Quick Facts
- Population: ~143 (2020 Census)
- County: Posey County, Indiana
- ZIP Code: 47616
- School District: Metropolitan School District of North Posey County
- Nearest City: Evansville, IN (~29 miles)
Our History
Griffin was originally called Price's Station when it was platted in 1881 by William Price, who lent his name to the settlement. The town was later renamed to honor Samuel Griffin, one of its earliest postmasters. A post office has operated in Griffin continuously since 1881.
The 1925 Tri-State Tornado
On March 18, 1925, Griffin was struck by the legendary Tri-State Tornado, still the deadliest tornado in United States history. The town was largely destroyed in the storm, which killed 25 Griffin residents and injured hundreds more. The old Griffin High School adopted the "Tornadoes" as its mascot in memory of this event. The school later merged into North Posey High School in 1959.
The 1972 Bull Island Rock Festival
In the summer of 1972, Griffin found itself at the center of one of the most chaotic music events in rock history. Promoters Tom Duncan and Bob Alexander organized what they hoped would be a "bigger-than-Woodstock" festival on Labor Day weekend, September 2–4, 1972. The site, a strip of land called Bull Island on the Wabash River, technically in Illinois but accessible only from the Indiana side near Griffin, drew an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 attendees, far exceeding the 55,000 the organizers had planned for.
The festival's scheduled lineup included Black Sabbath, Joe Cocker, the Allman Brothers Band, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Cheech & Chong, among many others. Most performers cancelled due to safety concerns, flooding, and chaotic conditions. Locally, the event is still remembered as the "Bull Island Rock Fest." Learn more at the Wikipedia article linked below: