirs, cantors, instrumentalists, guest musicians, and organists have performed in the cathedral for liturgical celebrations and concerts.
Because it serves as the diocesan cathedral, St. Benedict also hosts major Masses and musical events involving Catholics from throughout southwestern Indiana.
The cathedral has additionally become an Evansville venue for choral, classical, and other special musical performances.
Cathedral Pipe Organ
One of the largest recent additions to St. Benedict is its new pipe organ constructed by Parsons Pipe Organ Builders of Canandaigua, New York.
The instrument was designed specifically for the cathedral and installed in 2024.
Rather than functioning as a single instrument in one location, the system combines two pipe organs.
The primary Gallery Organ is located in the balcony at the rear of the cathedral. It contains 62 ranks and approximately 3,780 pipes.
The Gallery Organ supports congregational singing as well as choirs, cantors, instrumentalists, and soloists.
A smaller Nave Organ is located near the front of the cathedral.
That instrument contains eight ranks and approximately 560 pipes and can support smaller liturgical gatherings and musicians positioned near the sanctuary.
Together, the instruments contain approximately 4,370 pipes.
Some pipes are as small as approximately one inch, while the largest reach approximately 32 feet.
The Gallery Organ’s casework was designed to complement the cathedral’s historic architecture and incorporates the cross of St. Benedict.
The organ was blessed in November 2024, and its first major concert was held in February 2025.
Benedictine Tradition
Although St. Benedict eventually became the cathedral of a diocesan church, its Benedictine origins remain an important part of its identity.
The parish traces its spiritual tradition to the Benedictine principles of prayer, work, hospitality, community, and peace.
The relationship with Saint Meinrad and the Benedictine Sisters of Ferdinand influenced generations of parishioners and students.
The familiar local nickname “St. Ben’s” reflects the institution’s role not simply as a cathedral but as a neighborhood parish, school, and community.
Parish Life
St. Benedict remains an active Catholic parish in addition to serving as the diocesan cathedral.
The parish supports dozens of ministries involving worship, education, charitable service, faith formation, music, youth activities, social justice, outreach, and community life.
The cathedral celebrates regular weekday and weekend Masses and hosts baptisms, weddings, funerals, confirmations, ordinations, diocesan celebrations, and other Catholic liturgies.
Its status as the cathedral makes it an important gathering place for Catholics from across the Diocese of Evansville, which encompasses communities throughout southwestern Indiana.
Building for Mission
During the 2020s, St. Benedict launched a major capital campaign known as Building for Mission to strengthen the cathedral and school campus for future generations.
By March 2025, the campaign had reached approximately $6 million.
Part of the campaign allowed the parish to eliminate approximately $818,000 in debt, marking the first time in roughly 15 years that the parish had been debt-free.
Additional funds were directed toward infrastructure and building improvements throughout the cathedral and school campus.
The campaign represents the continuation of a pattern that began with the parish’s founding: successive generations investing in buildings and institutions intended to serve future generations.
Location
St. Benedict Cathedral is located at:
1328 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, Indiana 47714
The cathedral occupies a prominent location along Lincoln Avenue near the University of Evansville and Bosse High School.
Its tower is visible from well beyond the immediate neighborhood and has been a recognizable feature of Evansville’s East Side skyline since the late 1920s.
Significance to Evansville
St. Benedict Cathedral is significant to Evansville for religious, educational, architectural, and cultural reasons.
The parish documents the eastward expansion of Evansville during the early twentieth century, when neighborhoods and institutions began developing beyond the city’s older urban core.
Its construction coincided with the creation of several major East Side institutions, including Bosse High School, Reitz Memorial High School, and the expansion of Evansville College.
Architecturally, the cathedral represents one of the most ambitious religious buildings constructed in Evansville during the twentieth century. Its European-inspired basilica design, campanile, German stained glass, Italian marble, monumental interior, and later pipe organ distinguish it from most other churches in the region.
Educationally, St. Benedict Cathedral School has operated for more than a century and has educated generations of Evansville children.
Religiously, the church evolved from an East Side Catholic parish founded by Benedictines into the central church of the Diocese of Evansville.
Legacy
St. Benedict Cathedral’s history spans more than a century of Evansville’s development.
