Page "Samuel Merrill (Indiana)" Paragraph 3

As treasurer, Merrill oversaw transfer of the capitol from Corydon to Indianapolis, an arduous task.

When the move took place it was an eleven day journey by horseback from Corydon to the new capitol.

To complicate matters, no road existed and a path for the wagons had to be cut through the dense forests during the winter trip as the long caravan moved north.

The caravan was necessarily large, it contained the state treasury, state library, state records, the furniture of the General Assembly, Supreme Court, and Execute Offices, along with a whole host of other implements to aid the caravan on its long journey.

Ultimately, it took over a month to relocate the government to the capitol.