Back to the oldmadison.com Home Page
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
Web design by INSITES
We do not know the origin of the first people who were our fore-runners here in Madison. Not even the Indians of whom our own ancestors knew; as the early inhabitants of Madison; knew from where they came; nor when they lived here; nor why and when they left. They were known as the Mound Builders.
There are many clues to tell
us people occupied our hills and valleys for a long time before we came.
Mostly they lived wherever they could find water
along rivers and streams. They were a migrant people who hunted and fished
in many spots. To them belong the first pages of our history; after them
came the American Indian as we know of him.
Around the years of the mid 1600's the territory was populated only by
a few hunters and trappers. They were mostly French, and a few Indians
who were of a small number and were scattered in various places.
The hills and the river were very different than what we see here today, the river being full of great trees that were dead, logs and debris. The currents of the river were sometimes very swift. There were many wild animals in the wooded and hilly areas and different species of water fowl along the river. The hills surrounding what is now Madison were almost naked of trees with just a few scrubs growing on them.
In 1670, the French obtained possession of what is now Madison and placed it under control of the Colonial Empire of Louisiana.
From 1721 until 1763 Madison was included in the District of Illinois under the Mississippi Company. In 1763 at the close of the great struggle between England and France for the control of North America, Indiana together with the other French possessions east of the Mississippi, passed into the hands of the English.
It is almost sure that the river was used by whoever came this way first. It is sure the names of the first travelers and people who stayed just a little while will never be known. These people make up the second page of our history.
In 1774, the French of Canada
and the Indiana country were greatly dissatisfied with the English regime.
In order to remove the cause of this dissatisfaction, Parliament, passed
the Quebec Act which united the Northwest, including the Indiana country,
with Canada, establishing a government quite acceptable to the inhabitants
of this territory. In 1778, Indiana came under the dominion of Virginia
by reason of the conquests of George Rogers Clark, but it still remained
under the jurisdiction of Quebec.
In 1784, the area which includes Madison, was ceded by Virginia to the
United States Government and became part of the Northwest Territory.
In 1805 white settlers searched the area for home sites. The first cabin was built at the top of the Michigan Hill in the spring of 1806 by Elder Jessie Vawter. That same year William and John Hall arrived and erected their cabin near the river bank in what became the east end of the city.
A public sale of government land was held at Jeffersonville in 1809. Here for $2.50 per acre, John Paul purchased the ground on which the city grew. Assisted by Jonathan Lyon and Lewis Davis, he laid out that portion of the budding city bounded by First, Fourth, East and West Streets. Since James Madison was currently President of the United States, John Paul named the town Madison in his honor.
Some settlers began arriving by boat from New England and the East. Others trekked up from the South via the Cumberland Gap. In addition to bringing their cherished possessions they bore in mind the image of architectural customs of the localities from which they came. Some brought detailed house plans. Substantial houses of brick and stone began rising beside their log neighbors. No single style predominated. This heritage of Georgian, Federal, Regency, Classic revival, Gothic, and Americanized Italian Villa architectural styles is unique to Southern Indiana.
Many of the local homes typical of this era are either preserved intact or are being restored. One such home is that of a man who gave Indianapolis its name, Jeremiah Sullivan. This house, built in 1818, is considered an excellent sample of Federal style initiated in this country by Thomas Jefferson. An air of stateliness is achieved by paired chimneys at one end of the house. This building is now maintained by Historic Madison, Inc., as a memorial to the man who was constructively active in both local and state affairs.
Historic Madison, Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of local landmarks and promotion of cultural projects. Their auditorium is available for public concerts, meetings, and exhibits. This building is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the Midwest. It was built in 1835 and was the city's finest public building.
The Lanier Home is an outstanding example of Greek Revival influence in Madison architecture. This home is now a state memorial honoring a true patriot and financier-James F.D. Lanier. He advanced Governor Morton $400,000 to equip ten thousand troops which Indiana provided for the Civil War. Some two years later the legislature adjourned without making appropriations for meeting the necessary expenses of the State. A second time Mr. Lanier came to the rescue with a loan of $640,000, all without security.