Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1906-07-07
First Capital of Indiana Has
Many Interesting and Pleas
ant Features.
People Interested in
Big Packing Plant Lo-
Gated Here.
STATESMEN MEET. UNDER THE ELM

Corydon, only twenty--one miles
flom Louisville Us one of the most
beautiful as well as one of the most
historic towns in the Central West.
1t is the old capital of the territory
from which was carved the great
State of Indiana. 1t is a wonder
that Louisville people do not be-
come more interested in the lovely
little town which is the capital Of
one of the most prospecting farming
sections in the southern part of the
Hoosier State, and capable of Civ
ing this city much valuable trade.
Some few Louisville men are inter-
eeted in Corydon, but only few.
Corydon was named by Gen.
William Henry Harrison, the hero
of Tippecanoe, who owned the
land on which the first capital was
built. Gen. Harrison, who became
the eleventh President of the Unit
ed States, entered this land in
1901, and Corydon was laid out
seven years later. 1t is the inten-
ton of the good people of the
town to celebrate the centennial of
th> foundation of the town in
June, 1908. The occasion will be
. rotable one, and the Governor of
tn, State, and many of the Hoosier
statesmen from the lake to the
Ohio will gather there.
1t was from Corydon that n
pc tition was sent to Congress that
the Territory be admitted to the
Union. There were slaves in Indi-
ana in those days, strange as it may
seem to people of this generation,
and the question of slavery or no
was an issue. No slavery
won. 1t was here that the Consti-
IL ton and the first laws were made
70. the government of the State,
which now cotains nearly 100000
people.
In May, 1916, delegates were
to meet in convention at
Corydon on the following June 10,
IL draw up a State Cnstitution.
During a session of nineteen days
a Constitution was formed, and it
was a good one. 1t now takes six
months or a year for the wise ones
to form new constitutions in the
several States, and some of them
are not as good as the old ones.
Under the old laws of Indiana, for
instance, it took an act of the
Legislature to secure divorce.
New vone can get a divorce in that
State for cold feet. The first Con-
stitution was signed by Jonathan
Jennings, who became the first
Governor of Indiana. He is buried
at Charlestown, where the State
has erected a monument to his
memory. He was a sterling pa
tliot. The constitutional conven-
ton held its sessions in the old
Capitol, but the weather being very
warm during most of the day most
of the proceedings were transacted
under the shade of a great elm
tree which still stands in the heart
CT the town. This tree is called
the constitutional Elm," and q
fence has been built around it to
protect it. This venerable giant of
the forest is sixteen feet in circum-
ference, fifty feet high, and its
branches measure 124 feet across
its boughs. Near the tree is a fine
cool spring of water which never
goes dry.
Near the Constitutional Elm"
stands the first house erected in
Corydon. 1t was the home of
Deniel C. Lane, the first Treasurer
of the State. 1t is to-day the resi-
dence of c. C. Jordon.
The first Capitol of Indiana,
which is now owned and used as a
County Courthouse, still stands,
1t is a very substantial building,
though nearly 100 years old. 1t is
fifty feet square, built oil lime
stone, which abounds in Harrison
ccunty. The Indiana Legislature
met in this building in 1926. Den
mis- Pennington constructed the
building and some of his descen-
cents still live in Corydon. He was
at one time Speaker of the House
The Governors Mansion was q
two-story brick building which was
standing until a few years ago. II
was occupied by Jonathan Jen-
nings and Thomas Posey,, the first
Governors. Governor Posey die
not like Corydon, and he removed
his residence to Jeffersonville Sc
that he could be near Louisville
and this made the people of Cory
don very angry. 1t would make
arybody that loves Corydon angry
to leave the dear old place. 1t il
lovely quiet place to live.
Recently the town of CorydoI
has been putting on metropolitan
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