Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

7400 Grant Road   
St. Louis, MO 63123
Admission and parking are free.

Website: http://www.nps.gov/ulsg/index.htm

This national site not only has a museum but the site also includes an historic home with additional historic buildings, and a visitor’s center with a bookstore and a theater.

Every hour leaving from the visitor’s center there is a free guided tour that includes a short walk to the historic house, White Haven. It is recommended that one views the 22-minute film in the Visitor Center theater before doing the tour. This film about Grant is excellent. We viewed it after the tour and it was still very beneficial.

The house, originally white but painted Green in Grant’s time, was purchased by Frederick Dent in 1820. It was here that Ulysses Grant courted his wife, Julia Dent, in 1848.  After marrying, they lived here for several years in the 1850’s.  Julia gave birth to three of their four children in White Haven, and here Ulysses farmed alongside his father-in-law and the Dent slaves.  The Grants purchased the home and farm in the 1860’s, occasionally visiting it. Julia sold it after Ulysses died.

The volunteer guide gave a very informative 20-30 minute talk about the history of the Grants and White Haven. We then toured the house on our own but were able afterwards to meet the guide out back to have additional questions answered.  The guide was excellent and very knowledgeable.

The National Park Service has chosen to decorate the house with minimal furniture.  (During their lifetime, the Grants’ furniture was destroyed in a lightning-caused fire.)

There are a number of explanatory signs throughout the house and outbuildings.

The slaves’ winter kitchen is in the cellar of White Haven. 

The stone building that housed the summer kitchen, the laundry, and living quarters for a few of the slaves, is right behind the house. 

The two other buildings behind the house are the chicken house and the ice house.

Following touring the four historic buildings we walked back to the barn attached to the Visitor Center. Upon entering we went through a room that housed this buggy and wagon.

From there we entered the museum which consists of six rooms off of the main room. We were told that the average person spends 20-30 minutes in the museum, but if a visitor were to read everything in the displays it would take two or more hours to tour it.

Several rooms have large informative displays.

 There are a few artifacts on display.

There are also a few interactive activities. Most seem to include a lot of reading.

 There is a display of period clothing one can don for a photo op.

We left the museum and re-entered the Visitor’s Center where there is a small but nice bookstore run by the National Park Service. It has many books, items for children, and an array of souvenirs.

The canon display shown here is one of a few outdoor displays.  The paved path on the other side of the white site fence is Grant’s Trail, a bike path that allows visitors to ride their bikes to this site!

Across the street from the national site is Grant’s Farm, originally part of the White Haven farm, but for many years now owned by the Busch family and open to the public.  A popular destination for families, it includes an animal reserve as well as a cabin that Grant himself built.  And of course, beer!

Less than two miles away we had lunch at a local restaurant.  The food was good and the place very busy with local workers and residents eating their lunches.

Malone’s Neighborhood Grill and Pub: http://malonesgrillandpub.com/index.php?2

Comments: This national site, only about ten years old, appears to be a well-kept secret in St. Louis.  Although St. Louis area residents are very familiar with Grants Farm many do not realize that White Haven is a separate site.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and I highly recommend the site for adults and older children.

We went on a beautiful September Friday afternoon and found the place not crowded. (I did call ahead to confirm that there were none of their occasional school field trips scheduled for that day.) We enjoyed spending time outside the historical buildings in the nice weather.

Unless you are in a group of 15 or more and want to do the guided tour, no reservations are needed.  The tours are scheduled to start on the hour but the film is started whenever someone requests it.

The website has information about hours and holidays as well as special events.