Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site U.S. Grant National Historic Site preserves and interprets White Haven, the St. Louis home of President Ulysses S. Grant and First Lady Julia Dent Grant.
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Ulysses S. Grant is known as the victorious Civil War general who saved the Union and the 18th President of the United States. Few people know about his rise to fame or his personal life. He first met Julia Dent, his future wife, at her family home, named White Haven. Today, that home commemorates their lives and loving partnership against the turbulent backdrop of the nineteenth century. The Nati

onal Park Service preserves and interprets White Haven and tells the story of Ulysses and Julia Grant, the events surrounding the Civil War and Reconstruction, and all the people -- free and enslaved -- who called White Haven home. Our 9.6-acre park includes the original 1816 home, three historic outbuildings, an interpretive museum housed in Grant's historic stable, and a modern visitor center featuring an introductory film. Comment Policy:
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Ranger Program: From Spectacle to Surveillance:The Rise (and Descent) of the Union Army Balloon CorpsSaturday, August 29...
08/26/2026

Ranger Program: From Spectacle to Surveillance:
The Rise (and Descent) of the Union Army Balloon Corps
Saturday, August 29, 2026 (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

Join Park Ranger Jonas in learning about one of the unique chapters of Civil War history: The use of hot-air and hydrogen balloons by the Union Army for military surveillance. Come learn about Thaddues Lowe, the eccentric scientist and architect behind the Union Army Balloon Corps and how military ballooning - while promising - eventually was deemed to be too much hot air for the Union’s war effort. The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.

Image: Prof. Thaddeus Lowe's Balloon Camp (Library of Congress)

The opportunity to see insights into Julia Dent Grant's life is winding down! Do you have possessions that have special ...
08/25/2026

The opportunity to see insights into Julia Dent Grant's life is winding down!

Do you have possessions that have special meaning to you: a special photograph, an inherited family heirloom, a keepsake from a special day? This summer, the museum at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is featuring a special exhibit: Julia Dent Grant: A 200-Year Legacy. The exhibit showcases artifacts from Julia’s life in St. Louis, as well as her travels across the country and around the world.

This week's featured artifact from the exhibit is a 3-piece silver and ivory coffee service set. To celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, the Grants were gifted this set in 1873 during their time in the White House. Their 25th wedding anniversary was also known as their 'silver' anniversary, thus the gift of a silver service set.

There are just a few weeks remaining to see these items and the other artifacts from Julia's life. Please plan to visit before the exhibit closes on September 30, 2026.

Image: Julia Grant's anniversary tea set (NPS photo)

August 22nd was a special date for Ulysses and Julia Grant! On August 22,1844, Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Dent began a m...
08/22/2026

August 22nd was a special date for Ulysses and Julia Grant! On August 22,1844, Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Dent began a marriage that would last 37 years, endure a Civil War and eight years in the White House.

Ulysses S. Grant married St. Louis native, Julia Dent in St. Louis on August 22, 1848 after a four-year courtship. Julia’s father, Frederick F. Dent, not only owned the country estate, White Haven, but also a home in downtown St. Louis at the corner of Fourth and Cerre Streets.

A place can have a special meaning in our lives when we experience an important event. We often hold special connections to the school we attended, where a child was born, or perhaps where a marriage was performed. While Ulysses and Julia met and courted at White Haven, the Grant's wedding ceremony took place at the Dent’s city home. This house stood until the 1940s when it was raised for redevelopment in that part of the city.

As we recall the day that the Grants began their relationship, let’s take a moment to appreciate those special people in our own lives that are by our side through our greatest challenges just like Julia was for Ulysses.

Image: Illustration of the Dent home at 4th and Cerre Streets in downtown St. Louis. (Etching from the book 'Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant' (1868) by Albert D. Richardson)

Ranger Program: Archeology at White Haven tourSunday, August 23, 2026 (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM)Archaeology uses artifacts to t...
08/21/2026

Ranger Program: Archeology at White Haven tour
Sunday, August 23, 2026 (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM)

Archaeology uses artifacts to tell a story of what life was like in the past. Join Ranger Blake for a guided tour of the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site grounds as he uses artifacts and the landscape to show how archaeology works and what everyday life was like at the White Haven plantation.
Reservations are required and limited to 20 people. Call (314)-842-1867 ext. 230 to make your reservation.

Image: Archeologists excavate beneath the floor in the Winter Kitchen at White Haven (NPS photo)

History Talk: The Wedding of Ulysses and Julia GrantSaturday, August 22, 2026 (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)On a hot August day i...
08/18/2026

History Talk: The Wedding of Ulysses and Julia Grant
Saturday, August 22, 2026 (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

On a hot August day in 1848, Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Dent were married at the Dent family’s home in downtown St. Louis, beginning a partnership that would withstand war, separation, financial hardship, and public life. This program explores the Grants’ courtship and wedding, examining the experiences and influences that brought them together. Through letters, photographs, and historical accounts, David Newmann will explore the story behind the Grants’ wedding day and the bond that endured through decades of personal and national change.
The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.

Image: Young U.S. Grant c.1849 (Library of Congress)

Happy 200th birthday, Julia Dent Grant! Do you have possessions that have special meaning to you: a special photograph, ...
08/17/2026

Happy 200th birthday, Julia Dent Grant!
Do you have possessions that have special meaning to you: a special photograph, an inherited family heirloom, a keepsake from a special day? This summer, the museum at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is featuring a special exhibit: Julia Dent Grant: A 200-Year Legacy. The exhibit showcases artifacts from Julia’s life in St. Louis, as well as her travels across the country and around the world.

This week's featured artifacts reflect an important milestone in Julia's life. Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Dent married on August 22, 1848 at the Dent family home in St. Louis. Two pieces of silverware from Julia and Ulysses's wedding are on display. The fork was made by George Doty of Detroit, and the serving spoon was crafted by Jaccard and Co., one of St. Louis' top jewelers at the time.

There are just a few weeks remaining to see these items and the other artifacts important to Julia. Please plan to visit before the exhibit closes on September 30, 2026.

Image: Silver fork and spoon on loan to the park from Ulysses Grant Dietz, a great-great grandson of the Grants. (NPS photo)

Concert at the Park: Erin BodeThursday, August 20, 2026 (7:00 PM – 8:00 PM)Since Erin Bode began her professional record...
08/15/2026

Concert at the Park: Erin Bode
Thursday, August 20, 2026 (7:00 PM – 8:00 PM)

Since Erin Bode began her professional recording career, she has garnered much critical praise for her pure voice and impressive phrasing and style. Her works run the gamut between standard jazz and decidedly more pop-based pieces that showcase her love of poetry with songs that are rich in harmonic and timbral texture. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket to enjoy this free concert. Outside food and beverages are allowed. No reservations required.

Image: Erin Bode (courtesy of Erin Bode)

Address

7400 Grant Road
St. Louis, MO
63123

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13148421867

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