I grew up watching the Red Skelton Show. His comedy then is still funny today. Prior to his TV show, he was in movies.Skelton loved clowns.Skelton was a many of many characters and faces.Freddie the Freeloader costumeDeadeye Red costumeCauliflower McPugg costumeSan Fernando RedRed’s three Emmy Awards.Red was also an accomplished painter, primarily of clowns.Many faces of Red SkeltonRed Skelton mural in downtown VincennesRed Skelton’s birthplace, 1913.
Vincennes, the oldest city in Indiana, was established as a French fur trading post in the early 1700s. Inaugurated in 1800 as capital of the Indiana Territory, with William Henry Harrison as its first governor.
Old French House. Built circa 1806 for French fur trader Michel Brouillet. This house was built “posts-on-sill” which was typical of French settlers’ technique in the 18th and early 19th century.This chest opens up into a……bed!Display in the upstairs of the French House.Jefferson Academy, established by William Henry Harrison in 1801, became Vincennes University in 1806.Classroom.Indiana Territorial Capitol. This “Red House” served as capitol for only one month in 1811, but it is the only early capitol building that survives today.House of representatives room.Upstairs Senate room.Elihu Root Print Shop, established 1804. Published the Indiana Gazette.Sample Indiana Gazette.Article about the Hamilton-Burr duel.Historic building used as visitor center.Legend has it that over a hundred years ago a young Red Skelton was selling newspapers in front of the Pantheon Theater when a well-dressed man asked if he was planning to go to the show that evening. The boy said no, he had to sell all his papers to help his family. The man then bought all the papers and said if the boy came back tonight there would be a ticket waiting for him. The boy saw the show that night and realized the man who bought all the papers was the star of the show. When he saw the audience laughing, he was inspired to make people laugh.Historic Pantheon Theater, opened in 1921.Sugarloaf Mound is a natural landform but was used by Woodland Era Native Americans (1100 AD) as a burial mound.New housing for Vincennes University, pretty nice.
This was the home of William Henry Harrison, our 9th President. He died one month after his inauguration in 1841, the shortest term of any president. Due to his short term in office, he is barely a footnote in our history, but he was actually quite a substantial man prior to the presidency. He served as governor of the Indiana Territory 1800-1812, which covered what is today Illinois and Wisconsin as well as Indiana. He gained military fame as commander of a militia that defeated the Shawnee at the battle of Tippecanoe, and commanded the Northwest Territory military forces during the War of 1812. He was a US Congressman, US Senator and ultimately President.As governor of Indiana Territory, he built and lived here, which he named Grouseland, because he loved to hunt and eat grouse.Entry hallwayParlorDining roomGrouse themed chinaIn the basement, a loom and spinning wheel are displayed.Grouse feathersNote handwritten note by William Henry Harrison in 1794: “The contractors will please to issue to the Chickasaw Indians sixteen rations of flour and meat.”Painting of Harrison meeting Shawnee leader Tecumseh.1840 campaign banner: “Strike for Our Country’s Good”Prehistoric copper spear point, commonly called a “rat-tail spear point”, estimated to be from 1,000-4,000 BC, on display in Grouseland’s basement.Various portraits of Harrison.Harrison with First Lady Anna Harrison.First Lady Anna Harrison. She never made it to the White House. She was ill when Harrison was inaugurated, then when she was packing to move to Washington. she received word of Harrison’s death.Harrison bust.
The World’s Largest Gavel, at the Marshall Illinois CourthouseAbraham Lincoln statue on the grounds of the courthouseLion statues all over town in Marshall. The high school mascot is the Lion.