What began in 1912 as a new Catholic parish on the outskirts of the city grew alongside Evansville’s East Side. A combination school and church gave way to one of the city’s largest and most elaborate religious buildings. The parish school expanded into a substantial educational campus, while the church eventually assumed responsibilities far beyond its original neighborhood.
Its designation as the cathedral in 1999 formally recognized a role the church had already begun performing through major diocesan celebrations and episcopal ordinations.
Today, St. Benedict Cathedral remains simultaneously a neighborhood parish, Catholic school, historic landmark, architectural monument, concert venue, and the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville.
For generations of Evansville residents, however, the landmark on Lincoln Avenue has remained known simply as St. Ben’s.
Hilltop Inn is a historic restaurant and tavern located at 1100 Harmony Way on the West Side of Evansville, Indiana. The restaurant is one of Evansville’s oldest continuously recognized dining establishments and is particularly known for its fried brain sandwiches, fried chicken, fish, burgoo, and traditional comfort food.
The building’s history dates to the nineteenth century, when the site served travelers entering and leaving Evansville. Over generations, the property evolved from a stagecoach stop, saloon, general store, and lodging house into one of the city’s best-known neighborhood restaurants.
Hilltop Inn has become especially associated with Evansville’s West Side and with the city’s unusual tradition of fried brain sandwiches.
Early History
Most accounts of Hilltop Inn trace the building’s history to 1839, when it operated as a stagecoach stop for travelers moving between the Wabash River and New Harmony area and Evansville on the Ohio River.
The early establishment served several purposes. A saloon and dining room occupied one portion of the building, while a general store and feed store operated from another. Travelers could spend the night in sleeping rooms located on the upper floors.
The building’s original central entrance opened onto a stairway that allowed overnight guests to reach the sleeping rooms without passing through either the saloon or general store.
Some historical sources give a later date of 1857 for the establishment of the stagecoach stop, although 1839 has traditionally been cited as the beginning of the Hilltop property.
Its location on elevated ground eventually helped give the restaurant its familiar name, Hilltop Inn.
Marx Family
The Marx family purchased the property in 1905.
Under the family, the business became known as Geo. J. Marx Saloon and later Marx Tavern. The Marx name became closely associated with food and hospitality on Evansville’s West Side.
During the 1950s, members of the Marx family began leasing the bar and restaurant to other operators. When Wilbert Robinson operated the business, it became known as Robby’s Hilltop Inn, helping establish the Hilltop name that survives today.
The Marx family’s connection to the property would eventually become significant again more than a century after its original purchase.
Hilltop Inn
As automobile travel replaced stagecoaches and Evansville expanded around the property, Hilltop evolved into a neighborhood restaurant and tavern.
The building retained elements of its long history. An old wooden bar and other interior features contributed to the restaurant’s traditional tavern atmosphere.
Over time, Hilltop became a gathering place for generations of West Side residents. Rather than being known primarily as a destination for travelers, it became a local restaurant where families and regular customers returned for traditional meals.
The restaurant developed a menu centered around Midwestern comfort food, including fried chicken, fish, sandwiches, soups, and other dishes.
Snyder Family
Don and Lanette Snyder purchased Hilltop Inn in 1999.
Don Snyder had spent more than two decades working in the restaurant industry, including positions with national restaurant companies. Purchasing Hilltop allowed the Snyders to return to the Evansville area and operate a restaurant they had long hoped to own.
Under the Snyder family, Hilltop maintained many of the traditions that had made it a West Side institution.
Their daughter, Marta Hollen, grew up around Hilltop and later became an owner of the restaurant. Her family connection to the business extended back to her grandfather Earl “Bud” Hudson, who had tended bar at Hilltop.
Brain Sandwich
Hilltop Inn is perhaps best known outside Evansville for its fried brain sandwich.
Brain sandwiches have a long history in Evansville and southwestern Indiana, where they became a regional specialty associated with the area’s German-American heritage.
Hilltop traditionally served beef brain sandwiches. Following concerns and regulatory changes surrounding bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, the restaurant transitioned from beef brains to pork brains.
