The 10 O'ClockLine

In 1809,William Henry Harrison and the four main tribes of Indiana inthis region made a treaty and changed the boundary line of thepossessions of the colonies of the New America.

Gosport isthe only town which lies directly on this line.

When WilliamHenry Harrison came to Vincennes, the Indiana Territory consistedof a vast tract of land which had been carved out of the landsceded to the nation by Virginia after the Revolution. A fewsettlers had moved into this area from North Carolina andVirginia.

The four maintribes of Indians in this region were the Miamis, Delawares,Potawatomis and Eel River tribes. After many negotiations withthese four tribes, Harrison and the Chiefs met at Fort Wayne onSeptember 30, 1809 and signed a treaty for a tract of land.

Chief LittleTurtle of the Miami Tribe presided over this meeting. It wasagreed that the northern boundary was to be surveyed on a directline determined by the shadow cast from a spear struck in theground at 10 o' clock in the morning.

Therefore, itbecame traditionally known as the 10 o' clock treaty line. Theline runs from a point near Seymour to a point in Illinois notfar from Clinton, Indiana.

This was oneof the first large purchases of land made with the Indians. Itconsisted of 2,600,000 acres. For this land the Indians recievedmoney, livestock and goods of all kids which brought the cost toabout three cents an acre.

Thus throughthe great patience and diplomacy of General Harrison, thefriendship of these tribes, who held the balance of Power, cameat a most opportune time and possibly prevented this part ofAmerica from falling into the hands of other powerful nationsthat were well aware of the vast wealth represented by thenatural resources of this territory.

Soon afterthe negotiations were completed, the Indians moved to the Northand settlers from the southeast began in increasing numbers totake up these lands.

By 1816, thedevelopement of this area became so extensive that Indiana wasadmitted to the Union.

The monumentcommemorating this sits "in the curve" on State Road 67at Gosport. The Ten O'clock marker is the work of Owen countysculptor Frederic L. Hollis and was dedicated in September 1957.