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Built in 1805 as a tailor shop, the Red House is a small two-story building whose frame
is held together with wooden pegs. The building originally had only one stairway on the
outside of the The House chamber is arranged as it might have been when the Legislature met here. The Speaker of the House sat in a tall chair in the middle of the room and conducted the meetings. The secretary sat at a small desk and recorded the bills. Legislators sat on the benches on either side of the Speaker. The second session of the Third General Assembly which met in this building from November 11 through December 19, 1811, passed several important laws. Property tax was enacted during this session. The tax rate was not to exceed one cent per acre on first-rate land, three-fourths cent per acre on second-rate land and one-half cent per acre on third-rate land. Another law passed during this time provided that all single men above the age of 21 without taxable property should be subject to a poll tax. The Legislative Council chamber is also arranged as it might have been in 1811. The five members of the Legislative Council met here as did the judiciary. The outside stairway was reached by the door on the west wall. A doorkeeper had the job of running messages up and down between the two houses. He was also responsible for heating the building and lighting the candles. In addition to the Indiana Territory, Vincennes also served as the capital of the Louisiana Purchase for nine months in 1804. That means more land was governed out of Vincennes than any other capitol except Washington, D.C. In 1804 the Michigan Territory was separated. In 1809 the Illinois Territory was created and Indiana was reduced almost to its present size. In 1813 the territory capital was moved to Corydon along the Ohio River. The move was a master political strategy devised by Jonathan Jennings. Jennings was the territorial delegate to Congress and a bitter political foe of Harrison. Jennings later became the first governor of the state of Indiana. Legislative Council members session of Nov. 11 through Dec. 19, 1811 James Beggs, Clark County, President House of Representatives members session of Nov. 11 through Dec. 19, 1811 General Washington Johnston, Knox County, Speaker Officers of the Session of Nov. 11 through Dec. 19, 1811 George R.C. Sullivan, Clerk to the Legislative Council Governors of the Indiana Territory William Henry Harrison 1800-1812 Secretary of the Indiana Territory John Gibson 1800-1816 |
building. Of particular note are the exposed ceiling beams with the grooved
decoration carved into the lower edges. The upstairs floor planks form the ceiling.