Great place to stop if you are spending anytime in Galena! Staff was very knowledgeable and kind

One of many historical buildings associated with our 18th president, the Ulysses S. Grant home in Galena, IL, is a good stop for history buffs. Growing up in IL, I had learned about the town of Galena and this home from my school education, but never seemed to find a trip to take me there to check it out. So as my wife and I were heading down the Mississippi River road from Iowa/Wisconsin to Missouri, we made a slight detour to come to Galena to visit. There are two main parking areas (both free): one on the opposite side of the road and one next to the home. There is a large lawn to the left of the house, where one can wander while waiting for the next tour to start. The tours run continuously from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm, and multiple guides will lead multiple small groups of 16 or less through the home. One might need to wait outside for a maximum of 15 minutes, which is how long we ended up waiting. Admission is free, with a donation box (suggested $5 per person) at the end of the tour. This 3,300 square feet, brick home was built and fully furnished as a gift to General Grant and his wife, coming from the citizens of Galena, after the end of the Civil War. The Grant family did live here for a short period of time, before he moved to Washington after being elected president, though they maintained legal residence here for sixteen years. The Widow Grant maintained ownership until her passing in 1902. It was donated to the City of Galena, and then given to the State of Illinois in 1931, which manages it today. More than 90% of the items inside the house were originally owned/used by the Grants. It's a short tour, about 20 minutes in length. Our volunteer guide was good, answering our few questions and guiding us where we needed to move to. After the tour, he suggested we go next door to a replica of a general store during that time. One interesting display was a large diorama of each president and the pets that they had in the White House. There are a lot of open historical museums associated with President Grant: -- He was born (1822) in Point Pleasant, OH, in a small one bedroom cottage which is now a private museum. -- National Historic Site is in St. Louis, MO, in the estate where the Grants from 1854 - 1860. -- rented a small home in Galena from 1860 - 1861. Left to rejoin the army. -- returned to this home in 1865, until becoming president. -- National Landmark is found in Mount McGregor, New York and was his final home, where he finished his memoirs and died in 1885. -- National Memorial (Grant's Tomb) is found in Manhattan, NYC and where he and his wife are buried. -- Presidential library and museum is on the campus of Mississippi State University. read more

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Great docent ! Felt we left knowing so much about the home and family ! The stories and facts added to whatever knew about Grant

Free but donations asked so it's a kind place. $5 per adult suggested. Beautiful 3000 square foot home and a beautiful time nearby also bc there are surrounding homes and the general store. Tours are so interesting about who he was and how they lived. This home was kept very well and we enjoyed the visit. They even have an exhibit of the presidents animals. read more

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Overheard Charles the tour guide question a service animals purpose and express that it seemed like an emotional support animal not a service animal. Charles also was not great at answering questions to guests and was very sarcastic. read more

I had an absolutely wonderful tour here yesterday. I arrived in the middle of the snowstorm and you're supposed to wait on the porch til the next tour but one of the people running the tours saw me waiting out there and let me in early, which was beyond nice of them. The lady giving our tour was incredibly knowledgeable, and had some very funny dry humored quips that I appreciated. I actually learned some things about Grant that I was unaware of, so it was a very fun and educational tour. Would definitely come back and do it again for sure. read more

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The house was built in 1860 - and was given to Grant by residents of Galena in 1865 as thanks for his service in the Civil War. Grant and his family lived in the house between the war and his 1868 presidential campaign and again for on and off during his presidency and retirement. Dedicated tour guides take visitors on a 25ish minute tour through the grand sitting room, the parlor, the dining room, kitchen and bathroom on the first floor, then the bedrooms on the second floor explaining the original furnishings that belonged to the Grant family. The rooms are furnished to represent a Civil War era look. An adjacent building has exhibits about Grant's military and presidential careers and the history of the home. There's also a general store you can poke your head in. read more

