Come learn about the love story of Ulysses and Julia on February 14th. Park Guide Sky Castilleja will present and discuss their courtship and young relationship.

Ranger Talk: Julia and Ulysses Courtship

Post Dispatch cartoonist, Dan Martin will mostly focus on two of the eras most celebrated names of the time, Thomas Nast (pro-Grant) and Joseph Keppler (anti-Grant) along with the surprising St. Louis connections of some of their biggest targets.
(This program has been rescheduled from October 4, 2025)

colorized cover of 19th century magazine depicting street musicians

History Talk: Political Cartoons about Grant

The end of the Civil War created new discussions about citizenship and voting rights in the United States. Women and newly freed African Americans both pushed for expanded civil rights during Reconstruction. However, a proposed 15th Amendment only barred racial discrimination at the polls while saying nothing about gender discrimination. Various activists such as Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton faced a crossroads: should they push for voting rights for women and African Americans at the same time, or did one group's needs trump the other in the short term? Historian and Curator Nick Sacco explores the ways the 15th Amendment caused severe splits in the women's rights movement during Reconstruction.

Black and white photo of two elderly women reading a piece of paper

History Talk: The 15th Amendment and the Women's Rights Movement

Author Diana Carlin, Ph.D. will discuss Julia's memoir and their importance as the first written by a First Lady.

Author Talk: The Importance of Julia's Memoirs

Join Ranger Evan as she discusses the women who called White Haven home and life in this historic place.

Ranger Talk/Tour: The Women of White Haven

What are the differences between a daguerreotype, an ambrotype, and a tintype? Park Historian and Curator Nick Sacco will explore a variety of historic photos from both the park’s collection and his own. He will explain the technology of photography and how it evolved during the19th century and how photographic technology combined with the subject can help historians to date the image. Visitors are encouraged to bring a historic photo of their own to include in the discussion.

black and white photo of a woman holding two children

History Talk: Analyzing Historic Photographs

The Age of Reconstruction: How Lincoln’s New Birth of Freedom Remade the World by Don Doyle.
The book club is open to all who are interested. The Reader’s Guild meets quarterly on Wednesdays at 2 PM. Enjoy a group discussion led by a park ranger. This has been rescheduled from October 1. The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.

White Haven Readers Guild

Ulysses Grant Dietz is a great-great grandson of Ulysses S. Grant. His late mother, Julia, was the President’s last living great-grandchild; youngest daughter of Ulysses S. Grant III, and granddaughter of the president’s eldest son, Frederick. He is on the board of the U.S. Grant Presidential Library and Museum at Mississippi State University.
Ulysses grew up in Syracuse, New York. He studied French at Yale (BA, 1977), and was trained to be a museum curator in the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program in American Material Culture (MA, 1980). A decorative arts curator at the Newark Museum for thirty-seven years before he retired, Ulysses has never stopped writing, including a book on the White House published in 2009.

Man with gray beard and glasses in a striped shirt and dark blazer

History Talk: Ulysses Grant Dietz

No matter what age you are, you are invited to explore, learn, and protect on National Junior Ranger Day. Join this one-day celebration that is part of the annual National Park Week. Included in the day are 19th century farming demonstrations, a rain garden activity, outdoor games, and bird watching.

Rainbow arches with NPS arrowhead center and text below

National Junior Ranger Day 

<div>David Kroese is one of fewer than a hundred people known to have visited all 430+ National Park Service units. Over the past decade, David has logged 1,600+ site visits and 6,000+ trail miles exploring NPS units across the country.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>To celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial in 2016, David visited 387 parks in 360 days, traveling through all 50 states and the Caribbean territories. He completed his visits to all the parks in December 2017. <a name="x__Hlk61372346"></a>David wrote of his experiences in 2016 and 2017 in the first published narrative through all the NPS sites, <a name="x__Hlk61372346"></a>The Centennial: A Journey through America’s National Park System<a name="x__Hlk61372346"></a>. </div>

man in gray sweatshirt standing in front of a snow covered mountain

Author Talk: Following Ulysses Grant through our National Park System

“The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman—The Complete Annotated Edition” is a <a class="external" href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674988354">Harvard University Press publication</a> edited by MSU’s John F. Marszalek with Louie P. Gallo and David S. Nolen. 
John Marselak and David Nolen will discuss this latest work.

Four men in suits in a white room. Second from left holds a book.

Author Talk: “The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman—The Complete Annotated Edition”

<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Bill Clevlen is a travel journalist and author. For 17 years I livedand appeared daily on the Frank O Pinion radio show in St. Louis. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Bill will speak about his new book out called Presidential Road Trips - 100 Places To Explore and Experience The History of American Presidents and highlight a number of Grant-related sites that are must see stops on any roadtrip. </div>

man in blue shirt and blazer holding an American flag

Author Talk: Presidential Road Trips

Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War by Gerri Willis
The book club is open to all who are interested. The Reader’s Guild meets quarterly on Wednesdays at 2 PM. Enjoy a group discussion led by a park ranger. This has been rescheduled from October 1. The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.

book cover showing woman in blue dress and white text

Steve Schoenbeck, Archives Manager and the Webster Groves Historical Society will discuss his new book, Webster Groves: A Walk Through History.  Among other topics, Steve will dicuss the fact that General Grant's cabin, "Hardscrabble," had been moved to Old Orchard (Webster Groves) in 1891 for use as the offices of realtors Edward and Justin Joy, and the lore that connects General Grant with John Helfenstein, an early settler in Webster.

