Grant Grant cottage?

[archieclement]

The recent thread on Beauvoir had me wondering, is the cottage Grant retired to and died at after writing his memoirs preserved?

 

[Kurt G]

Yes , along with the furnishings and wreaths from the funeral . It is a place that I would highly recommend visiting .

 

[JOHN42768]

A National Historical site. Located in Wilton, NY not far from Saratoga Springs. Put it in the search feature for a lot more info

 

[Kurt G]

Some images from my visit many years ago

 

[archieclement]

Some images from my visit many years ago

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Thanks, don't think I had ever seen current pictures of it before, if I had, I had forgotten them.

 

[lupaglupa]

Come visit in August, you can go to the races

 

[GrantCottage1885]

The recent thread on Beauvoir had me wondering, is the cottage Grant retired to and died at after writing his memoirs preserved?

I'm glad you asked...

The Grant family came to the cottage on Mt. McGregor, NY in the spring of 1885 as a final respite for General Grant during his final illness. The Grant's never owned the home, they had visited the nearby resort town Saratoga Springs multiple times but they had never visited the resort on Mt. McGregor. The cottage was offered to and renovated for the Grant family by their friend Joseph Drexel. It was hoped that the mountain climate would improve Grant's condition (if only temporarily as he had terminal cancer). Grant survived for 5 1/2 weeks at the cottage dying on July 23 (less than a week after completing his memoirs) with his remains being taken from the mountain on Aug 4th. The Grant family vacated the cottage soon after the General's death with the understanding that Mr. Drexel intended to leave the entire home and its contents as a memorial to General Grant. Thus the family even left some of the General's personal effects for display helping to create a veritable time-capsule of unique and original items within the home. The public began visiting the cottage in the fall of 1885 and have not stopped for the last 136 years. It was first managed by the resort, then live-in caretakers, and for the last 30 years by the non-profit Friends of Grant Cottage in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Sites. The Historic Site (recently designated as a National Historic Landmark) is open to the public seasonally from May-October with a Visitor Center, Gift Shop, Exhibit Room, Guided Tours of the Cottage & a stunning Overlook of the Hudson River Valley. It stands as a testament to the strong personal character and the devotion of General Grant for his family.

For More information visit: GRANT COTTAGE HISTORIC SITE WEBSITE
History Channel YouTube Video:

 

[Gary Morgan]

Come visit in August, you can go to the races

Well, if you're going that far, you might as well visit the New York State Military Museum while you are there.

https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/

 

[wausaubob]

And July 23, 1885 most likely marks the end of the Civil War era. The US was reunited. The economy was shifting rapidly towards steel and petroleum products. The US had good relations with Great Britain and France. The official paper dollar/gold ratio equaled the market rate, and at least in the northern states, black men could vote.
It would be easy to assert that the peace he fought for was worth the sacrifice and a lesser victory would have left the US endangered.

 

[SandiD]

Come visit in August, you can go to the races

We'll be up that way on the 1-2 October.

Here is another place Pres. Grant visited, in Goshen, NY . This is a few miles from my home. The back of the house overlooks the historic Goshen harness racing track, a 1/2 mile oval opened in 1838 and still in use today. The last is the view that he would have seen from the barn where he viewed the races. The building is currently used as office space. Most of the historic homes on the street are now offices but maintain their original or near original 19 century facades.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

And If you're out west, visit the Ulysses S Grant National Historical Site in St. Louis, Missouri. "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."

https://www.nps.gov/ulsg/index.htm

 

[JOHN42768]

Thanks for posting

 

[SandiD]

We'll be up that way on the 1-2 October.

Here is another place Pres. Grant visited, in Goshen, NY . This is a few miles from my home. The back of the house overlooks the historic Goshen harness racing track, a 1/2 mile oval opened in 1838 and still in use today. The last is the view that he would have seen from the barn where he viewed the races. The building is currently used as office space. Most of the historic homes on the street are now offices but maintain their original or near original 19 century facades.
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I'll add that this site, the West Point Foundry, the Clove furnace/open pit or shaft mines, West Point , and a variety of other historical sites related to both the Civil War and earlier time periods (Revolutionary War specifically) are all in close proximity to one another. The Historic Track and Museum are worth a visit as well. Hambletonian, the horse to whom almost every Standardbred trotter or pacer in North America can trace bloodlines back to, was foaled in this area. I'll go out to the track early mornings when they are exercising the horses.

 

[[email protected].]

Grants Cottage located in the Town of Moreau Saratoga County between Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls was recently added to the sprawling Moreau State Park and is located on Mt McGregor in the Palmertown Range at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The site is excellently preserved from the time of the President's death. An on going effort by the State of New York, the Friends of the US Grant Cottage and the Towns of Moreau and Wilton will ensure that this site will be preserved and an excellent educational facility