8.9 Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site - Downtown Indianapolis

 Mileage: 840

Champaign, Illinois

Indianapolis was a great stop.  Comet made a new friend at the Johnson's (see yesterday's post), Shaggy.  This was where he was when I opened the RV door this morning.  Can you guess where the Invisible Fence line is? Such a sweet dog! 

While Kenny Worked I visited the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site.  The home was where he and his first wife Caroline lived while he ran for president.  In those days candidates did not travel to campaign, instead voters traveled to them to listen to speeches.   The building is a 10,000 square foot mansion that is largely intact and with 80% of the original furnishings.  After the family sold the home it served as a women's dormitory for a music school.  Caroline did much of the decorating of the house and was very artistic and musical.  Unfortunately, she died very early in her husband's Presidency.  Harrison later remarried his wife's niece, Elizabeth, with whom he had one child.  He passed away when when his daughter was 4.   Mother and daughter lived in the home until the 1930's.

The best restaurant recommendations come from locals.  I asked two people who work at the home where to eat lunch.  They suggested Bazbeaux.  I made it for the lunch special.  Two pieces of delicious pizza, salad, and a drink for less than $10.

I then caught-up with Kenny and Comet after which we traveled through the rain to our Harvest Host for the evening, Alto Vineyards in Champagne, Illinois.  Sorry for the blurry Illinois (state #7)
sign, but it was pouring rain in the middle of a construction zone.