Our House Museum
A Treasure of Gallipolis

Over the Back Fence Magazine | Winter 2005 \ 06

Along the shores of the Ohio River, the second oldest settlement in the Northwest Territory was founded in 1790 when 500 French settlers stepped ashore and founded the historic river city, Gallipolis.

Lured by the promise land of "milk and honey", they found an unforgiving frontier of Indians, yellow fever and winter hardships that they had never endured before. With uncertainty and false land deeds from the Scioto Company, they arrived at the shores of America on five ships from France. They ventured to City Park, once named "La Place", where they built their first homes. They were known as the French Five Hundred, fleeing from the threat of the guil­lotine, a time when some 30,000 were killed, imprisoned or beheaded during the French Revolution.

Today in this city the Our House Museum holds a bounty of that history for Gallia County. Our House itself is a historic landmark. Built in 1819 by Henry Gushing, the three-story brick Federal style building has been witness to Ohio's history and now preserves a treasury of historic items.

"We have so many one of a kind, non-replaceable items here like General Lafayette's coat. He was here in 1825 when he was entertained at a reception. The coat is on display in the ballroom upstairs," Carol Warren, Our House Museum Site Manager, explains. "We even have the original land grant (plat record) to the French Five Hundred signed by Thomas Jefferson."

Our House was built originally as a tav­ern and inn by Henry Gushing while his sis­ter Elizabeth Foster, owned a half-interest. Henry ran the tavern until 1865. The Our House name came from Henry welcom­ing river travelers by saying "Come over to our house" and the name was set.

The tap room is where the men of the county would gather for local news. Most of the river travelers would come to stay or drink and tell about the news abroad. "Today's word 'bar' comes from old taverns," explains Carol as she points to the wooden bars that raise and lower above the counter. "When the bars were down they weren't serving drinks and when the bars were up they were. That is where you get the phrase 'the bar's open.'"

The historic museum had served many purposes throughout time with different owners. It was once a private home, a Marine Hospital and at one time held public offices and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). In 1933, Dr. and Mrs. Charles E. Holzer purchased and restored it. They furnished it to its original time period exhibiting the history of Gallipolis. Our House was opened in 1936 as a public museum. In 1944 the Holzers gave the operating rights to the Ohio Historical Society in a memorial to the French Five Hundred.

Each room now holds artifacts, rem­nants and portraits of the famous French Five Hundred. They were aristocrats and artisans fleeing to a new land. A portrait of Joseph Devacht hangs above a brick fireplace. Devacht was the silver­smith to the King of France and his store (now a private home) still stands next door to Our House. Even the brother-in-law of Dr. Guillotin, the advocate of the murderous guillotine, was among the 500. His name was Antonie Francois Saugrain, who pioneered the use of the smallpox vaccination.

Another legend among the settlers was Marie Boben, who came to America with distant relatives. It is said she was born in 1770 at the palace of Versailles in France. Boben was one of Napoleon Bonaparte's great loves. It is recorded that he intended to marry her and sent guards to return her to France, but she had fallen in love on the boat to America and married Claudius Meneger. Theirs was the first wedding to take place in Gallipolis on Nov. 18, 1790. Several years later Napoleon sent a medallion with his likeness to impress upon her that he had not forgotten his first love. Today the medallion is on display in the ballroom.

The third floor displays numerous historic items of Gallia County from the Civil War including items of invaluable historic significance. In the courtyard there is a cookhouse and a display of stones from the original Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. General Morgan of Civil War fame (Morgan's Raid) was imprisoned there as well as the famous author O'Henry.

Our House is also noted for its lin­gering ghosts. Faint footsteps, singing coming from the ballroom and soft tin­kling bells have been heard. "Elizabeth Foster, Henry Cushing's sister loved lilac perfume," Carol states softly. "Several visitors have commented that lilacs can be smelled in the main hallway, but oddly enough there are no lilacs planted near this house." A pathway in the courtyard has also been the location of numerous sightings of Henry Gushing walking after midnight.

Our House Museum is a must stop in your travels if it is history or the true feeling of bygone era (with maybe a passing faint scent of lilacs in winter) that you seek. Our House Museum is open September through October on Saturday and Sunday and year round for group tours by appoint­ment. Catered dinners and recep­tions can also be arranged. It is located at 424 First Street, Gallipolis, Ohio. Each year it hosts an open house holiday event two weeks prior to Christmas with period costume and decora­tions and candlelight tours. For times and information one may call 740-446-0586 and toll free at: 800-752-2618.