Grouseland Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

William Henry Harrison House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property


Location	3 W. Scott St., Vincennes, Indiana
Built	1804
Architect	William Lindsay
Architectural style	Federal
NRHP reference No.	66000018
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	December 19, 1960

Grouseland, also known as the William Henry Harrison Mansion and Museum, is a very important historic home. It's a National Historic Landmark because of its special Federal-style design and its big role in American history. This two-story, red brick house was built between 1802 and 1804 in Vincennes, Indiana. It was the home of William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) when he was the first governor of the Indiana Territory from 1801 to 1812. The house was finished in 1804. Harrison reportedly named it Grouseland because there were many grouse birds in the area.

History of Grouseland
What Grouseland Looks Like
See also

History of Grouseland

Building a Governor's Home

In 1800, U.S. president John Adams chose 27-year-old William Henry Harrison to be the first governor of the Indiana Territory. Soon after he arrived in Vincennes in 1801, Harrison started planning his new home. He bought 300 acres of land next to the town. Once he knew he would stay for a second term as governor, construction began on his Federal-style mansion. It was built between 1802 and 1804.

Grouseland was designed by an architect named William Lindsay. Its style was like the grand homes Harrison grew up in back in Virginia. Grouseland was very different from the simple log cabins where most other people in the Indiana Territory lived. In the early 1800s, this area was a frontier with few roads. Vincennes, the capital, had only about 700 American and French residents. Governor Harrison paid a lot of his own money to build Grouseland, about $20,000 at that time.

The builders used skilled workers and bricks made near Vincennes. Grouseland is thought to be the first brick building in Vincennes and the Indiana Territory. Large limestone blocks for the foundation came from nearby quarries. The house was decorated beautifully with items brought from Europe. Some historians believe Harrison built such a fancy home to show his importance as governor, even though he was quite young. Grouseland showed Harrison's high position and his family's important place in American society. (William Henry Harrison was the youngest son of Benjamin Harrison, V, who signed the Declaration of Independence.)

Harrison Family Life

Grouseland was home to William Henry and Anna Tuthill (Symmes) Harrison and their children until 1812. At least three of their ten children were born there. This included John Scott Harrison, who later became the father of Benjamin Harrison. Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd president of the United States.

The Harrisons left Grouseland in 1812 and moved to North Bend, Ohio. William Henry Harrison then served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. After that, he was a member of the Ohio Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. In 1840, he was elected as the 9th president of the United States.

A Center for Important Meetings

While Harrison was governor, Grouseland was the main place for social events and official business in the territory. Lawmakers visiting Vincennes often stayed overnight at the governor's home. Vincennes was once the capital of the Northwest Territory. More land was governed from Vincennes than from any other city outside Washington, D.C..

Governor Harrison also met with American Indian leaders at Grouseland. These leaders included Little Turtle, Buckongahelas, and others from various tribes. They met to discuss and sign important land treaties. Between 1803 and 1809, Harrison signed eleven treaties with Native American leaders. These treaties gave the U.S. government millions of acres of land in what is now southern Indiana and most of Illinois. Five of these land treaties were signed at Grouseland, including the Treaty of Grouseland in 1805. This treaty was signed in the mansion's council chamber, which was the main parlor.

Harrison also had two important meetings with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh at Grouseland. On August 12, 1810, Harrison met with Tecumseh on the lawn in front of the house. Tecumseh was joined by many warriors, possibly 100 to 400. This meeting lasted for eight days but did not result in a treaty. Their disagreements later led to battles during Tecumseh's War. Harrison defeated Tenskwatawa (also known as the Prophet), who was Tecumseh's brother, at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He later defeated Tecumseh himself at the Battle of the Thames in 1813.

Later Uses and Preservation

After Harrison left Grouseland in 1812, Judge Benjamin Parke lived there. In 1821, the house was given to Harrison's son-in-law, John Cleves Symmes Harrison. He lived there with his wife, Clarissa, and their six children for about ten years. Harrison's family owned the home until 1850. After that, Grouseland was used for different things, including a grain warehouse, a library, a hotel, and other private homes.

In 1909, the Vincennes Water Company bought the property and planned to tear down the historic house. They wanted to use the land for other purposes. However, the Francis Vigo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) stepped in. They raised money to buy the home and save it from being destroyed. By 1916, the local DAR chapter had raised $2,000 from the community. They were given a special deed to the property. The DAR worked to restore the home to how it looked when William Henry Harrison lived there. They even furnished it with some of the Harrison family's original belongings. Grouseland opened as a historical museum in 1911. In 1935, the City of Vincennes bought the water company and officially gave the local DAR chapter full ownership of Grouseland.

Grouseland Today

Grouseland was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It was listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1966. Today, it is located at the northwest corner of Park and Scott streets, within the Vincennes Historic District. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution still owns it. The Grouseland Foundation, a group of volunteers from the DAR and the community, helps manage the house and its programs.

The Grouseland Rifle, an old firearm from the early 1800s, is owned by the Foundation and displayed at Grouseland. It has been named the official state firearm of Indiana. The main campus of Vincennes University is right next to Grouseland. Other important historic sites in Vincennes include the Territorial Capitol building.

What Grouseland Looks Like

Grouseland today sits on about half a city block, about 100 yards from the Wabash River. This area was once part of Harrison's 300-acre estate in Vincennes. The house is a two-story, red brick building in the Federal style. It has a high roof and dormer windows, with an attic space. The house sits on a basement with a strong limestone foundation.

The main house and a smaller building at the back are connected by a covered walkway. On the first floor of the main house, there is a parlor (which was the council chamber) on the left. A dining room is on the right of the entrance and hallway. The hallway leads to a library at the back. The second floor has six bedrooms and a passageway that connects to the smaller building at the back.

Grouseland facts for kids

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