Grouseland

William Henry Harrison, despite serving just 30 days in the White House, left a particularly large impact on American history. He became a war hero after defeating Tecumseh and the British in the War of 1812. When running for president, he used his fame to run a grassroots campaign that would influence all successful ones ever since. Before any of that, however, Harrison served as the first territorial governor of Indiana, at the time based in Vincennes, from 1801 to 1812.

His administration was mainly concerned with expanding land for settlement on what was then still the United States’s western frontier. He sought this by obtaining land titles from Native Americans, either peacefully or by force if necessary. As such, fighting against outraged natives became another part of his job. Harrison also unsuccessfully attempted to promote slavery in the territory and founded Vincennes University, now near his former house.

Harrison built Grouseland, named for the birds on the property, as his personal residence between 1802 and 1804. It is a plantation-style home reminiscent of his upbringing in Indiana. Brick structures were rare at the time in Indiana, and today it is one of the oldest in the state. Despite its frontier location, it was decorated lavishly with European items. Grouseland became the de facto center of government for the territory, with politicians and Native leaders frequently meeting the governor here.

Today, the mansion has been preserved thanks to the Daughters of the American Revolution. In addition to exhibits on Harrison and life in the Territory of Indiana, there is also the Grouseland Rifle, an ornate custom-made gun that is Indiana's official state firearm.