One Stop Indiana

One stop, one day, multiple site visits

We planned to “simply” visit our last Indiana National Park Site in Vincennes. HOWEVER, when we checked in at Apple Hill Orchard (camped in their parking lot, by the orchard), our host gave us information on Vincennes, and we decided that we had to check out at least a couple of additional historic sites and a site reminiscent of our childhood.

Because, WOW. Some history here. Founded in 1732 in a part of the Midwest that belonged to France, Vincennes is Indiana’s oldest city. Ownership of the area changed hands from France to Great Britain, and ultimately America following the Revolutionary War. Thank you, George Rogers Clark. In 1800, Congress created the Indiana Territory (when Ohia became a state and “left” the Northwest Territory) and named Vincennes its capital. At that time, the territory had ~3,000 people and ~1,000 lived in Vincennes!

First Stop…Visit to 1 new National Park Site:

• George Rogers Clark National Historical Park (#356), honoring a forgotten hero of the Revolutionary War (and older brother of William Lewis of Lewis & Clark fame). “Out of despair and destruction Clark brought concerted action. With a flash of genius the 26-year-old leader conceived a campaign that was a brilliant masterpiece of military strategy.” Franklin D. Roosevelt at the dedication of the George Rogers Clark Memorial in 1936. It was a several months campaign that culminated in the surrender of Fort Sackville (where the Memorial now sits) on Feb. 25, 1779 at 10 A.M. His American army, of only 150 Long Knives, aided by French residents of the Illinois country, had marched through freezing floodwaters of the Wabash River for 5 days with no food, to gain this victory. The fort’s capture assured United States claims to the frontier north of the Ohio River, an area nearly as large as the original 13 states. (The Northwest Territory, present day Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconcin, and NE Minnesota).
  
  We watched the 30 minute movie telling the story of his campagn, walked the grounds on the Wabash River, and visited the Memorial.

Other Vincennes Visits

• William Henry Harrison’s Grouseland, the Federal-styled, two-story, red brick home, built between 1802 and 1804 for William Henry Harrison during his tenure as the first governor of the Indiana Territory, from 1801 to 1812. We got a tour of all 3 floors (including the basement) and learned quite a bit about our 8th President, the first to die in office. Note, the final defeat of the British in the whole Northwest Territory didn’t occur until the War of 1812, after the Battle of Tippecanoe, led by then Govenor William Henry Harrison. Also, Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President, was his grandson.
  
• Vincennes State Historic Sites…we stopped in the log house visitor center and then toured the five other sites, learning quite a bit of Northwest Territory history:
  • the original Territorial Capitol building, built in 1805, where the 9 representatives met downstairs and the 5 senators upstairs
  • the Jefferson Academy, first school of higher learning in the state
  • the 1840, one-room Thompson House, which housed a family of 5
  • the Elihu Stout Print Shop, where the first newspaper in Indiana Territory was published
  • the Old French House, home of a French Fur Trader, a French Creole Cottage (built ~1806) typical of “posts-on-sill” construction technique (like the houses in St. Genevieve, the first permanent European settlement in Missouri, established in 1750 by French Canadian settlers, which we visited in Oct 2024.)
    
• The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy…we had to stop here. We both remember watching the Red Skelton Show as kids, with our families. At the museum we learned more about his life, including his philanthropy and that he was a painter. His widow built an entire attached building, just to show off his paintings!

Off to cross Illinois and head into Missouri

Making westward progress, 1-2 states at a time.

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