U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site
U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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The Ulysses S. Grant Home in Galena, Illinois is the former home of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War general and later the 18th president of the United States. The home was designed by William Dennison and constructed in 1859 - 1860.
attractions: Irish Cottage Inn & Suites, Grant Park, Best Western Galena Inn & Suites, Aldrich Guest House, P.T. Murphy Magic Theatre, Jail Hill Inn, Galena Trolley Tours, Belvedere Mansion, Farmers Guest House, The Haunted Galena Tour Company, restaurants: Vinny Vanucchi's, Durty Gurt's, Fried Green Tomatoes, Gobbie's Sports Pub & Eatery, Log Cabin Steakhouse, Otto's Place, Frank O'Dowd's Irish Pub & Grill, Bread and Vine Galena, Embe Eatery and Lounge, Paradise Bar & Grill
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The Ulysses S. Grant Home in Galena, Illinois is the former home of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War general and later the 18th president of the United States. The home was designed by William Dennison and constructed in 1859 - 1860.
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We popped by and didn’t take the whole tour of the inside of the home but we did help ourselves around the property. We were a lil hungover from attending a huge wedding the night before so didn’t feel like committing to a tour or honestly being around people in general. There is a suggested donation of $3-$5 which is super reasonable. There are restrooms towards the back of the house if you need and right next to them is a tiny Exhibit Room. WORTH IT. Someone painstakingly painted the Presidents & First Wives from Washington to Obama on rocks. There is also a display showcasing all the pets that past Presidents Washington to Obama have had and it is a doozy of a display. Truly some unhinged choices like bears, a hippo, elephants, hyenas, coyote, zebra, silkworms, etc. absolutely worth the side quest. Next time we’ll do the inside of the house but again….hangover had spoken. 10/10 recommend.
Chelsea WoodmanseeChelsea Woodmansee
00
What a fascinating and lovely place! Large posters with information about Pres. Grant's life line the walls, and there are display cases underneath with various collections. One set of display cases contains a collection of all the animals that the Presidents have had over the years: a page lists the President and all his animals, while standing around the page are little figurines of the animals he had. Another case contains portraits of all the Presidents and their wives on river rocks. I've never seen anything like it! There are drinks for sale, on the honor system. Bring cash. The grounds are beautiful, and a good place to take a walk if you are passing nearby on a road trip (like we were) and need a break. A great place for kids to walk around and explore, as long as they remember to be respectful.
Laura DrexlerLaura Drexler
10
This is a great historical spot in Galena that is underrated. I'd recommend making this your first stop for your first morning in Galena since it can get crowded if groups are large. Tours are short and free but they do invite you to donate if you can at the end of the tour. I do think they need improvements on their tour. This would include educating their tour guides on the slave background of Ulysses S. Grant and family. The tour guide was unsure each time I asked but could be hesitation not to make other tour visitors upset but I think its important to our US history to acknolwedge the good and the bad. They also should do a historical paint analysis on the home to see if they can find the true colors of the wall which was evident that they had not done so yet according to the tour guide. If you have the opportunity, take time to stroll the grounds. The house has a great view of downtown Galena.
Amber NicoleAmber Nicole
00
I loved walking around these parts and learning more about President Grant. I’ve been to his tomb - ironically my first stop on the tour of his illustrious life - in NYC, across from the Airbnb I was staying in that weekend LOL. Our tour guide was super sweet and I loved that part of the tour was guided and part of it was self guided. It’s set up beautifully and I love that 90% of the things here are original to the home. Also the bathrooms are very clean and very nice - don’t hesitate to use them if, like me, you’re in the middle of a road trip and need to go! I made sure to drop a donation in the box because I believe in supporting these historic homes and I hope you, too, will donate what you can. What a great place to visit and learn.
Huma RashidHuma Rashid
10
Visited early on a Saturday morning. Short tour of the home which contains has several examples of period accurate furniture, wallpaper and flooring as well as commissioned and original artwork. Our tour guide was very well versed and gave as interesting of a tour as she could. We were happen to provide a $10 donation to help keep the site operating. There was a large home that had signage that makes it look like the actual museum but on approach we discovered it is the "Future Home of the Ulysses S. Grant Museum". We were slightly confused where we needed to go but figured it our eventually. I was also disappointed the outlying building were not included in the tour because there are several of them.
Melissa Seyffer (Miss Moffet)Melissa Seyffer (Miss Moffet)
20
I was pleasantly surprised to find this history time capsule right in the middle of sleepy Galena, Illinois. The house tour is a must when traveling through the area if you are a history buff or looking for something different to do during your stay. The tour guides were very knowledgeable about General Grant's life both in the military and during his time as our 18th President of the United States. Moreover, they all have a wealth of knowledge about the city of Galena its history and the surrounding area. Although there is no admission fee, they do accept donations to support the upkeeping of the place. AP Score: Must visit!
Anibal PachecoAnibal Pacheco
30
Nearby Attractions Of U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site
Irish Cottage Inn & Suites
Grant Park
Best Western Galena Inn & Suites
Aldrich Guest House
P.T. Murphy Magic Theatre
Jail Hill Inn
Galena Trolley Tours
Belvedere Mansion
Farmers Guest House
The Haunted Galena Tour Company
Irish Cottage Inn & Suites
4.6
(427)Click for details
Grant Park
4.7
(408)Click for details
Best Western Galena Inn & Suites
4.1
(424)Click for details
Aldrich Guest House
5.0
(323)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site
Vinny Vanucchi's
Durty Gurt's
Fried Green Tomatoes
Gobbie's Sports Pub & Eatery
Log Cabin Steakhouse
Otto's Place
Frank O'Dowd's Irish Pub & Grill
Bread and Vine Galena
Embe Eatery and Lounge
Paradise Bar & Grill
Vinny Vanucchi's
4.2
(1.1K)$$
Click for details
Durty Gurt's
4.5
(1K)$$
Click for details
Fried Green Tomatoes
4.6
(903)$$$
Click for details
Gobbie's Sports Pub & Eatery
4.4
(661)$$
Click for details
Reviews
Overview
4.7
(706 reviews)
Phone
(815) 777-3310
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Website
granthome.org
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