Page 7 - Demo

originally located on Main Street, it was moved in the middle of the 19th century to North Third Street. It was then relocated to Harrison Park in 1919, then finally transported to its current location across from Vincennes University in 1949. Today, it is open to the public, but as a result its four moves, the structure is somewhat out-of-plumb. After coming to Vincennes, Governor Harrison built a home on 300 acres of land adjacent to the town. He named it Grouseland because of the many grouse found locally. It was in a Federalstyle, and reminiscent of his native Berkeley Plantation in Virginia. Completed in 1804, the 2-story house was constructed with bricks made locally by Samuel Thompson. When finished, it was quite a contrast to the humble log cabins of the other nearby residents. With six bedrooms on the upper floor, plus other genteel amenities, its construction cost has been estimated at $20,000%u2014a truly immense sum at the time.Grouseland quickly became the center of social and political life for the entire Territory. It was on the home%u2019s lawn that Harrison and Tecumseh tried to resolve their differences in 1810. Over the years, it was said that the house had a hidden escape tunnel and secret passageways%u2014but they were just rumors. After the Harrisons left Vincennes in 1812, Grouseland continued to serve as a private residence, then it evolved into a library, and later a hotel. Sadly, over the years, it began to deteriorate, and was used for grain storage, with cattle wandering its many-roomed basement. In 1909, the aging home was sold to the Vincennes Water Supply Co., which wanted to tear it down. Then, in 1916, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution raised $2,000 toward its preservation, and the City of Vincennes acquired the beautifully restored property in 1935, and opened it to the public.