The Baptisttown Historic District [†] was listed on the National Register of Historic Places using the area of architecture. Most of the district's best examples of architectural styles are associated with its more public buildings, including churches and Lincoln School. These provide a wide variety of styles from the first half of the 20th century including Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, a late Neo-Classical example, as well as Art Moderne. Lincoln School, the largest building in the district, is an example of the Art Deco style and a former Masonic Hall is a simple example of the International Style. There are also a handful of simple Bungalows in the district, some with Craftsman features. Most houses are vernacular in nature and include an impressive collection of shotgun style homes on Bayard Park Drive.
The name "Baptisttown" itself was derived from the presence of so many African American Baptist congregations that provided an over-arching character to the neighborhood. Beyond their architectural significance, the district's churches were significant cultural places to Evansville's Black community. Education is prominent in the district due to the presence of the formerly segregated Lincoln School in the small district. Social history is another area of significance due to the early development of a housing project for African Americans in the district under federal relief programs of the 1930s. This is evident from the one remaining multi-family building known as Lincoln Gardens. The district is woven together best, though, as the remnant representation of the historic thriving African American neighborhood that took on the name Baptisttown. The area, once much larger in size, was Evansville's most concentrated enclave of African American residents, with their own school, business district, churches, and neighborhood. Therefore ethnic heritage is an area of significance. Examples of the enclave's own public architecture, as well as residences, dot the district and probably best identify the neighborhood as Baptisttown.
† Adapted from: Kurt West Garner, City of Evansville, Baptisttown Historic District, nomination document, 2021, National Register of Historic Places, Washington, D.C.