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Another great place to come if you're visiting in Galena. Grant's House is on the top a hill and when you look down. You get a full and beautiful view of Galena. We took the tour and was giving so much informative history of Grant's and his family life. There is only a $5.00 suggested donation. Well worth it. Very touching and inspiring history. We got a chance to go around and explore each room on our own. After, we meet back up with our tour guide person to receive more information on the history of Grant. Sorry I forgot our tour guide name, but he was very knowledgeable and full of character. I was able to receive a lot of great interesting information about Grant and his family. So glad we choose this as one of our tour places to visit. read more

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I came with my family in the fall for the tour of the home. The history was very interesting and the house was well persevered. There is a section of pretty narrow and tall stairs upstairs which may lead to potential access problems but it is a pretty quick tour. The main issue we ran into during this tour was that questions that my parents asked were regarded with almost disdain/flippant manner. However, when my white boyfriend (who was near but not next to us) and another couple asked a question right after them, our tour guide was much nicer and friendlier in the way he answered it. The difference was pretty startling and made me feel that they did not treat all of their guests equal. read more

Amazing staff and great history of one of America presidents, well maintained house and Evelyn the tour historian was wonderful

Lots of information. Tour guide on first floor was a bit fast. Minimal access to the rooms. Interesting nevertheless read more

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Dining room - Museums Near Me - Galena, Illinois

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We were so impressed with the tour and guide of this historic residence. It is perched on a hilltop and reflects the era when Ulysses Grant lived there. The furnishings and settings give you a real glimpse of the time. Our guide provided fun facts that brought the home to life. Very interesting and enjoyable stop! read more

As I confessed to my friend after posting a picture of the home on Instagram, I only had a surface level knowledge of President Grant prior to visiting his home in Galena. Well, I took another step in fleshing out this enigmatic character with a tour over our fall break. Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide painted a picture of Ulysses S Grant beyond his exceptional military career and his two terms as president and allowed us to see him as a husband and father. The home is lovingly restored and our small group was allowed to linger a bit to soak in the time period. This trip has inspired me to dig deeper into Grant's life and fill in the gaps of my formal education. read more

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If you're a history buff, this is what you come to Galena for. It's a well-run place - the tour guide was kind and very knowledgeable, and the house is impeccably kept. And I liked that they kept the tour groups small and out of each other's way - it felt like a private tour! read more

This is the perfect town to go visit and enjoy the weekend. I have been here many times and it's always a wonderful day out. This town has a lot of history. read more

The tour guide was incredibly rude and arrogant. I was SO excited to see this home. I walked a little way away from the group, still within sight of the group and the guide growled at me to stay with the group. After the tour, I politely (and privately) pointed out that he didn't have to embarrass me. He could have simply asked me politely to stay closer to the group. His response was that it is "posted as a guided tour. It should be clear that you stay with the group" It basically killed any desire I have to go back to Galena at all. read more

Grants home was on a hill overlooking downtown. What a beautiful place to visit, so much history here to learn and see. The home is so well preserved, and its original furnishing and artifacts are well kept to this date. It's a beautiful place to park and walk around and see the surrounding homes and the view is amazing. Donations are taken and parking is free, you can't beat this for so much history to be seen here. read more

Such a nice historic place to visit with original furniture and China. The docent did a great job telling us about Ulysses S. Grant's life. A must see while in Galena if you're a history buff or just want to know a little bit more about Ulysses S. Grant. read more

This was a stop on my visit to Galena Il on my way to Dubuque Ia which is an interesting property. Grants house is on a hill overlooking downtown and the surrounding area with beautiful views. The tour is about 25 minutes with a suggested $5 donation, I only had a 10 spot but it was worth it. The home is restored to as close as they could get get it but it's 90% original including the furniture and belongings. From what I understood when both Grants died the home was left to the children who left it completely intact. The home dates back to 1860 and has been a memorial to Grant since 1904. The carpet, wall paper, windows shades etc. have been replaced over time because they don't last 100 + years but the home is mostly original which is completely amazing with the children's insight not to remove anything and keep it intact. How often do you get to see living history from the 1860s that you can walk through. read more

