History

    When the U. S. O. opened an Evansville activity center for servicemen during World War II, they chose the beautiful, two-story building graced with four stone columns that stood at Lincoln Avenue and Morton Street.   After the war, the building stood vacant for a time while a new use was determined.   Eventually, the building was transformed into a site for teen recreation and named the Carver Community Center.


    The Carver board of directors quickly realized that the center could provide additional urgently needed services for neighborhood residents.   So they first added a family community center with health services, such as a "well baby" clinic.   Then in the 1950s, they added literacy programs, arts and crafts, and many other recreational and educational activities for the city's children and their parents.



    In 1967, Carver opened a childcare center for the children of mothers working outside the home or enrolled in education programs.   This program was funded by the City of Evansville.   Around that same time, the Carver Community Organization moved to the C. K. Newsome Center at 100 E. Walnut and then eventually to 400 Southeast Eighth Street where it remains today.   The childcare program has expanded from strictly daytime to evening and night hours for parents who work later shifts.   After-school programs that were added later continue to flourish and provide much-needed supervised activities for young children.