another day...another museum!

...Left after Breakfast and drove directly to Indianapolis, Indiana...easy pleasant drive..on good highway thru farmland...arrived at Home/Museum of Benjamin Harrison... He built the home on what was farmland in 1874.....arrived here from Miami University, in Ohio where he was Law Professor...Born in North Bend, Ohio... Began with interest to becoming a minister...studied with a Reverend Scott...fell in love with his daughter Caroline...married her and decided to study law!

Taught at Miami University of Ohio..had 2 kids..practiced law in Indianapolis..made some money..built big home in Indianapolis...When we arrived had to wait outside until we were instructed to ring bell on either 1/2 hour or the hour...As we did, we were invited in by a well trained docent who gave us a personal tour of the entire house...It is a 3 swtory extremely well preserved, gorgeous home of about 10,000 feet with 14 1/2 foot ceilings and attractive naturally stained hardwood trim in doors...It contains about 80% of the original furniture, decor and original paintings aqnd photos...and only the parlor was restricted from entering since the original carpet is on the floor!...Otherwise we were permitted to enter in each room and wander as we wished, only nwith the caution to not touch!...and I was permitted to take as many photos of anything I desired, so long as I did not employ flash...what a treat!....For example there was an original painting of Abraham Lincoln as a young man which had been hung over Lincoln's body at his funeral which was given to Benjamin since he was one of his most personal freinds!...and I photographed it for my book! He remained an Attorney until the Civil War when he volunteered for service...comissioned and served with General Sherman...then receiving a promotion by General Hooker...to a General himself. He enjoyed Army life, but left when summoned by nLincoln who had founded the National Republican Party to set up the Repiublican party of Indiana... Some anecdotes were: He was first President to install electricity in the White House...His wife was one of 3 President's wives to die while they were in office..His wife was quite outspoken.. a forerunner of women's lib..and the first wife to take an active role in her own agenda... She became ill with Tb...brought a young neice to assist her in home when she became bedridden...and directed her husnand to re-marry as soon as possible following her demise, since he needed that type of support...Shortly after her death, he married the neice who was the same type woman even tho she was 28 years nyounger than he!...I photod a photograph of Benjamin holding the young daughter she bore him...resembling more of being grandfather, rather than father..You will see it when I learn to post the pictures! More anacdotes...He was a close freind of John Philip Sousa who was Conductor of Marine Band and we heard a familiar March of his played on his original Music player which utilized Copper perforated disks which preceded the Phonograph...It was thrilling to hear! He also soigned six states into the Union...more than any other President and also signed Hawaii as a Territory!
It was his father who signed the Declarati0on of Independence! There were many other pictures I was able to photograph of personal and official content.....for example, we saw the actual bed he died in...and found out that he had a large summer house in Cape May, NJ!
All in all it was a remarkable visit to a home of a remarkable man..who certainly pplayed an important role in the development of our wonderful country...you shall see.....

It was a 2 hour visit and we promptly aimed our van toward, Springfield, Illinois...and enroute had a light lunch and still arrived at tge Lincoln Museum just a few minutes before their closing...giving us nan opportunity to "learn the ground rules" for tomorrow morning and of course sufficient time to add to my book collection!..The van is now more like a "mobile Library"..than a van for our travel purposes! See you tomorrow!