Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park

Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park is a plantation on an Ohio River island in Wood County spanning 511 acres. The reconstructed mansion displays Palladian architectural features and reflects the style of prominent early American country estates like Mount Vernon.

The island gained national attention in 1805 when it became the headquarters for Aaron Burr's military enterprise. Following the collapse of that expedition, the island remained abandoned for decades.

The mansion serves as a living history space where visitors observe how people in the early 1800s performed daily work and domestic tasks. The demonstrations reveal the skills and routines that shaped plantation life during that era.

Access to the island requires a sternwheeler riverboat from Point Park in Parkersburg, taking roughly 20 minutes for the crossing. The boats operate from May through October, so plan your visit during this seasonal window.

A three-story museum building on the island houses regional objects ranging from prehistoric times through the period of early European settlement in the Ohio Valley. This comprehensive collection traces thousands of years of human presence in the area.