Evansville State Hospital at 3400 Lincoln Ave. When the Southern Indiana Hospital for the Insane opened in 1890, it was 3 miles from the city limits. The grounds were so extensive (about 900 acres) that the facility was self-sustaining, with a dairy herd, farm, and orchard. Because the property was so heavily wooded, it was also referred to as Woodmere. It became the Evansville State Hospital in 1927. Changes in mental health care over the years greatly reduced the size of the facility, and in 2006 this and most other buildings were razed. A newer building still serves clientele, and the property, greatly reduced but still substantial, serves as a recreation area.