Historic Treasure of the Week - July 4, 1982
By Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure of the Week - July 4, 1982
By Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
This sledge hammer, displayed with a block of wood from Fort Harrison and a bust of William Harrison, is truly a historical treasure of the Wabash Valley.
The tool was in the possession of the Sturgis family for many years. Elizabeth Ann Sturgis, who claimed Fort Harrison as her birthplace, gave it to her grandson, Charles Broadhurst, who in turn gave it to the Vigo County Historical Society in 1965. Elizabeth's father was one of the workers in the construction of the fort.
Through the years the handle was lost. In 1965 Howard Tobey, Riley, constructed the present handle, appropriate in design and size for the period in which the tool was used.
Built in October, 1811, on the orders of William Henry Harrison, Forth Harrison was located on the present site of the Elks Country Club. Its purpose was to provide a refuge from Indian attacks and a place for the storage of supplies.
Harrison was then Governor of the Indiana Territory leading his men north along the Wabash River to an encounter with Tecumseh. Later Harrison became the ninth president of the United States.
These Fort Harrison items are part of the permanent display in the Daughters of the American Revolution Military Room at the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 South Sixth Street.
The museum is closed today in observance of Independence Day. Open hours, from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday will resume tomorrow.