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Loved the visit, excellent little historic stop when visiting the town. Completely free (donation box at entrance / exit), and ample parking in a lower lot. Guide was very knowledgeable and knew lots about the family! read more

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Museums Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Great history at this location. Very knowledgeable people and period pieces. Wow how people have grown over time

A visit to the home of Grant is a must for anyone who appreciates US history. The home is expertly preserved with original furnishings which harrow back to simpler time. A rather modest home for such an important figure of history, the Grant home offers stunning panoramic views of city of Galena below. Our tour guide (Keith) was excellent (as most seem to be at these places) and the tour groups are small (about 15 or so). Suggested donation is $5 for adults for the continued preservation of the home and well worth the price if you ask me. The majority of the home is not handicap accessible and the stairs to the second floor are remarkably steep; though the handrails are solid. Steady as you go! Tour lasted about 40 min total plus whatever time you spend outside enjoying the views. Located just a mile or so outside of the city of Galena, I'd highly recommend you add it to your trip itinerary. read more

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Historic site. Suggested donation for tours, though there are a few buildings you can view near the premise without a guide. There aren't many staff in the area so you are pretty much up to your own as a visitor read more

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While the tour guide was knowledgeable and the facts were interesting, it was a very short tour. Too short. The guide shows you 2 rooms, then you see the 4 bedrooms on your own, after which the guide shows you 1 more room. The tour was really too short. It would be nice if they had a small theater with a short film, or discussed more of Grant's life. read more

If you are looking something affordable todo this is a great attraction. Donations are encouraged due to there is no admissions fee. Our tour guide was knowledgeable . We learned a lot about his life and his family life. Highly recommend this to all ages. read more

Free - donations encouraged, of course. Cool site. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Like 90% of the furnishings & decor are original to the Grants! COVID info, Spring 2021 - reservations required, so make sure to order your (free) tickets in advance. The upstairs of the house is currently closed due to social distancing. read more

He wasn't home sadly but we were allowed to check out the grounds. Nice tribute to his wife. Lots of neat little things to see and views. Glad we stopped in even if it was on Father's Day and the general was out and about. read more

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Museums Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Educational visit in Galena! Visit the home where Ulysses S. Grant lived with his wife Julia and children, take a tour from a local volunteer docent, and visit the giant statue of Julia Grant who was actually a badass. She was a suffragette, as well as an abolitionist, despite being raised by Southern slaveholders. Most of the house has been restored, so you get an idea of what the house would have looked like (rather than seeing what it looks like after a century and a half of deterioration). Don't miss the painting in the 4th bedroom of the kids smoking and playing with matches. American values! There's a pretty cute exhibit in the back outbuilding as well showing the collections of animals each president had while in the White House. Classic local history site. Worth a visit as it's Galena's main claim to fame! read more

The house was mostly furnished with items that were original to the house. You walk through the house (part guided tour part on your own) and are allowed to take pictures. The only problem we had was our tour guide rushed us along so we couldn't read all of the information. read more

Yes, lovely but not much else to see. We spent two days in Dubuque, IA which was surprisingly lovely. Made a nice long weekend

Great tour! We had the older lady and not only was she a fountain of knowledge, but a "hoot". The structure of the home is very practical and the original artifacts and arrangement of them are interesting. Took the teenagers here on the way back home from our summer vacation and they needed to be told, "we're leaving." Glad to see they have an interest in history. Bedroom blue print: Second floor "bedrooms" blue print. Bottom Right, master with wardrobe room above it. Left of the master, daughter's room and 3 remaining, boy's rooms. Back of the upstairs looks over the kitchen and back yard. read more

