Finding history in Vincennes, IN

10 Aug 2018

Our next stop was to visit our friends Helen and Jim in Indiana.  It is easy to find a place to stay since they have full RV hookups in their driveway.  One of the great things about visiting them is their local knowledge. In past visits we have seen a number of interesting and historical sites that we likely would not have visited on our own.

Vincennes is the oldest settlement in Indiana and the site of some important historical events. As you arrive along the riverfront, you immediately see the monument dedicated to the frontiersmen of the American Revolution. It is named in honor of George Rogers Clark.  He is considered to be the hero of Vincennes, as he took the British Fort with a very small force of men after an arduous journey to reach the town.  He fought in several other significant battles on the western frontier.

His background was also of interest to us, since he is one of the five elder brothers of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition fame.  All five of his brothers fought in the Revolutionary War but William was too young.

Within walking distant of the monument is the frontier home of William Henry Harrison. We enjoyed a narrated tour of the home, Grouseland, which was completed in 1804 and has many period artifacts and is designed for both comfort and defense with a basement area set up as armory and fortress.  This proved unnecessary as the home was never attacked.  Harrison would peak in his political career as the ninth President of the United States.  He is the shortest serving president as he died 31 days after taking office from pneumonia.  It is thought this may have been caused by his decision to make his inaugural address outside in the cold rain.  More interesting history on Harrison can be seen here. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed inside the home.

For history buffs, this is a must see.