Today's entertainment industry is desperate for themes. Entertainment districts are popping up everywhere with different themes. Kansas City has the Power & Light District, New Orleans has the French Quarter, Indianapolis has the Canal District, Washington D.C has the Old Navy Yards District, and Sacramento is creating the Railyards District. To my knowledge, no urban city has taken full advantage of a western ghost town theme for an entertainment district.
Despite their distinctive qualities, very few buildings outside of theme parks have replicated the western ghost town image. Evansville could be one of the first if not the first. Even though Evansville is not west of the Mississippi, it is still prime for this theme given that it has already been named an All-American town with a mixture of everything. So where should a western ghost town be placed?
In my opinion, the Jacobsville area, which is the old housing district north of the Lloyd Expressway and east of Berry Plastics, would fit the bill perfectly. It consists of mostly low rise houses, its buildings are already aging significantly, and it is in need of something like this to revitalize itself. If Evansville could convert the Jacobsville area into something like this, it would not only create a much cleaner image for the city but it would also successfully connect downtown with the rest of the city.
What types of things would you find in Evansville's Western Ghost Town? You would see horses on carriages walking by on brick roads, you would see buildings decked in light brown signs with western script on them, and you would see retail shops that would sell western apparel such as boots, hats, and spurs.
Overall, the ghost town would be original, it would be unique, and it would bring people into the core of Evansville which is never a bad thing.
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