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This was a nice little tour that was suitable for children. It was a short tour of a smaller house, so children are fine walking through it without getting antsy. My children thought the stairwell was crazy small and windy and they enjoyed reading about each child of the Grant's. Each bedroom had a board with information about the child who would've had that bedroom. They also enjoyed the story that Mrs. Grant was very petite and had a lazy eye. The view from the grounds is great and we walked over to the statue of Mrs. Grant. There is a depiction of a general store and the tour guide mentioned another house that showed what a normal family home would've been like. We could not find it. We looked at every other small building and they all had signs saying they weren't open. There is a small room next to the restrooms that holds display cases. One has the presidential china from some of the presidents, another has a depiction of each presidents' pets, and the third had some little pictures of presidents (don't really remember because they were nothing special). It was a good way to spend an hour. Visit the blacksmith shop in downtown Galena that was interesting. read more

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Dining room in Grant's home. - Museums Near Me - Galena, Illinois

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We have been thru here a couple times as we visit Galena every fall. The house is very nice and a good tour. But the house I would REALLY like to tour, but can't as it's a privately owned home, is the one the Grants actually lived in during most of their time in Galena. Anyway, during our last visit and tour here, we walked behind the home up Bouthillier a bit and peeked inside the General Store building set up, and I think it actually more interesting than the house! It is set up to appear just as a General Store might have appeared back in Grants time, and I was fascinated. So if you tour the home, take a few extra minutes and check out this display. As the over played auto dealer commercial in the Chi burbs says on the radio, "You WILL NOT be disappointed!" read more

Great historical location, in a gorgeous setting! The docents are well informed, and are able to answer many questions - anything they don't know, someone else does or they can find it. The house is in great shape, any restorations are done to period, and it's well set up so you can immerse yourself in that time without handling things. I suggest a stop here if you're in Galena, or have time passing through! read more

Its a little slice of history. To see it from the outside, its hard to believe its really that old. The grounds look very nice. There is a statue of Grant's wife Julia nearby. We waited on the bench for a tour guide. They take a group at intervals every so many minutes. You begin a walk-through of the house. What is interesting is how much of the house is original. They even had Grants favorite chair that he took to Washington. You ascend a curved staircase to see the upper levels. These were the bedrooms. The craziest thing there is there is an iron stove in the children's room. Can you imagine doing that now? The kitchen does not have original equipment but is decorated with equipment from the period. It looks really neat (and primitive) The most striking thing to me is how much smaller houses were back then. read more

Ulysses S. Grant Home - Grants Favorite Chair - Museums Near Me - Galena, Illinois

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I'm a sucker for history, especially Civil War-era history. The home of Ulysses S. Grant is a great stop for anyone with a similar interest. The historical home is set up with period furniture, and the tour guides are great. They'll give you some deeper insights into the man, his family, and the Grant presidency. The home is beautiful to see, and it's affordable as well. Take a step inside, and be transported back in time. You'll be happy you did, as there's a lot to see and learn. read more

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The best historical spot in a town full of historical spots. This place is full of history, original fixtures, and the tour is guided by a knowledgeable guide who is clearly passionate about the house. If you are looking for Civil War or presidential history stop in to Grant's home, and leave your calling card in his entryway. Interestingly this place also has the biggest selection of Galena themed souvenirs in town (from what we observed). read more

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This is such a great attraction in Galena. The tour is very interesting, and the guide was very knowledgeable.

This was a very interesting tour and they let you go for free (though they suggest a donation, which we gladly gave). The guide that took us through the various rooms and they had some signs up to explain others. If you enjoy touring the homes of historical figures then you should definitely stop by here if you are in town. It is pretty fast too...maybe 30 minutes total...unless they have a line waiting for the next tour and that could take a little time. read more

if you're traveling through galena, i recommend you stop here! this tour was a lot of fun even though it was short. the home itself is kind of just what you'd expect. the tour guide we had was very funny and sweet. i forgot what her name was but i think it started with a v. the house was fun to look around even though it was small and they just put in a little museum next door with an exhibit of the presidents' pets. theodore rooselvelt had the best ones! and the tours work on donations, so if you really feel the place isn't worth it, just don't pay for it and no one has to be sad. read more