The Hilltop version is prepared by combining cleaned pork brains with ingredients including egg and flour before battering and frying them. The sandwich is traditionally served with onions and pickles.
Hilltop has offered both its large brain sandwich and smaller brain sliders.
The unusual dish has attracted visitors specifically interested in trying one of Evansville’s most distinctive foods.
National Attention
Hilltop’s brain sandwiches eventually brought the West Side restaurant national attention.
Food Network personality Alton Brown visited Hilltop while traveling through the region for his television series Feasting on Asphalt. Brown sampled Hilltop’s brain sandwich and burgoo, introducing the restaurant and Evansville’s brain sandwich tradition to a national television audience.
The television exposure generated increased interest in Hilltop, including visitors who came specifically to try the restaurant’s unusual specialty.
Hilltop’s brain sandwich has subsequently continued to appear in national and regional discussions of unusual American foods.
Other Food
Despite the attention surrounding its brain sandwiches, Hilltop has long been known locally for a much broader menu.
Fried chicken has remained one of its traditional specialties, along with fish including Icelandic cod and catfish fiddlers.
The restaurant has also served burgoo, a thick regional stew with a long tradition in southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky.
Other offerings over the years have included burgers, tenderloin, chicken livers and gizzards, German-style dishes, sandwiches, soups, appetizers, and a salad bar.
For many longtime customers, Hilltop’s significance has been less about any single unusual menu item and more about its role as a traditional neighborhood restaurant.
Return to Marx Ownership
A major change occurred in 2019, when the owners of nearby Marx Barbecue purchased Hilltop Inn.
The acquisition brought Hilltop back into the orbit of the Marx family more than a century after the family had originally purchased the property in 1905.
The restaurant temporarily closed while the new ownership completed renovations and improvements to the building.
Hilltop reopened in February 2019.
The new owners retained many of the restaurant’s established traditions, including its brain sandwiches and salad bar, while also introducing items connected to Marx Barbecue.
The return of the Marx name created an unusual historical circle: a family associated with the property in the early twentieth century once again became connected to its operation more than 100 years later.
Location
Hilltop Inn is located at:
1100 Harmony Way
Evansville, Indiana 47720
The restaurant sits near the intersection of Harmony Way and Maryland Street on Evansville’s West Side.
Its elevated location and long presence in the neighborhood have made the building a recognizable West Side landmark.
Legacy
Hilltop Inn occupies an unusual place in Evansville history because the property reflects several different eras of the city’s development.
Its history stretches from the period when travelers crossed southern Indiana by stagecoach through the growth of Evansville’s West Side and into the modern era of locally owned restaurants.
The property has served at various times as lodging, a general store, feed store, saloon, tavern, and restaurant.
Its association with the Marx family dates to 1905, while generations of subsequent owners and customers helped establish Hilltop as a West Side institution.
Hilltop also played an important role in preserving and popularizing Evansville’s fried brain sandwich tradition. National media exposure turned the unusual local food into one of the city’s better-known culinary specialties.
More than a century after its earliest years, Hilltop Inn continues to operate from its longtime Harmony Way location as one of Evansville’s most recognizable historic restaurants.
Tyler Myers is an American basketball player, coach, and youth basketball organizer from Evansville, Indiana. He is best known for his basketball career at Evansville Day School, where he became the all-time leading scorer in Evansville boys high school basketball history.
Myers finished his high school career with 2,835 points, surpassing the previous Evansville record held by Bosse High School standout Mekhi Lairy. His career total also placed him sixth on Indiana’s all-time boys high school basketball scoring list.
Following high school, Myers attended the University of Evansville and joined the Purple Aces men’s basketball program as a walk-on. He later became involved in youth basketball through Hoop Club and joined the basketball coaching staff at Evansville Memorial High School.
Evansville Day School
Myers attended Evansville Day School, where he played basketball for the Eagles.
Myers played for a significantly smaller school than Evansville’s traditional public high schools. Evansville Day competed in Class 1A and operated as an independent basketball program rather than as a member of the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference..
Evansville Scoring Record
Myers surpassed former Bosse High School standout Mekhi Lairy’s previous Evansville record of 2,237 career points in December 2022. Myers ultimately finished with 2,835 points, establishing the official Evansville boys high school basketball career scoring record.
