Jeffersonville, a river city in southern Indiana, is a place rich in history and tradition. Its origins date back to 1786 and the construction of Fort Finney, and it was named after President Thomas Jefferson in 1801. In the 19th century, the city became known for its shipbuilding industry, with several shipyards established along the riverbank. Today, visitors to Jeffersonville can explore the luxurious home of a wealthy shipyard owner at the Howard Steamboat Museum. The museum is located in a 22-room Richardsonian Romanesque mansion built in 1894, and it still contains much of its original furniture from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Another must-see is Schimpff's Confectionery, the oldest retail business in Jeffersonville and the oldest candy store in all of Indiana. The family-owned store has been around since 1891 and has been making candy in the Louisville area since the 1850s. The city is also home to the Ohio Falls State Park, which preserves a bed of 390 million-year-old fossils. The park's interpretation center offers innovative exhibitions that allow visitors to learn about this fascinating geology, as well as a 15-minute informative film.
Just across the river in Louisville is Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum, where visitors can discover the 150-year history of one of the great horse races. The Vintage Fire Museum is another popular attraction in Jeffersonville. It features a range of 20th-century fire trucks, including a 1937 model, a 1937 Flood, a 1927 Ahrens-Fox and a 1953 Seagrave. Visitors can also explore historic alarms, lamps, uniforms, helmets, axes and fire marks.
The city center is full of historic architecture from the 1870s to the mid-20th century, including Casa Grisamore which combines federal and Greek Renaissance styles and was rescued from demolition in the 1980s. The Indiana Room of the Jeffersonville Township Public Library contains local, county and state history and genealogy materials. Warder Park is another popular spot in Jeffersonville with a three-meter cast bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson weighing 900 pounds produced by sculptor Guy Tedesco for the city's bicentennial. Perrin Family Park has a lake with a feeding station for waterfowl, as well as a one-acre playground with sandboxes and a 1.25-mile paved trail.
The city also has an 18-hole golf course with slippery greens and fairways lined with dense trees. Jeffersonville is home to the U. S. Census Bureau's National Processing Center and a variety of industries located on land that was formerly part of the Indiana Army ammunition plant.
It is also one of 12 accredited art districts in Indiana with murals, artist spaces, museums and more. The River Ridge Commerce Center is an industrial area located on the outskirts of Jeffersonville near Charlestown. Finally, visitors can stay at the Market Street Inn Bed & Breakfast which is a charming 1881 mansion completely restored with modern amenities in downtown Jeffersonville.
