Blennerhassett
Island
Histroical State Park
Parkersburg,
Wv.
July 21, 1999
In the middle of
the Ohio river, just a mile and a half west of Parkersburg lies
yet another piece of American history that is so often overlooked
by the passing crowds. Blennerhassett Island, as it is called
now. is one of West Virginia's lesser known historical State
Parks. With over 500 acres and 10 miles of shoreline, it is the
5th largest island in the Ohio. It is accessed only by a 20
minute ride on a sternwheeler that leaves Point Park in
Parkersburg. Tickets are acquired at the Blennerhassett Museum
located at 2nd and Juliana Streets in Parkersburg.
This is a wonderful place to start the tour as the history is
laid out in quick and understandable fashion. The 20 minute
documentary film, located on the basement floor, tells the story
as a autobiographical
narrative. The island has been inhabited
for at least 14 thousand years as evidenced by the Indian relics
found there. During most summer months, there is usually some
kind of archeological dig going on, and much of what has been
found can be viewed in the museum in Parkersburg. The
sternwheeler is double decked with the top deck open. We rode out
on the bow just forward of the lower enclosure. The
breeze was very cooling and we were just out of the sun's rays.
The period of history we had come to see spanned only a few years
in the life of this island. The time from 1798 when the
Blennerhassett's built the beautiful mansion, until it
burned 13 years later. But let me digress for a moment and
describe the central characters in this story. Harman
Blennerhassett was the son of a wealthy Irish aristocrat who
owned his own town in County Cary, Ireland. His activities to
free Ireland from English rule, made him unpopular in English
circles. Margaret was born in England near the Scottish border on
her Grandfather's estate where she was raised, having been given
the best of education. She married Harman in 1794, when she was
but twenty years old. The trip to America was prompted by the
disapproval of their marriage, as Harman
was her uncle. In 1794, they sailed to New York and then over the
next two years moved to Philadelphia before loading up all their
valued possessions which had been carefully brought from Ireland,
and crossing the Appalachian Mountains into Pittsburgh, which was
known as the gateway to the west. Soon they had moved down the
Ohio River to Marietta where they stayed. It was here that they
first heard of an island that lay some 14 miles downstream that
was for sale. They moved onto the island, buying it a year later
and began construction on the Mansion which was completed in two
years. It was designed in the Palladium style. A horseshoe shape
with an outbuilding attached to ether end of the arch. The wing
on the left was the kitchen, while the wing on the right was
Harman's office, laboratory, and wine cellar. The central part of
the house contained 12 rooms. The Blennerhassetts were very
social, entertaining many famous guests. It would be this
friendship that would bring about their downfall. In the spring
of 1805, Aaron Burr visited and soon became entwined with the
family. Burr convinced Harman to back him in his invasion of
Mexico and convinced the Blennerhassetts to allow the use of the
island to train his army. Soon the island began to bustle
with military activities. This did not sit well with President
Thomas Jefferson who had become suspicious of Burr's motives, and
fearing that the "invasion" would end up far north of
Burr's described location, ordered the arrest of both Burr and
Harman on a charge of treason. Harman fled the island leaving
Margaret and his two sons behind. He was soon caught and put into
the Pennsylvania prison. Burr was subsequently tried for treason
and acquitted. As a result Harman was released. He was finally
reunited with his wife in the Mississippi territory where they
tried to start over. Crop failure soon bankrupted them and they
moved to Canada and then returned to Europe, where Harman
eventually died. Margaret returned to America, to visit her son
in New York, when she died some 11 years after Harman. Her body
and that of her son, Harman Jr. were moved back to the island in
late 1990 where they now rest next to the restored mansion they
so loved. In 1811 a fire, believed to have been accidentally
started by slaves in the right wing, burnt the mansion to the
ground. It remained a ruin until archaeologists uncovered it in
the 1970s and reconstructed it as a State Park shortly
thereafter.
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