The two totals were accumulated in substantially different competitive environments. Myers played for Class 1A independent Evansville Day School, while Lairy played at Class 3A Bosse in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference and reached two state championship games. Myers’ Day School teams won one sectional championship during his career. These differences in classification, scheduling, and postseason success provide context when comparing the two scoring totals, while Myers’ 2,835 points remain the official Evansville career record, it was done under what many coaches, experts, and former players considered a much different level of competition than players at the larger SIAC schools.
During Myers’ senior season, when he surpassed Lairy and completed his record-setting career, Evansville Day School finished with a 9–15 record.
His 2,835 career points ranked sixth in Indiana boys high school basketball history at the conclusion of his career. Tyler Myers holds the official Evansville scoring record with 2,835 points, but it’s worth noting that he accumulated those points at Class 1A Evansville Day School against a much different level of competition than players at the larger SIAC schools.
Academics and Community Involvement
Myers was also recognized for his academic and community accomplishments while attending Evansville Day School.
He was named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Academic All-State First Team and was involved in several community projects in Evansville.
One of his most notable projects was Heroes Among Us, an interactive program designed to help educate school-age children about sensory needs and invisible disabilities.
Myers’ work on Heroes Among Us won first place in the University of Evansville’s High School Changemaker Challenge, earning him a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Evansville.
Myers also became involved with sensory inclusion efforts in the Evansville community and founded Sensory Inclusion Charity Corp., which worked to provide sensory resources at public venues.
University of Evansville
After graduating from Evansville Day School, Myers remained in his hometown and attended the University of Evansville.
He joined the NCAA Division I Evansville Purple Aces men’s basketball program as a walk-on.
Myers appeared in eight games during his freshman season in 2023–24. He played approximately 29 minutes and scored 12 points while recording six rebounds and one assist.
His most extensive playing time came in his collegiate debut against the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, when he played more than 12 minutes and scored four points.
Myers returned to the Purple Aces for the 2024–25 season and appeared in two additional games. He played against Brescia and Green Bay, scoring two points against Green Bay.
Across his University of Evansville career, Myers appeared in 10 games and scored 14 points. He made five field goals, including three three-pointers, and finished with 10 rebounds and two assists.
He did not start a game for the Purple Aces.
Community Recognition
While attending the University of Evansville, Myers continued to receive recognition for activities outside basketball.
In 2025, he was selected for the Missouri Valley Conference’s State Farm Good Neighbor Award.
At the time, Myers was studying psychology and carried a 3.75 grade-point average. His community activities included youth sports coaching, tutoring, mentoring high school students, sensory inclusion projects, and basketball-related community programs.
Hoop Club
Myers founded Hoop Club, an Evansville-based nonprofit youth and AAU basketball organization, and serves as its president. The organization grew from Myers working with local families and young basketball players into a competitive travel basketball program.
In July 2026, a Hoop Club team won an AAU world championship in Orlando, Florida. The championship came during the organization’s second year of competition after the team had reached the Elite Eight the previous year.
Coaching
Myers later moved into basketball coaching in Evansville. He serves as an assistant coach with the Evansville Memorial High School boys basketball program, continuing his involvement in local basketball following his playing career.
Mekhi Lairy is an American basketball player from Evansville, Indiana, best known for his record-setting career at Benjamin Bosse High School and his collegiate career at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
One of the most accomplished high school basketball players in Evansville history, Lairy graduated from Bosse in 2018 with 2,237 career points, making him the city’s all-time leading boys high school basketball scorer at the time.
Lairy was a two-time state finalist at Bosse, an Indiana All-Star, a runner-up for Indiana Mr. Basketball, and later became one of the leading scorers in Miami University basketball history.
Early Life and Bosse High School
Lairy grew up in Evansville and attended Benjamin Bosse High School, where he became a four-year varsity basketball player for the Bulldogs.
Despite standing approximately 5-foot-8, Lairy developed into one of Indiana’s top high school guards. Known for his speed, ball handling, shooting, passing, and ability to create his own shot, Lairy became the centerpiece of one of the strongest periods of Bosse basketball in recent history.
