Grouseland
Encyclopedia
Grouseland, the William Henry Harrison
Mansion and Museum, is a National Historic Landmark
in architectural and historical fields. Grouseland is a large, two-story red brick
home
built for William Henry Harrison
in Vincennes, Indiana
, during his term as Governor
of the Indiana Territory
. The mansion was completed in 1804 and reportedly dubbed Grouseland by William Henry Harrison, due to the abundance of grouse
in the area.
During Harrison's governorship of the Indiana Territory
, Grouseland was the focal point of the social and official life of the territory. As the capital of the Northwest Territory
, more territory was governed from Vincennes than any city outside Washington, D.C.
Grouseland was home to Harrison until 1812. It remained in the Harrison family until the late 1840s.
The mansion includes the council chamber where Harrison met with representatives from various American Indian
tribes. In 1805, Harrison negotiated the Treaty of Grouseland
with a number of important Indian leaders, including Little Turtle and Buckongahelas
. Harrison had two confrontations with the Shawnee
leader Tecumseh
at Grouseland in 1810 and 1811. (see Tecumseh's War
). Harrison's thirteen treaties with Native American leaders resulted in millions of acres of land being acquired by the United States. Grouseland was built from local materials by skilled labor. The architect was William Lindsay.
Today, Grouseland is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution
who saved the building from destruction. It is overseen by the Grouseland Foundation, a volunteer board of directors composed of DAR and non-DAR members to manage the structure and programs. The main campus of Vincennes University
is adjacent to the property, and other state historic buildings, such as the Territorial Capitol
building, have been moved to the property.
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
Mansion and Museum, is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in architectural and historical fields. Grouseland is a large, two-story red brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
home
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
built for William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
in Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
, during his term as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
. The mansion was completed in 1804 and reportedly dubbed Grouseland by William Henry Harrison, due to the abundance of grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
in the area.
During Harrison's governorship of the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
, Grouseland was the focal point of the social and official life of the territory. As the capital of the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
, more territory was governed from Vincennes than any city outside Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Grouseland was home to Harrison until 1812. It remained in the Harrison family until the late 1840s.
The mansion includes the council chamber where Harrison met with representatives from various American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes. In 1805, Harrison negotiated the Treaty of Grouseland
Treaty of Grouseland
The Treaty of Grouseland was an agreement negotiated by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory on behalf of the government of the United States of America with Native American leaders, including Little Turtle and Buckongahelas, for lands in Southern Indiana, northeast Indiana, and...
with a number of important Indian leaders, including Little Turtle and Buckongahelas
Buckongahelas
Buckongahelas was a regionally and nationally renowned Lenape chief, councilor and warrior. He was active from the days of the French and Indian War through the Northwest Indian Wars, after the United States achieved independence and settlers encroached on territory beyond the Appalachian...
. Harrison had two confrontations with the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
leader Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
at Grouseland in 1810 and 1811. (see Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion are terms sometimes used to describe a conflict in the Old Northwest between the United States and an American Indian confederacy led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh...
). Harrison's thirteen treaties with Native American leaders resulted in millions of acres of land being acquired by the United States. Grouseland was built from local materials by skilled labor. The architect was William Lindsay.
Today, Grouseland is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
who saved the building from destruction. It is overseen by the Grouseland Foundation, a volunteer board of directors composed of DAR and non-DAR members to manage the structure and programs. The main campus of Vincennes University
Vincennes University
Vincennes University is a public university in Vincennes, Indiana, in the United States. Founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, VU is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana. Since 1889, VU has been a two-year university, although baccalaureate degrees in seven select areas are...
is adjacent to the property, and other state historic buildings, such as the Territorial Capitol
Indiana Territorial Capitol
The Indiana Territorial Capitol is part of a state historical site in Vincennes, Indiana. Part of a row of buildings located across from Vincennes University, the building was once the center of government for the Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1813....
building, have been moved to the property.
External links
- Official website
- 'Vincennes Hoping History Can Bring Tourism' Indiana Business Journal