Author talk: Webster Groves - A Walk Through History

At this outdoor living history event, visitors will hear memories of Julia from several of the most important people in her life.
The event is free, but spaces are limited to one hundred. Reservations open August 1 and can be made by calling 314-842-1867 ext. 230.

people seated looking at African American man wearing suit in front of green house holding open book

Night Walk

Stark Mad Abolitionists: Lawrence, Kansas, and the Battle over Slavery in the Civil War Era by Robert Sutton
The book club is open to all who are interested. The Reader’s Guild meets quarterly on Wednesdays at 2 PM. Enjoy a group discussion led by a park ranger. This has been rescheduled from October 1. The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.

tan book cover with red text and battle scene drawing

Join Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site for A Spirited Holiday Past! President Grant's home, White Haven will be decorated for the holiday season. Tour the home and create a holiday craft with your family. Guitarist Pattrick Rafferty will perform 19th century holiday tunes in the parlor and Suzanne Corbett will provide 19th century baking demonstrations in the historic stone kitchen. You can sample Grant's gingerbread and roll out gingerbread cookies. All activities are free and no reservations are required.  
Ulysses S. Grant NHS is one of sixteen area historic sites participating in the annual Historic Saint Louis Holiday Program.

Man seated in front of fireplace playing guitar

A Spirited Holiday Past

Experience White Haven in the evening during the holidays.  Lights will illuminate the grounds and historic house. You will hear Christmas songs performed by the St. Louis Christmas Carolers outside the house. Inside, the decorated rooms will glow with candlelight* and as you walk through the house, you’ll hear period holiday music performed by guitarist Patrick Rafferty. In the dining room you can enjoy 19th century treats served by Suzanne Corbett, food historian, and learn about 19th century etiquette and holiday culinary customs. 
End the evening with a festive concert by the Buckhannon Brothers in the park’s theater at 7:00 pm. No reservations are required.
 All activities are free. Visitors are welcome to attend the open house, concert, or both! 
*For safety reasons, our candles will be battery operated.
 Note: Grant’s Farm will be open that evening for their walk-through holiday light. Our parking lot is open just for our visitors and is free.

picture of green house at night with pine roping and red bows on balcony

man seated playing guitar next to fireplace. Mantel decorated with greenery.

woman in 19th century dress at small table with punch bowl and cake. Two visitors behind her.

White Haven by Candlelight and Holiday Concert

A living history weekend to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House. Activities will include presentations on the surrender, soldier encampments, historic weapons demonstrations, children's activities, and information on researching your Civil War ancestors.

Drawing of Ulysses S Grant and Robert E Lee shaking hands with other soldiers looking on.

Civil War Days

Walk Through History Join a park ranger for fun, fitness, and history on a 3-mile, leisurely-paced, round-trip walk through Grantwood Village to the original site of Grant’s Hardscrabble cabin. The program is free.

graphic of people walking in front of buildings

Walk Through History: Healthy Parks, Healthy People Fitness-Based Program

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site joins several area historic sites, museums, and privately owned homes for a day of summer open houses and tours. See how our ancestors connected with the land, in both ornamental and practical ways. At White Haven in the 1850s, the focus was on farming. They did have beautiful flower gardens and today you can see our rain garden with native plants and flowers. We will have a self-guided tour of the garden and a variety of activities for children.
For more information on the programs at Ulysses S. Grant NHS, call 314-842-1867 ext. 230. For more information on other sites participating in the Historic Saint Louis event, visit <a href="http://historicsaintlouis.org/participating-sites-summer/">Summer Event (historicsaintlouis.org)</a>

Drawing of woman in white dress picking flowers

Historic Saint Louis Summer Event - Landscapes of Summertime Past

Arts and Culture

Cultural Demonstrations

Live Music

Biking

Compass and GPS

Geocaching

Guided Tours

Self-Guided Tours - Walking

Living History

Junior Ranger Program

Wildlife Watching

Birdwatching

Park Film

Museum Exhibits

Shopping

Bookstore and Park Store

Architecture and Building

African American Heritage

Archeology

Enslavement

Farming and Agriculture

Plantations

Military

Presidents

Reconstruction

Social Movements

Abolition Movement

Civil Rights

Voting Rights and Suffrage

Transportation

Wars and Conflicts

Mexican War

Indian and Frontier Wars

Civil War

Westward Expansion

Women's History

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.

View of house with fence. Autumn colored leaves on trees

White Haven in Autumn

view of house from side and back. The house has several additions. Stone summer kitchen on right

White Haven

To the left is the ice house and to right is chicken house.

Outbuildings

Tack Room

Winter at White Haven

View of house from front with budding tree branch in foreground that is also covered in ice.

White Haven in Early Spring

Ulysses S Grant

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site’s hours of operation are 9AM – 5PM, with the last tour of the historic house at 4 pm.

Day	Hours
Friday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Monday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sunday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Saturday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Thursday	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Wednesday	9:00AM - 5:00PM

Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site

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Ranger Talk: Julia and Ulysses Courtship

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History Talk: Political Cartoons about Grant

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History Talk: The 15th Amendment and the Women's Rights Movement

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Author Talk: The Importance of Julia's Memoirs

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Ranger Talk/Tour: The Women of White Haven

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History Talk: Analyzing Historic Photographs

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White Haven Readers Guild

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History Talk: Ulysses Grant Dietz

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National Junior Ranger Day

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Author Talk: Following Ulysses Grant through our National Park System

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Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site

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