During Lairy’s sophomore season in 2015–16, Bosse advanced through the IHSAA tournament to the Class 3A state championship game.
Two years later, during Lairy’s senior season in 2017–18, the Bulldogs again advanced to the Class 3A state championship game.
Lairy therefore finished his high school career having played in two Indiana state championship games.
Record-Setting Career
Lairy became one of the most prolific scorers in Evansville basketball history during his four seasons at Bosse.
He finished his high school career with 2,237 points, establishing the all-time boys high school basketball scoring record for the city of Evansville.
At the conclusion of his career, the total ranked 18th in Indiana boys high school basketball history.
Lairy accomplished the feat while playing Bosse’s schedule, which included competition in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference as well as four seasons of IHSAA tournament basketball.
During his senior season, Lairy averaged 26.4 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.3 steals per game.
His scoring was only one part of his game. Lairy was also Bosse’s primary ball handler and playmaker and regularly created scoring opportunities for his teammates.
2018 Senior Season
Lairy received extensive statewide recognition during his senior season.
He was named First Team All-State by the Associated Press and was selected to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association’s Senior Supreme 15.
Lairy was also selected to the 2018 Indiana All-Star team and was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game.
He finished second in voting for the 2018 Indiana Mr. Basketball award.
The award was won by New Albany star Romeo Langford, one of the nation’s highest-ranked high school players, who went on to play at Indiana University and in the NBA.
Lairy’s runner-up finish placed him among the most highly regarded Indiana basketball players in the class of 2018.
Evansville Scoring Record
When Lairy graduated from Bosse in 2018, his 2,237 career points represented the highest total ever scored by an Evansville boys high school basketball player.
He held the record for nearly five years.
In December 2022, Evansville Day School senior Tyler Myers surpassed Lairy’s career total. Myers scored 36 points against Tell City to move past Lairy and officially become Evansville’s career scoring leader.
Although Myers surpassed Lairy’s raw point total, the two players accumulated their points in significantly different competitive environments.
Lairy played at Bosse, a member of the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference, and competed against the larger public-school programs on Bosse’s schedule. His teams also made extensive IHSAA tournament runs, reaching the Class 3A state championship game twice during his four-year career.
Myers played at Evansville Day School, a significantly smaller private school whose basketball schedule and regular-season opponents differed considerably from Bosse’s SIAC schedule.
Those differences in school size, scheduling, opponents, and postseason competition provide important context when comparing the two scoring totals. Myers officially surpassed Lairy’s career scoring total, while Lairy’s 2,237 points were accumulated while competing in Bosse’s SIAC schedule and during a high school career that included two trips to the state championship game.
Lairy consequently remains one of the most prolific scorers and accomplished players in the history of Evansville high school basketball.
Jersey Retirement
Bosse High School later retired Lairy’s No. 2 jersey in recognition of his accomplishments with the Bulldogs.
The honor recognized not only Lairy’s scoring record but also his role in leading Bosse to two state championship appearances and establishing himself as one of the most decorated players in school history.
His retired jersey permanently connects Lairy with Bosse’s long basketball tradition, which includes multiple state championships and generations of notable players.
Miami University
Following his graduation from Bosse in 2018, Lairy continued his basketball career at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
He played NCAA Division I basketball for the Miami RedHawks and developed from a freshman contributor into one of the most productive players in the program’s history.
As a freshman during the 2018–19 season, Lairy appeared in all 32 games and was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team.
His role increased throughout his college career.
During his final season in 2022–23, Lairy started 31 of 32 games and led Miami in scoring at 17.3 points per game. He also shot 92.2 percent from the free-throw line and earned Third-Team All-MAC honors.
Lairy scored a college career-high 34 points against Georgia on November 14, 2022. He later scored 32 points and made a career-high six three-pointers against Wright State.
Miami University Records
Lairy completed his five-year Miami career as one of the most statistically accomplished players in school history.
He scored 1,743 career points, ranking fourth in Miami University history when his career ended.
Lairy played in 151 games, the most in program history at the conclusion of his career.
He also finished his Miami career with 400 assists, ranking second in school history.
Lairy finished first in Miami history in career free-throw percentage at 87.4 percent and ranked among the school’s career leaders in three-point field goals, field goals, free throws, minutes played, and assists.
