Sunset Court (demolished) – Vincennes IN

Description

Pearl City was an area of Vincennes that was described by the newspapers in the 1930’s at the time as an area next to the Wabash River that was filled with hovels made of crates and tin and occupied by barely recognizable humans living in squalid conditions after shell fishing by squaters declined. With labor supplied by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), 20 houses were constructed in a 4 acre area called Sunset Court. From the look of the photograph, the small houses can be compared to the popular tiny houses today. Still, considering that the people who moved in finally had access to clean water and electricity and were away from the river which flooded every year, it was likely a vast change for the better. Each house had a well, coal shed, chicken coop, garden plot, and bathroom. Using recycled bricks from razed buildings torn down for a memorial park to George Rogers Clark, the cost per house was only $290! Leases were $1 a year. Google satelite view shows that only one building remains. I’ve contacted the local historical society and hopefully can get answers as to the fate of the buildings.