Continued north from Taum Sauk Mountain and crossed onto I-55 which means I am getting close to home with familiar highways. Before leaving Missouri I was able to squeeze out one final stop at the Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site in Grantwood Village.
Weather today is warm but quite nice with abundant blue skies which means everyone is enjoying the outdoors and nobody is here on a Saturday afternoon.
I popped in to the movie theater first to watch the orientation film “Ulysses S. Grant: A Legacy of Freedom” which gave a great overview of his life from boyhood, to the Civil War, to the U.S. Presidency, and finally his death from cancer and legacy.
This location is a former slave plantation known as White Haven. Built in 1816, it was originally the childhood home of Julia Dent Grant’s family. The Grants lived there in 1854 with their children before moving to Illinois and purchased the estate after the Civil War.
Be sure to take time and read as many (or all) of the signs along the way as they provide immense value and context for why this place is important. I’m not going to quote them word-for-word on this site; instead I will share images for your consumption and paraphrase a bit. These signs detail the ownership history of the 850-acre plantation and family migrations. A more detailed history can be found on the NPS website here.
The property would change hands several times after Grant’s ownership and was whittled down to 10 acres but the original buildings were preserved. It took quite an effort by many people, organizations, private funds, and getting listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 before it was taken over by the St. Louis County Parks division. It would take until 1989 before it was transferred to the National Park Service’s control.
Most of the displays on the walking tour of the property cover not only the local history but how it was all interwoven with slavery in the United States. I was not previously aware they called slaves who fled “contraband” as they were considered property. As I read the signs it became clear why this part of our history should be preserved and shared: so we can avoid making such mistakes again, so we can most clearly understand that all men are created equal and should be free, and to not gloss over the roots of racism but instead confront it head-on to best understand it’s origins.
The preserved outbuildings include the icehouse, chicken house, and stone building with laundry and summer kitchen.
The sign titled “The Slaves’ Experience at White Haven” details uncomfortable conditions, long working hours, and details of some personal item artifacts. In direct contrast, the neighboring sign titled “Opposite Realities of Slavery” details how Julia Grant gave a naive account that slaves had everything they desired and assumed the house kept itself.
A sign describing how the Civil War and Emancipation impacted White Haven. Labor changed from slaves to hired workers, farming changed from cash crops to grasses for horses. President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 but slaves at White Haven did not escape until 1864, and slavery in Missouri would not be abolished until 1865.
Grant’s departure from White Haven ultimately led to selling the property to William Vanderbilt to settle debts after losing his fortune from being swindled in a business deal by his son’s business partner. And details of Grant’s final victory over the surrendering Robert E. Lee’s army at the Appomattox Courthouse in 1865 which signaled the end of the Civil War.
Concluding the outdoor loop and walking path is a trip through the stables which also begins the start of the park museum. With post-Civil War changes at White Haven, Grant would switch to primarily raising horses instead of cash crops. A one-horse carriage and an oak cart represent items used by Grant and relatives on the plantation (though neither are originals).
Heading back indoors there are many displays and writings to observe, again too numerous to fully list out here. This wing, title “An Intricate Tapestry: Ulysses and Julia Grant”, is dedicated to letters and memoirs of Ulysses and Julia Grant.
The other half of the museum, according to the NPS website, “focuses on his public service to the United States, including his service in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War, and two terms as President of the United States.”
I’m going to highlight two of the displays I found most interesting. This one titled “Protecting Life & Prosperity” covers post-Civil War racism, Congress’ passage of three “Enforcement Acts” targeting white supremacist violence (the third of which was called the “Ku Klux Klan Act”), and a timeline and discussion of Reconstruction era efforts. Raising this as my visit to the site occurred in 2024 but I’m typing this post in 2026 because I am hopelessly behind on my writings. For anyone asking why history is important, please notice the quote below taken from this display. Ask yourself, now in 2026 when the Supreme Court is gutting the Voting Rights Act…and trying to kill birthright citizenship…and attempting to kill fair and free elections…how history doesn’t necessarily repeat itself but it often rhymes. And if you don’t think these things have roots in racism and slavery, read closely:
What is the meaning of justice? Who gets to define the term? During the Reconstruction era (1863-1877), Congress passed numerous constitutional amendments and laws abolishing slavery, promoting equal protection of the laws, establishing birthright citizenship, and guaranteeing fair elections. Not everyone agreed with this vision of justice, however.
In 1871 the “not everyone” that disagreed with equality was the KKK. Who are the people “not agreeing” with our freedoms in 2026? Think about it.
The other display I found interesting and worth highlighting details Grant’s policies and thoughts on Native Americans. A small sign says his policy was “controversial in his time as well as today.” The next small sign discusses how Grant supported relocation to reservations, and the desire from Reformers to have Native Americans assimilate cultures and become Christianized, English-speaking farmers and American citizens. Looking at things through the lens of one’s time is one thing; a national history of white settlers trying to force a Christian country when we founded the country on freedom of (and from) religion is something else entirely.
And with that it was time to leave Missouri with conflicting feelings – something I see as a good thing as it means I learned something today. I considered other stops along the way in Illinois but being mid-afternoon I had run out of time before other sites closed or tours ended. I was due for a shower and sleep in my real bed again, and as such my trip was finished and it was time to head home.
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