His career totals included:
1,743 points
400 assists
196 three-point field goals
355 free throws
151 games played
87.4 percent career free-throw percentage
Playing Style
Lairy was notable for succeeding at a high level despite being considerably shorter than many Division I basketball players.
Listed at approximately 5-foot-8, he relied on quickness, ball handling, shooting ability, changes of direction, and an ability to create separation from defenders.
His scoring ability was established during his years at Bosse, but his college career demonstrated his ability to contribute as both a scorer and distributor.
Legacy
Mekhi Lairy is considered one of the most accomplished basketball players produced by Benjamin Bosse High School and one of the notable players in Evansville basketball history.
During his career, he became Evansville’s all-time boys high school scoring leader with 2,237 points, led Bosse to two IHSAA Class 3A state championship games, finished runner-up for Indiana Mr. Basketball, became an Indiana All-Star, and had his No. 2 jersey retired by Bosse.
He then played five seasons of NCAA Division I basketball and finished his Miami University career with 1,743 points, 400 assists, and several places in the school’s record book.
Although his Evansville career scoring total was eventually surpassed, the level of competition and postseason success associated with Lairy’s Bosse career remain an important part of evaluating his place in Evansville basketball history.
Benjamin Bosse High School, commonly known as Bosse High School, is a public high school located at 1300 Washington Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1924, Bosse is one of Evansville’s oldest operating high schools and is part of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC). The school’s athletic teams are known as the Bulldogs.
The school is named for Benjamin Bosse, the Evansville businessman and politician who served as mayor of Evansville from 1914 until his death in 1922. Bosse played an important role in the development of the school before his death as Evansville expanded eastward during the early twentieth century.
History
Benjamin Bosse High School was developed as Evansville’s third high school, following the growth of residential neighborhoods east of downtown. Construction began in the early 1920s, and the school opened to students in January 1924. Its first graduating class completed school in 1925.
Before Bosse opened, students from the newly created Bosse district attended the old Central High School downtown. Bosse’s location near what was then the eastern edge of Evansville led to the school sometimes being informally referred to as East High School or East Side High School.
The school initially served more than high school students. Younger children attended Bosse Elementary in part of the high school building until Washington Elementary School opened in 1937.
As Evansville and the surrounding neighborhoods grew, Bosse was expanded several times. Additions were made in 1927, 1958, 1966, and 1968, followed by a major renovation and expansion during the 1990s. The later renovation was designed to preserve the appearance and architectural character of the original building.
Architecture
Bosse High School is one of Evansville’s most recognizable historic school buildings. Chicago architect Joseph C. Llewellyn designed the original structure in the Collegiate Gothic style, with Evansville architect Charles L. Troutman supervising construction. The building was constructed in 1923–1924 at a reported cost of approximately $670,000.
Architectural features include stone detailing, multi-paned windows, tile roofs, copper cupolas, gabled sections, and a prominent symmetrical façade.
The historic school is part of the Lincolnshire Historic District and is a contributing property to the district’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Athletics
Bosse has a particularly significant place in Evansville basketball history.
In 1944, the Bosse Bulldogs became the first Evansville-area boys basketball team to win an Indiana state championship. Bosse repeated as state champion in 1945 and captured a third championship in 1962.
The Bulldogs compete in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC).
Boys Basketball State Championships
1944
1945
1962
Music and Extracurricular History
Bosse’s history extends beyond athletics. The school’s band earned national and international attention during the early 1970s.
The Bosse band appeared at the Orange Bowl in Miami around New Year’s 1970–71 and later performed during the opening ceremonies of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
Academics
Bosse serves students in grades 9 through 12 and offers traditional high school coursework along with advanced and career-focused programs.
Modern programs include Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and career-connected learning opportunities. Bosse also participates in the Toyota 4T Academy, which combines classroom education with paid, hands-on experience in automobile manufacturing.
Notable Alumni
Over more than a century, Bosse High School has produced graduates who became prominent in athletics, entertainment, business, politics, education, science, and other fields.
