Inside Benjamin Harrison's Mansion: The House That Made a President

In a quiet Indianapolis neighborhood, a stately red brick mansion stands as a time capsule of the late 19th century. A house that witnessed the rise of a president and now preserves his legacy. Hi everyone, Ken here. Hit that subscribe button and let's explore this house. In 1833, Benjamin Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio into a family of notable heritage. His great-grandfather had been a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, briefly served as the 9th U.S. President. Despite this illustrious lineage, Benjamin's own success was hardly preordained. He earned it through education, hard work, and service. Harrison graduated with honors from Miami University in 1852 and decided to pursue a legal career. In 1854, after marrying Carolyn Scott, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana to establish himself as a young attorney. The early years in Indianapolis were challenging. Work came slowly at first, and money was tight. He finally gained notice after a stint as the Indianapolis city attorney and as a reporter for the state supreme court, an office he won in 1860. When the Civil War erupted, Harrison answered the call to serve. In 1862, Indiana's governor asked him to help recruit a regiment, and Harrison ended up commanding the 70th Indiana Infantry, rising to the rank of colonel by war's end. His Civil War service bolstered his public standing and leadership credentials. He became active in politics and was eventually tapped to run for office. Though he lost the first campaign for governor of Indiana in the 1870s, his stature only grew. By the 1880s, Harrison was one of Indiana's leading figures. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1881 to 1887, making a name for himself on the national stage. Financial success accompanied Harrison's political rise. His law practice flourished in the post-war years, allowing him to afford a lavish home for his family. In 1867, Harrison purchased a spacious double lot on North Delaware Street in Indianapolis, in what was then a fashionable suburban neighborhood. There, in 1874, he and Carolyn began construction of a grand 16-room Italianette mansion. The project cost around $24,000, a small fortune at the time, but Harrison's thriving career made it possible. By 1875, the elegant house was complete, and it would remain the family's primary residence in the years to come. Benjamin and Carolyn filled the home with their growing family, including two children, Russell and Mary, and with the comforts befitting a successful Victorian-era household. Harrison's prominence peaked with the presidential election of 1888. That year, in a twist of fate, he became the Republican nominee for President of the United States, a nomination he formally accepted in the parlor of his Indianapolis home. Harrison campaigned famously from his own front porch, or more accurately, his front steps, in what came to be known as a front porch campaign. Rather than barnstorm across the country, he mostly stayed in Indianapolis, giving speeches to delegations of voters who traveled to see him. The strategy paid off. Although Harrison lost the popular vote, he won the electoral vote and defeated the incumbent president, Grover Cleveland, becoming the 23rd president. Now a bit more about the mansion. The Harrison home is a beautiful example of Italianette architecture, reflecting both the fashionable taste of the era and the personal input of Benjamin and Carolyn Harrison. After purchasing the land in the late 1860s, Harrison hired architect Herman T. Brandt to design the house in the popular Italianette style, which was characterized by its elegant yet robust features. A low-pitched hip roof with decorative corbels protruding from the cornices running along the eaves, tall and narrow windows capped with stone-hood moldings, and even a three-story bay window. Visitors entering the front door would find themselves in an oak-trimmed entrance hall with a grand walnut staircase rising to the upper levels. High ceilings and rich woodwork of oak, walnut, and butternut create a warm Victorian ambiance throughout the interior. The first floor featured formal spaces such as the front parlor, a back parlor, a library, and a dining room, all places where the Harrisons could host guests or enjoy family gatherings. What made the Harrison home especially impressive were the modern conveniences and personal touches, features that were cutting-edge for the 1870s. The house was equipped with indoor plumbing that supplied running water to the kitchen, a washroom, and a second-floor bathroom at a time when most homes still lacked such luxuries. It also had a coal-fired furnace providing central heat through a network of ducts and registers, and was lit by gaslight from at least 23 gas fixtures installed throughout the rooms. Remarkably, Harrison even invested in an early security system, a burglar alarm of bells and strings attached to the doors to alert the household of any intruders, an innovative feature for its day. The materials in construction were of high quality. The foundation was built of Indiana limestone two feet thick, and some 380,550 bricks went into the robust masonry walls of the 10,000-square-foot home. Large French-plate glass windows graced the rooms, bringing an ample light and a touch of elegance. Over time, the house saw a few changes and updates, especially after Harrison's presidency. One notable addition was the construction of a grand column front porch in 1896. During the 1888 campaign, Harrison had delivered speeches to crowds from his front steps, but it wasn't until a few years later, in his post-presidential years, that he added the now iconic full-front porch spanning the facade. Along with the porch, Harrison modernized the house with electricity and updated plumbing in the 1890s, ensuring the home remained comfortable and up-to-date. Today, thanks to careful restoration, visitors touring the Benjamin Harrison presidential site can see the rooms decorated in Victorian-era styles as they were in Harrison's time, with about three-quarters of the furnishings and artifacts being original to the family. And with that, I'll turn it over to you. What did you think about the Benjamin Harrison house? Let me know down below in the comments section, and while you're there, make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an exciting episode of This House.