Ulysses S. Grant Home

To be completely Frank I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this stop. I went under the influence of my aunt and uncle and came out fascinated. All of The little knick knacks that were used liked their curling iron, a cherry pitter, and the irons were very innovative for what they had.
Not to mention it is just a cool feeling knowing you are standing where someone who changed history was standing.

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.

The tour guide was a hilarious older lady.
The home was kept in such great condition. The detail was amazing. It really gave you a feel for living back in that time.

The tour guide was very friendly and explained a lot and even answered questions. Allowed time for pictures and was patient with people taking their time to look around upstairs. I’ve been here several times with my kids school groups. This was the first time with my husband and no kids and it was great.
They would like a donation in a box as you enter the house.
There are other buildings on the property and surrounding area up the street.

This is a must do while in Galena even if you’re not particularly a history buff. The suggested donation is $ 5 and even though you don’t have to pay it you should. Our tour guide (Verena? something like that) was great. She was funny and was full of interested information about the Grant family. You can walk around the house, take pictures, and appreciate how different our lives are now. Towards the exit is a small exhibit with presidential china and information on all the weird animals different president’s have had. Great place to stop in and learn a thing or two.

Living in Galena, you almost feel like General Grant is still alive, and that you might bump into him at the VFW or at night on the street, strolling or smoking a cigar. While that’s not the case, unless you’re smoking something, the home is very much alive and beautifully preserved. And you can tour it. The guides are very helpful and knowledgeable, the tours run virtually during the open hours, so you can show up and have a short wait before the next tour begins. A tour lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. They are technically free, with contributions welcome. It’s a great way to get a feel for 19^th Century life in Galena, and a great learning experience for kids. Should be part of your itinerary if it’s your first visit to Galena, or when uninitiated company arrives in town.

Great little historic spot. The tour guide was ok. She does a small part of the tour on the first floor, then you are allowed to walk freely through the upstairs and then back down to the kitchen. The price is great compared to other homes we have visited (only $ 5 suggested donation). There is a small building in the back which has some additional information and items. The grounds are beautifully kept and maintained. The whole tour and visit took about an hour. But there is a lot of information learned in that time.

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 4^th 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!

This was our second visit to the Grant home. We have enjoyed it on both occasions. This time we went during the holiday season and the home was decked out in traditional holiday décor! The Christmas tree trimmed just right and the extra branches used as décor on the mantel and such. I learned that it was Grant that decreed Christmas to be a national holiday.
Our guide was super knowledgeable though it took her a bit to warm up to us. Once she did though, she was more than happy to answer questions and even cracked a smile or two. Her depth of knowledge was amazing!

Great visit for the $ 5 donation. I would definitely stop here if you are visiting Galena.

Furniture is 90% of the families original furniture which is insanely impressive. Presenter did a good job expect people we’re not that shorter back then. Common misconception. I only say this because I worked at a museum for 5 years myself. There is a reason furniture is shorter and smaller and it’s not height (maybe weight). Anyways, beautiful house! Totally worth the trip. Loved every room, especially the kitchen.

A very enjoyable stop in Galena. The historic home still contains some exquisite antiques and famous pieces. Take a glance at the White House china, original furniture and artwork. The staff is polite and knowledge. The home is free to visit but donations are welcome and well worth it!

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.

This is a very informative tour for something that is dirt cheap (they are suggestive donation prices) and quick. I definitely learned a lot about President Grant and its too bad we don’t have somebody like him in office as opposed to the last few we currently have in our administration. I would suggest walking from downtown Galena to the home. Work your legs out!

They offer rotating tours every 10−15min and request a $ 5 donation. The tour guide is extremely knowledgeable and most of the furniture in the home is original (artworks tends to be reproductions). Worth the 30min — 1 hr of your time.

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!

If you are in Galena, I highly suggest stopping at the Ulysses S. Grant home. The tour and parking are free, they just ask for a donation (suggested $ 5/​person). You will be amazed by the history and knowledge that is presented during the tour. Our tour guide was an older lady and she never skipped a beat when she went through her introductions to each room. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t more impressed with her memorization skills than some of the items in the home, which are all original by the way except for the piano in the lounge, the kitchen and the wallpaper are recreations.
Did you know that Grant was responsible for establishing Christmas as a national holiday? How awesome is that?
On the tour you get to view all of the rooms of the home, including the upstairs bedrooms. The only room that has been completely re-​done was the kitchen. Apparently there was a tornado-​like storm that completely demolished that side of the house. The only thing that remained untouched was the cooper-​lined bathtub which is next to the kitchen. It is amazing to see furniture, in good condition, that has been around since 1865. Oh, and it is also amazing that the house was bought for $ 2,500 and gifted to Grant. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could buy a home for less than $ 3,000?
If you visit, be sure to bring your camera. Non-​flash photography is allowed. Oh… and donate at the end of the tour. Not one person in our group (except for us) donated. It is a free tour… couldn’t hurt to throw a few singles in the box.
After the tour there is a General Store that you can visit that depicts how shopping was back in the day. There is also a room (next to the bathrooms) that shows every US President and all of the pets that they had. Some had alligators, elephants, hyenas… crazy!