William Henry Harrison's Grouseland Home

William Henry Harrison served as the secretary of the Northwest Territory starting in 1798, a territorial delegate to Congress in 1799, and the governor of the Indiana Territory in 1800. Harrison was only twenty-seven years old at the time and was in this position for twelve year being responsible the contradictory jobs of acquiring Indian land for Indiana and securing Indians justice. Harrison, a wealthy Virginian, arrived in Vincennes, Indiana in 1801 and immediately appointed essential public officials with local recommendations to have a representative government in the new territory. His home in the Indiana capital at the time was called Grouseland for the many game birds on the three-hundred-acre lot of land. The architecture was inspired by his family home in Virginia, the Berkeley Plantation. It is a national historic landmark and a presidential site because this elegant Georgian home was the first brick home in Indiana that belonged to the ninth president of the United States. This house reflects Harrison's social background and his elegant, professional way of dealing with politics. Grouseland was not just a home, but it acted as the center of government for the Indiana Territory. Harrison apart of the Whig party at the time believed that, “The liberties of a people depend on their own constant attention to its preservation” (Lewis, 2010). Therefore, he was constantly inviting business into his own home making compromises to better Indiana. During times of unrest with the Indians, this house acted as a fortress of protection and symbolized the great strength and success of Harrison’s military and political career. In 1810, the Shawnee leader Tecumseh and his warriors met with Harrison and the militia at Grouseland for conducted business and shared great oratory. He left Grouseland for Tippecanoe creek in 1811 with his forces to defeat the Indians, resigned as governor in 1812, and left Grouseland again in 1813 for Canada to defeat the British at the Battle of the Thames in 1813 when Tecumseh was killed. Harrison’s time in Indiana taught him the importance of government and being represented, and he made sure Indiana has plenty of officials to hear their voices. Grouseland was important in this politician’s career because it was the site of many important meetings and Harrison stood strong like his brick fortress Grouseland when enduring many governing hardships.

Lewis, M. (2010). Indiana Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://www.in.gov/history/2746.htm

Vigo, Francis. (1936). Grouseland: the home of William Henry Harrison. Vincennes, Ind.