If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 82

 

Campus Martius

As some of you know I just returned from two weeks in Marietta, Ohio where I was visiting with my son and his family.  While there I went to the Campus Martius museum where I found this postcard showing the Northwest Territories first settlement in Marietta constructed during the winter of 1788-1789. 

 

Sign in front of the museum

 

The Campus Martius museum building

The museum is built around the home of General Rufus Putnam who was in charge of the settlement.  The fort housed about 50 men and the Putnam family.   Men who had served in the Revolutionary War were given land grants in what was being called the Northwest Territories as payment for their military service.  Many of the houses in Marietta today have plaques telling the history of the home and the name of the original owner.   On my daily walks I would take time to read some of these plaques and also to visit the Mound Cemetery where several Revolutionary War veterans are buried. In a future post I will put up some photos of the cemetery and a little more information.

 

The bell said to have been gifted to the town of Marietta by Marie Antoinette of France.

 

 

The town of Marietta is named after Marie Antoinette of France and the story is that she gifted a bell to the town.  That bell is currently displayed at the museum in the reconstructed Putnam house.  Here below are some photos of the Putnam house.

The living room or parlor of the Putnam House

 

The kitchen in the Putnam house

 

A section of the exterior wall of the Putnam house to show the construction method.

There is a PBS documentary called “Opening the Door West” that has more images.  Visit www.OpeningTheDoorWest.com for more about this award winning program.