Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
Historic Treasure of the Week -
April 21, 2002
By Shawn M. Rogers
Vigo County Historical Society
Sketch gives rare look inside Fort Harrison
The history of Fort Harrison has been well-chronicled throughout the nearly 191 years since it was first constructed. Tales regarding William Henry Harrison’s march to glory and national fame at Tippecanoe, and Zachary Taylor’s gallant defense of the fort from the attack of Tecumseh’s would-be native “confederates,” have long been a part of Wabash Valley lore.
The passage of time has not blunted our pride in the heroic deeds and struggles of the men and women who lived, fought and died in and near old Fort Harrison.
These feelings of pride and recognition are present in the many representations of Fort Harrison that can still be seen throughout Terre Haute in the form of advertisements, logos, insignias and works of art. In fact, the official seal of the city of Terre Haute contains a depiction of Fort Harrison. The rather pervasive presence of this icon is somewhat remarkable when you consider that Fort Harrison was razed in the early to mid-1830s.
The fort once stood at the present site of the Elks Country Club. It had a stockade of heavy hewn timbers built in the form of a square with each side measuring 150 feet. The west wall was made up of a line of soldiers’ barracks with a blockhouse on both ends. The upper level of each blockhouse projected beyond the lower walls so that troops on guard could fire in any direction under and along the walls.
The stables, sheds and guardhouses were on the north side of the fort. On the south side were the magazine, well and officers’ quarters. The gated entrance to Fort Harrison is believed to have been on the east side of the structure.
A neighborhood of squatters’ and settlers’ cabins dotted the land outside the walls of the garrison.
Numerous paintings, drawings and sketches have been made of Fort Harrison throughout the years; however, few if any have been made from the interior perspective like the one illustrated in “Salty” Seamon’s rendering of how the plaza of the fort once appeared. Attention to detail, which has always marked “Salty” Seamon’s work, adds even more value to this fine sketch.
A print of this sketch as well as an excellent scale model of Fort Harrison can be seen along with many other historical treasures in the military room of the Vigo County Historical Museum.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Web site: http://web.indstate.edu/community/vchs.