Primary sourceArtifact1859-1860 (presented to Grant 1865)

Ulysses S. Grant Home, Galena, Illinois

Alexander J. Jackson (built by) · 1859-1860 (presented to Grant 1865)

The brick house given to Grant by Galena citizens in 1865 in thanks for his Civil War service.

This house was given to Grant as a gift from grateful citizens and served as his political base and family home.

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Front and side view of a two-story red brick house with a low hipped roof, a brick chimney, green shutters, and a front porch with white columns. A tall flagpole flying an American flag stands at left, behind a white picket fence and stone retaining wall. A sign reads U.S. Grant State Historic Site 1860. — Ulysses S. Grant Home, Galena, Illinois, built 1859-1860, presented to Grant 1865.

About this source

What it is

This two-story brick house was built in 1859-1860 and originally belonged to Alexander J. Jackson. In 1865, a group of Galena citizens, including Elihu B. Washburne, purchased the home and presented it to Ulysses S. Grant as thanks for his war service. It is now preserved as the Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site.

Why it matters

The gift shows how quickly Grant's status changed after the Civil War, from a man who had struggled in business before the war to a national hero honored by his hometown. Grant used the house as his base during his 1868 presidential campaign and stayed there during his presidency and retirement.

Look closer

Why might the citizens of Galena have chosen to give Grant a house rather than another kind of gift?
What does this gift suggest about how communities honored Civil War heroes?
What questions would you ask about Grant's life before the war, based on this house's history?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ulysses S Grant on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.