White Haven

I gave up all of the property owned by General Grant: some in Chicago … in Philadelphia, and last, though not least, the dear old homestead in Missouri, White Haven. When I signed this last deed, it well-nigh broke my heart.

~Julia Dent Grant

With fam and festivities in our rearview mirror, the car was pointed north and headed for home. We were only an hour south of St. Louis and had tossed around the idea of stopping at the Gateway to the West. “Ride the tram to the top of the Gateway Arch” is No. 168 on my life list, a task which I officially completed in 1999 during a prior trip to St. Louis and again while there in 2008. The Arch is like no other attraction and, to truly appreciate it, a ride to the top is definitely in order. From that vantage point, the panoramic view of the St. Louis area is stunning … though the journey to get there is rather harrowing. Prone to a fear of heights, I opted out this time and instead suggested a site I had previously missed.

White Haven was originally acquired by Colonel Frederick Dent as a summer home in 1820 and eventually became his family’s primary residence. Invited by his former West Point roommate Fred Dent, it was here Ulysses S. Grant first met his future wife Julia. When he asked her father for permission to marry her, he was instead offered her younger sister Ellen! He proposed to Julia in 1844, but their marriage was delayed until 1848 due to his service in the war with Mexico.

The White Haven property was a focal point in the Grants’ lives for four decades. They lived here off and on during the 1850s. Although the family moved to Galena, Illinois, in 1860, they continued to think of White Haven as their home. By the time Grant became President, he owned nearly 650 acres of the White Haven farm and began readying the property for a relaxing retirement. Although he had to abandon those plans when his life detoured to Washington, he retained ownership of the property until a few months before his death in 1885. White Haven was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

Our first stop was at the Visitor Center’s theater to view a 16-minute introductory film, A Place Called White Haven. Over the years and through my visits to various national parks, I’ve learned many things about Ulysses S. Grant and the mark he made on our nation. What I discovered this time around, and something I found most fascinating given his renowned reputation as the savior of the Union and a two-term president, was that he never wanted to run for public office, but did so because he believed it to be his civic duty!

A free guided tour of the house was offered following the film, but we instead did our own exploration of the site. In addition to the main house, exhibits on the grounds tell about the property and its people in the 19th century. Several outbuildings have been restored to their 1875 appearance, including an ice house and a chicken house. An interpretive museum is also located in the historic stable, which places the Grants within the context of 19th century American history and details the important role Ulysses Grant played in our nation’s past.

We could have spent much more time than we did at this site, but antique stores were calling our name. I did, however, score another stamp in my National Parks Passport (well, actually two since there was a special stamp for the Passport’s 25th anniversary!) and learned a bit more about one of America’s most iconic Presidents and his family. White Haven was more than just a house; it was a home.  Well worth the visit!