Notable Bosse alumni include fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, better known as Halston; actress Michael Michele; Major League Baseball player Pete Fox; Hall of Fame basketball coach Arad McCutchan; mathematician Talitha Washington; former U.S. Representative Roger H. Zion; and Ruth Siems, creator of Stove Top Stuffing.
Other Bosse alumni include David H. Russell, Stephanie Terry, Charlie Siesky, Ruth Siems, Marcia Yockey, Gene Miller, Michael Michele, Jaquan Lyle, Mekhi Lairy, and Bettye Lou Jerrel.
Everett Burdette was a Vanderburgh County, Indiana serviceman who was killed during World War I and became the namesake of both Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187 and Burdette Park on Evansville’s west side.
Although his life was cut short by the war, Burdette’s name became permanently connected to one of Vanderburgh County’s best-known recreational landmarks.
Early Life
Everett Burdette was from Vanderburgh County, Indiana, and was among the local men who served in the United States military during World War I.
Like thousands of young Americans from communities across the country, Burdette entered military service after the United States joined the war in 1917.
Burdette was killed while serving during World War I.
Following the war, his name was chosen to represent a local American Legion post established by veterans in Vanderburgh County.
Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187
The Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187 was named in his honor.
American Legion posts established following World War I were frequently named for local servicemen who had died during the conflict. The naming of Post 187 ensured that Burdette’s name would remain connected to Evansville and Vanderburgh County long after the war ended.
The organization would eventually play an important role in the development of what became Burdette Park.
Burdette Park
In 1927, Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187 purchased approximately 40 acres of property west of Evansville.
The Legion envisioned the property as a recreational retreat where veterans and their families could escape the city and enjoy the wooded countryside.
Development began the following year. Legion members and volunteers cleared portions of the property and constructed recreational facilities, including a two-story clubhouse.
The property became known as Burdette Park, carrying Everett Burdette’s name from the American Legion post to the growing recreation area.
Natural salt springs on the property contributed to its popularity, and saltwater swimming became one of the park’s unusual early attractions.
By the early 1930s, thousands of people were reportedly visiting the recreation area each week.
Transfer to Vanderburgh County
During the Great Depression, the American Legion transferred the property to Vanderburgh County.
The transfer allowed the park to benefit from federal Depression-era work programs. Workers employed through programs including the Civil Works Administration, Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and Works Progress Administration expanded and improved the property.
Trails, bridges, cabins, swimming facilities, and other recreational features were developed throughout the park.
Burdette Park officially opened to the general public in 1936.
Legacy
Everett Burdette’s most visible legacy in Evansville is Burdette Park.
What began as approximately 40 acres purchased by an American Legion post bearing his name eventually grew into a roughly 180-acre Vanderburgh County recreational complex.
Today, Burdette Park includes the Burdette Park Aquatic Center, campgrounds, trails, athletic facilities, playgrounds, event facilities, and the USI-Burdette Trail connecting the park with the University of Southern Indiana.
Thousands of Evansville-area residents visit the park each year, many without realizing that the name “Burdette” originated with a local serviceman who died during World War I.
More than a century after his death, Everett Burdette’s name remains part of the geography and history of Vanderburgh County.
Burdette Park is a public recreational park located at 5301 Nurrenbern Road on the west side of Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Established in 1936, the park encompasses roughly 180 acres of wooded hills and recreational facilities and is one of the largest public recreation complexes in the Evansville area.
Unlike most public parks in the area, Burdette Park is operated by Vanderburgh County rather than the City of Evansville.
History
The origins of Burdette Park date to 1927, when the Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187 purchased approximately 40 acres west of Evansville. The American Legion envisioned the property as a recreational retreat where members and their families could escape the industrial city and spend time outdoors.
Development began in 1928. Volunteers cleared portions of the property and constructed a two-story clubhouse, which became one of the park’s earliest major structures.
The park was named in honor of Everett Burdette, a Vanderburgh County serviceman who was killed during World War I.
By the early 1930s, the recreation area had become increasingly popular. More than 3,000 people were reportedly visiting the property each week by 1933.
The Great Depression and WPA
The Great Depression played an important role in transforming the relatively small American Legion recreation area into Burdette Park.
