Community of Jeffersonville, IN
The Jeffersonville, IN, lawyers at Church, Langdon, Lopp, Banet Law have years of experience helping individuals throughout Kentuckiana; Floyd County, IN; and Clark County, IN; providing quality representation across a range of legal practice areas, including estate and elder law, family law, personal injury, and criminal defense.
On the banks of the Ohio River, nearly opposite downtown Louisville and a little above the Falls of the Ohio, lies the splendid city of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Known affectionately to about 45,000 locals as “Jeff,” it is rich with history and continues to honor its maritime past by being home to Jeffboat, the largest inland shipbuilder in the country. Jeffersonville was briefly the capital of the Indiana Territory and still serves the people as the seat of Clark County. The city grew out of a settlement that sprang up around a 1786 fort located where the Kennedy Bridge now sits, and was most likely named after 1801 President Thomas Jefferson and his grid-pattern design that served as the basis for its initial layout.
During the Civil War, Jeffersonville’s strategic location, boosted by the deepest harbor of any nearby town, made it an ideal spot for a distributing depot of military supplies for the Union Army. A bakery that furnished hardtack to thousands of soldiers was located in Warder Park, which now features the Carnegie Library and free summer concerts on Fridays. Land that is now within Jeffersonville’s limits was the site of Jefferson General Hospital, the third largest Civil War hospital, which had 5,200 beds and housed over 16,000 patients over the course of the War. The cemetery for fallen soldiers was placed down the hill from the hospital and was built over by Meijer Fields (formerly Shannon Park).
From just before the Civil War until the Great Depression, Jeffersonville was the leading U.S. center of steamboat production. During World War II, Jeffboat was known as the Howard Ship Yards and built several types of vessels for the armed forces. The history of the shipyard is featured in the Howard Steamboat Museum, a late Victorian style building on E. Market Street listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is part of the Old Jeffersonville Historic District that was placed on the Register in 1983. The District consists of 203 acres, 500 buildings, 6 structures, and 11 objects. One of those is the Spring Street Freight House, a railhouse built in the 1920s, of which few remain.
Another historic place is Schimpff’s Confectionary. In continuous operation in Jeff since 1891, Schimpff’s is most famous for its Red Hots, Modjeskas, and hard candy fish. This unique store and museum has been noted as one of the state’s “Hidden Treasures,” been profiled on the television show “Modern Marvels,” and been featured by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Free tours of the kitchen with live demonstrations of candy being made on antique equipment can be booked in advance.
Downtown retail and recreational spots abound, having seen a resurgence due to riverfront development. One of the key players in that development was the 2014 opening of the Big Four Bridge to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Originally opened in 1895, the six-span railroad truss bridge connected Jeffersonville with Louisville until the main spans were removed in 1969, earning the bridge the nickname “The Bridge That Goes Nowhere.” Moored at the foot of the Terraced Lawn on Jeffersonville’s side of the bridge, RiverStage provides breathtaking views and great entertainment. Exploration of downtown is available by trolleys, which run free on the third Friday of the month. The city offers many different kinds of eateries, but is well known for being the birthplace of Papa John’s Pizza. This national pizza chain started in Mick’s Lounge, a local bar in Gateway Plaza.
Jeffersonville was the original location of the Falls City Area Center, a community college that eventually moved to New Albany and became Indiana University Southeast. Home to the Southern Indiana Visitors Center, Jeff has welcomed many visitors through the years, including General Lafayette in 1825 and hundreds of Civil War freedom seekers as the first and largest Underground Railroad route for fugitives crossing the Ohio River.
Less than ten miles east from where we are based in New Albany, Church, Langdon, Lopp, Banet Law welcomes and celebrates all aspects of Jeffersonville. We value our relationships with people across Kentuckiana and care about every part of our community. Whether this your home or you are just visiting, it’s our goal to protect your rights and provide counsel in a number of legal fields.
The next time you have a question about estate planning, family law, criminal defense, business litigation, real estate law, or personal injury, contact us for a confidential consultation. Call us at (812) 725-8224 or fill out our online form.
