The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-05-31
FOR STATE MUSEUM
PLAN TO SAVE WILLIAM HENRY
HARRISoN'S MANSION.
: Historical Building at Vincennes, Ind,
in Danger of Unworthy Fate
Daughters of the ReVolu-
ton Are interested.

The Daughters of the Revolution In
Indiana will petition the legislature
to buy the old William Henry Har-
rison mansion at Vincennes for a
state historical museum.
This is not the first effort that has
been made TO have the state buy the
house. for historical societies have en-
deavored TO have it kept as lasting
monument to the memory of those
who built so well and as reminder
that this was the birthplace Of gov
eminent, religion and education in
the west where the foundations OF
large portion of the country were
laid. says the Indianapolis News 1t
was here that the first Presbyterian
church service was held in the north
west. In 1905 Thomas Cleveland
went to Vincennes and preached the
first Presbyterian service in the Will
derness in what is known as the coun-
Gil room of the Harrison house.
The house is two stories high, with
a large attic and basement under
the entire place. 1t is threatened
with sale TO a buyer who may turn
it into a storage house The owner
would prefer to have it bought by the
state or a society for an historical mu-
scum. The house is GO by 70 and
the lot by 200 by 1876 There are 20
rooms It's construction was begun
in 1890, and it was completed in 1904
and 1905. The ceilings are 1872 feet
high, and the rooms are spacious. The
walls are of brick, and inside and out
are is inches thick The glass in the
windows came from England, and 1t
took two years 10 have them deliv
cred The wood was sawed with the
old-fashioned whipsaw, and all the
nails were hand forged on the
grounds. The woodwork is hard pan
eled finished with beading and is of
solid, clear black walnut 1t is said
that the walnut in the house to-day is
worth small fortune.
The most important room in the
house is the council room with its
huge old-fashioned fireplace One fea-
ture is the great reception hall with
its stairway that makes a three-quar-
ter turn in it's ascent and has no Wis
ible means of support The woodwork
in the hall was all finished by hand
There are secret places in the house
that are supposed 20 have been used
for the storage OF valuables. The
woodwork is perfectly fitted and put
together with wooden pins so that aft
er 100 years it takes close scrutiny
to know where the joints are located
Directly under the front door is
the old powder magazine. The floors
all through the basement are solid
and dry and in one of the rear rooms
swinging in the old fireplace is the
old crane where the venison, buffalo
and bear meat was cooked. Many
distinguished guests partook of the
hospitality of William Henry Har-
risOn
The skilled labor was paid $4,000
for its work, and the slaves did all
the heavy carrying and lifting
Indiana had a great many relics
among the families of the state, and
many of these people would be glad
TO contribute to the historical colec-
ton If there were a state historical
museum such as this old mansion
might be made.
Hundreds of people visit the house
now and travel many miles over this
and adjoining states to do it, The
many visitors have become a burden
to the owners, who never know when
they are to have requests from peo-
pie to see the house If there was
more in the house to see the old man
sion would become a Mecca for the
patriotic sons and daughters of In
diana.