Benjamin Harrison Home
Encyclopedia
The Benjamin Harrison Home, in the Old Northside Historic District
of Indianapolis, Indiana
, was the home of the Twenty-third President of the United States
, Benjamin Harrison
. Benjamin Harrison had the house built in the 1870s of red brick, and it had sixteen rooms. It was from the front porch of the house that Benjamin Harrison instituted his famous Front Porch Campaign in the 1888 United States Presidential Campaign
, often speaking to crowds on the street. In 1896, Harrison renovated the house and added electricity
. Benjamin Harrison died there in a second story bedroom in 1901. Today it is owned by the Arthur Jordan Foundation and operated as a museum to Benjamin Harrison by the Benjamin Harrison Foundation.
Benjamin Harrison arrived in Indianapolis in 1854 in order to begin a career as a lawyer. In 1867, following his service in the military, he bought a double lot from an auction
, on what was then the outskirts of town, on North Delaware Street, just north of present-day I-65. In 1874 construction of a house on the property began, and was completed in 1875, at the cost of $24,818.67 (equal to $ today). The trend for wealthier citizens of Indianapolis to move to the north side of town started with Benjamin Harrison moving his family to 1230 Delaware Street. When built, the property featured many elm
and oak
tree
s. Except for the time Benjamin Harrison served as United States Senator from Indiana (1881-1887), and his time as President of the United States (1889-1893), he would live at the home for the rest of his life. Benjamin Harrison would die in the master bedroom of the house on March 13, 1901. While running for president in 1888, Benjamin Harrison would issue campaign speeches to listeners on the street outside his home, in what were called "front-porch speeches". The front porch would not be built until 1896, 3 years after he left the presidency.
After Benjamin Harrison's death, his widow Mary Lord Dimmick Harrison
owned the property. In 1939 Mary Lord Harrison sold the house to the Arthur Jordan School of Music (now located st Butler University
as the Jordan College of Fine Arts), on the grounds that the house would always serve as a memorial to Benjamin Harrison. The Arthur Jordan School renovated the house, turning the second and third floors into a dormitory for the female students of the school, and making the first floor a museum. The Benjamin Harrison Home became a National Historic Landmark
in 1966. In 1974 the Arthur Jordan Foundation once again renovated the house, making it a house museum. The Arthur Jordan Foundation currently leases the house to the 1966-incorporated Benjamin Harrison Foundation, in order for the latter to run a museum inside the house.
woodwork, and parquet floors. Many renovations took place in 1896, which included electricity and the front porch.
. The front parlor is set to look as it did when Benjamin Harrison brought his new bride to the house.
Old Northside Historic District
Old Northside is a residential neighborhood near downtown in Indianapolis, Indiana, and located between 12th and 16th streets, and Pennsylvania and Bellfontaine Streets...
of Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, was the home of the Twenty-third President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
. Benjamin Harrison had the house built in the 1870s of red brick, and it had sixteen rooms. It was from the front porch of the house that Benjamin Harrison instituted his famous Front Porch Campaign in the 1888 United States Presidential Campaign
United States presidential election, 1888
The 1888 election for President of the United States saw Grover Cleveland of New York, the incumbent president and a Democrat, try to secure a second term against the Republican nominee Benjamin Harrison, a former U.S. Senator from Indiana...
, often speaking to crowds on the street. In 1896, Harrison renovated the house and added electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. Benjamin Harrison died there in a second story bedroom in 1901. Today it is owned by the Arthur Jordan Foundation and operated as a museum to Benjamin Harrison by the Benjamin Harrison Foundation.
History
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
, on what was then the outskirts of town, on North Delaware Street, just north of present-day I-65. In 1874 construction of a house on the property began, and was completed in 1875, at the cost of $24,818.67 (equal to $ today). The trend for wealthier citizens of Indianapolis to move to the north side of town started with Benjamin Harrison moving his family to 1230 Delaware Street. When built, the property featured many elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s. Except for the time Benjamin Harrison served as United States Senator from Indiana (1881-1887), and his time as President of the United States (1889-1893), he would live at the home for the rest of his life. Benjamin Harrison would die in the master bedroom of the house on March 13, 1901. While running for president in 1888, Benjamin Harrison would issue campaign speeches to listeners on the street outside his home, in what were called "front-porch speeches". The front porch would not be built until 1896, 3 years after he left the presidency.
After Benjamin Harrison's death, his widow Mary Lord Dimmick Harrison
Mary Dimmick Harrison
Mary Dimmick Harrison was the second wife of the 23rd United States president Benjamin Harrison. She was 25 years younger than Harrison, and was the niece of his first wife.- Biography :...
owned the property. In 1939 Mary Lord Harrison sold the house to the Arthur Jordan School of Music (now located st Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
as the Jordan College of Fine Arts), on the grounds that the house would always serve as a memorial to Benjamin Harrison. The Arthur Jordan School renovated the house, turning the second and third floors into a dormitory for the female students of the school, and making the first floor a museum. The Benjamin Harrison Home became a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1966. In 1974 the Arthur Jordan Foundation once again renovated the house, making it a house museum. The Arthur Jordan Foundation currently leases the house to the 1966-incorporated Benjamin Harrison Foundation, in order for the latter to run a museum inside the house.
Structure
The Italianate Benjamin Harrison House was built at 1230 Delaware Street from 1874 to 1875, using the plans of architect Herman T. Brandt. The red brick house has sixteen rooms. The bracketed cornices and three-story bay window are indicative of the Italianate architecture style. Interior features include an oak-trimmed walnut staircase, butternutButternut (tree)
Juglans cinerea, commonly known as Butternut or White Walnut, is a species of walnut native to the eastern United States and southeast Canada. Its range extends east to New Brunswick, and from southern Quebec west to Minnesota, south to northern Alabama and southwest to northern Arkansas...
woodwork, and parquet floors. Many renovations took place in 1896, which included electricity and the front porch.
Today
Presently, the house is open for tours throughout the weeks. Ten of the sixteen rooms are open for visitors, all decorated in the Victorian style typical of Benjamin Harrison's time at the residence. 75% of the 3,700 pieces of memorabilia actually belonged to Benjamin Harrison and his family, and the books in the museum number 2,440. Besides archive regarding Benjamin Harrison, the house also features archives of the Daughters of the American RevolutionDaughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
. The front parlor is set to look as it did when Benjamin Harrison brought his new bride to the house.