Blennerhassett Island lies in the Ohio River 1.8 miles below Parkersburg and is 3.8 miles long. It was once the home of the wealthy Irish immigrants Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett, who moved there in 1798 and began building a magnificent Georgian style mansion that was completed in 1800. The mansion stood amid extravagantly landscaped lawns, a formal garden, and several other structures. The Blennerhassetts fled their island estate in 1806 after becoming involved with Aaron Burr in his plan to develop a Southwest empire. In 1811, the mansion accidentally burned to the ground, and it was rebuilt in 1985 as part of a historical park developed by the State of West Virginia.