City Talk

Evansville is a city with Midwestern roots and hints of Southern charm. While most residents don’t carry a distinct accent, Evansvillians do have their own unique way of pronouncing some of the city’s most well-known roads and landmarks, especially those with Evansville’s signature German influence.

Goebel Drive

A short road on the West Side (not to be confused with Goebel Lane in St. Joseph, Indiana), Goebel Drive presents a challenge for residents. While the official German pronunciation would be “Go-bull,” most Evansvillians know the road as “Gay-bull” drive.

Reitz

F.J. Reitz High School, the Reitz Home Museum, Reitz Memorial High School — the word Reitz carries a lot of weight in Evansville. While locals confidently pronounce the surname as “rights” it’s not uncommon for visitors to mispronounce the famous family name as “ree-tzs” or “Ritzs.”

Boehne Camp Road

Another West Side and German-rooted word, Boehne Camp Road is one of the most debated road names. While most of Evansville says “Bay-knee” Camp, there are several mispronunciations including “Bone-knee” Camp.

Smythe Drive

Just past Morgan Avenue off of N. Green River Road, Smythe Drive causes controversy. Correct pronunciation of the short road is “Sm-eye-th” but it’s easy for visitors and residents alike to mistakenly refer to it as “Smith” Drive.

Boeke Road

A main thoroughfare on the East Side, Boeke Road may be the hardest name to pronounce on our list. While long-time residents don’t hesitate to say “Bake-ee” Road, visitors confidently — but incorrectly — pronounce the road as “Boh-kay” or “Boh-key.”

Photos provided by reitzhome.com and wkdq.com.
 

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Jodi Keen
Jodi Keen
Jodi Keen joined Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., in April 2021 as Managing Editor. She previously served as the special publications editor for the Messenger-Inquirer newspaper in Owensboro, Kentucky. A native of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Jodi is a Murray State University journalism graduate. After college, she spent two and half years in Vienna, Austria, first as an au pair, and then as the publisher’s assistant and events editor for The Vienna Review, a monthly English-language newspaper. Jodi has lived on Evansville’s East Side since 2016 and enjoys reading, walking her German shepherd Morgan, and exploring Evansville. She also serves on the board of directors for Foster Care In the The U.S.

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