In 1934, the American Legion transferred the property to Vanderburgh County, allowing the park to qualify for federal public works programs. Workers employed through Depression-era programs including the Civil Works Administration, Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and Works Progress Administration helped dramatically expand the property.
At one point, approximately 250 laborers per week were working on the Burdette project.
Workers constructed trails, bridges, cabins and recreational facilities throughout the wooded property. Among the park’s most distinctive early attractions were artificial swimming areas supplied by naturally occurring salt water.
Burdette Park formally opened to the general public in 1936, with an estimated 15,000 people attending the opening ceremonies.
The Saltwater Pool
One of the most unusual features of early Burdette Park was its saltwater swimming area.
Natural salt springs had been one of the reasons the American Legion originally found the property attractive. The springs were incorporated into recreational swimming facilities that became a popular destination for Evansville-area families.
Maintaining the saltwater pool eventually became increasingly difficult. During the 1950s, the well supplying the pool began to dry up, while health and maintenance requirements became more expensive.
Vanderburgh County and the City of Evansville eventually cooperated to extend an approximately 11,000-foot municipal water line to the park.
A $300,000 bond issue approved in 1960 helped finance construction of a modern freshwater swimming complex.
The new pool opened on August 19, 1961.
Burdette Park Aquatic Center
The swimming complex eventually developed into the modern Burdette Park Aquatic Center, one of the park’s best-known attractions.
The Aquatic Center includes an Olympic-size pool, family and children’s swimming areas, diving boards, waterslides and an interactive spray park.
For generations of Evansville-area residents, summer trips to the Burdette pool have made the park one of the region’s most recognizable warm-weather destinations.
Recreation
Burdette Park has expanded far beyond its original swimming facilities.
Recreational amenities have included:
- Swimming and waterslides
- BMX racing
- Basketball courts
- Tennis courts
- Pickleball courts
- Playgrounds
- Walking and biking trails
- Camping
- Picnic and shelter areas
- Overnight chalets
- Event and meeting facilities
The park also contains the distinctive Upside Down House, officially known as the Fantasy House. The whimsical structure was designed by University of Southern Indiana professor John McNaughton and is located in the park’s Magical Garden area.
USI-Burdette Trail
Burdette Park is connected with the nearby University of Southern Indiana through the USI-Burdette Trail.
The roughly three-mile paved trail provides a route for walkers, runners and bicyclists between the university area and Burdette Park.
The trail has been designated a National Recreation Trail and also serves as a destination point along the American Discovery Trail.
The connection strengthened the relationship between two of the most prominent public properties on Evansville’s west side and made it possible to travel between USI and Burdette without relying exclusively on surrounding roads.
Camping and Overnight Stays
Burdette also functions as a regional camping and overnight recreation destination.
The park operates an RV and tent campground with RV sites, tent camping, showers, restrooms and laundry facilities. RV camping is available throughout the year.
Burdette also maintains overnight rental properties, including chalets and lodge facilities.
Discovery Lodge
The O’Day Discovery Lodge is one of the largest facilities within Burdette Park. The lodge is used for weddings, conventions, reunions, corporate events and other large gatherings.
Along with smaller shelters and rental buildings scattered throughout the park, the Discovery Lodge helped expand Burdette’s role from primarily a recreation destination into a major event venue for southwestern Indiana.
Burdette Park Today
Today, Burdette Park remains one of Vanderburgh County’s most significant public recreational properties.
The park is open year-round, although individual attractions such as the Aquatic Center operate seasonally. Its combination of wooded terrain, swimming facilities, trails, camping, sports facilities and event spaces makes Burdette unusual among parks in the Evansville area.
Nearly a century after the American Legion first purchased the original 40 acres, Burdette continues to serve essentially the same purpose envisioned by its founders: providing Evansville-area residents with a place to escape the city and enjoy recreation outdoors.
Quick Facts
Established: 1936
Location: 5301 Nurrenbern Road, Evansville, Indiana
Area: Approximately 180 acres
Operator: Vanderburgh County
Original developer: Everett Burdette American Legion Post 187
Notable features: Burdette Park Aquatic Center, USI-Burdette Trail, BMX track, campgrounds, Upside Down House, Discovery Lodge
Historic development: CWA, FERA and Works Progress Administration projects during the Great Depression
