National Historic Sites · Missouri
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
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Check the official park website for current access, conditions and visitor information.
Introduction
Background: 1
Ulysses S. Grant is known as the victorious Civil War general who saved the Union and the 18th President of the United States. He first met Julia Dent, his future wife, at her family home, named White Haven. From 1854 to 1859 the Dents, Grants and an enslaved African-American workforce lived on the property.
Geography
Designation: 3
National Historic Site
State or territory: 4
Missouri
Park Map - Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site: 5
Map scope: Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Map of Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in Missouri. Rendered in sage green, an aerial view of the plantation stretches up from a parking lot shown in tan through pale greenish brown surroundings, all of which are dotted with vegetation.
History and culture
Places: 6
When Ulysses S. Grant lived at White Haven in the 1850s, the entire property was 850 acres. It included cleared fields, orchards, large wooded areas, and hills cut by streams and creeks. Although most of the property was later sold and the main house privately owned until 1986, several historic structures remain today and serve as tangible links to life at White Haven in the 19th century. Five remaning historic structures are part of the visitor experience at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site: the White Haven home, horse stable, ice house, chicken house, and summer kitchen. Another historic structure, the "Hardscrabble" log cabin that the Grant family lived in for three months in 1856 while at White Haven, has been moved numerous times and is now located on private property near Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.
Stories: 7
Do you have a favorite story that you love to read over and over again? If someone asked you to tell a story about your life, what would you tell them? For Ulysses and Julia Grant, many stories could have been told about their life experiences at White Haven. Among other things, White Haven was Julia's childhood, the place where Ulysses and Julia began their loving relationship, and a home to their young family of four children. But White Haven was also the setting for enslaved laborers to reflect on their own experiences in perseverance amid the harsh work and forced confinement they endured at this home. Choose from one of the categories listed in the table of contents below to learn about the Grants, Dents, and enslaved laborers who lived at White Haven in the nineteenth century.
Nature
Ecology; Nature & Science: 8
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site consists of 9.65 acres of land. The grounds feature several hundred trees and serve as a haven for a variety of wildlife.
When Ulysses S. Grant lived at White Haven (1854-1859), the property was approximately 850 acres in size and the surrounding area was sparsely populated. Besides the presenece of a few farms, much of south St. Louis County contained densely-wooded forests. Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant, grew up at White Haven and recalled the presence of locust trees surrounding the property. According to the 1850 census, only one-third of the property had been "improved" for farming while the rest remained heavily wooded. Today, the south St. Louis County area has been an outgrowth of industrialization and residential growth. Several hundred thousand people live in the surrounding area and the park is bordered by a suburban neighborhood--"Grantwood Village"--to its north, east, and south. Grant Road and "Grant's Farm," an animal park managed by the Busch family, borders the park to the west.
The far southwestern corner of St. Louis County includes the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The highest elevation in this area of the county is 964 feet above sea level. Most of the county, however, is primarily a flat plateau. When Grant lived at White Haven, the highest elevation on the property was its western boundary at 629 feet (this part of the property is now part of "Grant's Farm"). The elevation for the main home is 541 feet.
Eastern Missouri's climate is typical for a midwestern state: hot, humid, and muggy summers and cold, potentially snowy winters. The average temperature in January is a high of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the low is 23 degrees. In July, the average high is 90 degrees and the low is 71 degrees. St. Louis averages about 42 inches of rain annually, with March, April, and May being the peak rainy season. Thunderstorms are common in the area. Part of the park grounds sit on a floodplain and the nearby Gravois Creek can occassionally flood over, leading to rare instances in which Grant Road is closed due to flooding. Other severe weather such as heat advisories, tornadoes, and snowstorms can occur.
The park contains several hundred trees that are spread throughout the property. The vast majority of trees currently standing were planted at various points during the twentieth century, but there remains a black oak tree on the southern corner of the property that is estimated to have been planted around 1829. There are also numerous tree types on the property that aren't often seen in Missouri, including gingko ( Gingko biloba ) and dawn redwood ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides ). Visitors can take a self-guided tour of unqiue trees on the park grounds that are significant for their historic or natural qualities. The tree tour is accessible through the NPS App or by visiting this page .
When Grant lived at White Haven, the two primary water sources were Little Prairie Creek and Gravois Creek. Little Prarie Creek (perhaps more appropriately described as a stream) sits on the northern part of the park's property and runs west into Gravois Creek. A Spring House was connected to Little Prairie Creek at the time, although it was later torn down in the twentieth century. Gravois Creek runs south and eventually spills into the Mississippi River. It is located on the "Grant's Farm" property just west of the park and runs parallel with the park boundaries.
A range of wildlife species roam the park property. In the early 1800s black bear, American Bison, gray wolves, mountain lion, beaver, river otter, and even elk still roamed the Missouri and Mississippi River valleys. Today, animals such as raccoons, red fox, squirrels, and a large variety of birds can be seen. To read more about White Haven's wildlife, check out this article .
Historic places and exhibits
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site Visitor Center: 9
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is open from 9AM - 5PM, with the last house tour offered at 4PM.
Places to explore
Things to Do: 10
Tourists visit the main house on a ranger-led tour. National Park Service Whether you have just a few minutes or half a day's worth of free time, there are many activities offered on a daily basis at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. Most visitors who participate in the three main activities (Film, Historic Home, and Museum) should expect to spend between 60 and 120 minutes at the park. Visitors with less time have the option of taking a self-guided walk around the park grounds. Learn more about each activity below and view the "Top 10 Tips" to help prepare for your visit to the park.
Visitor information
Visitation
Sources & field notes
Source records (14)
Select a numbered reference to open a source card. Retrieval dates describe this edition’s source capture, rather than an independent verification or the date of the underlying information.
Background · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
White Haven, circa 1860 · NPS Photo. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Catalog image date
- 01/01/1860
- Source scope
- Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
- Rights
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
Designation · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
State or territory · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
Park Map - Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site · National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source scope
- Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
- Download
- Official map PDF ↗
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain; NPS map
- Rights
- Public domain; NPS map
Places · Places — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- June 12, 2023
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Stories · Stories — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- August 19, 2026
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Ecology; Nature & Science · Nature & Science — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- September 19, 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS webpage text; U.S. government work generally public domain. Third-party material may have separate rights.
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site Visitor Center · National Park Service park structured data. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Things to Do · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Physical Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Mailing Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Telephone · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Recreation visits · National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Open source ↗
- Information date
- 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Methodology
- NPS reporting unit; annual total is the sum of 12 monthly recreation visit estimates.
- Reporting unit
- Ulysses S. Grant NHS
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.