Grant Cottage

My Dad and I are both history buffs, and he has especially enjoyed focusing on the US Presidents who have some connection with his home in upstate NY. As it turns out, President Ulysses S. Grant moved to a small cottage about 20 minutes north of the City of Saratoga Springs, NY, and spent the final month of his life writing his memoirs before dying from throat cancer in July of 1885.
Grant’s doctors recommended that he escape the brutal heat of New York City, and try resting in the cooler mountain air to alleviate the discomfort of his cancer. Grant wanted to complete his memoirs in a peaceful setting in order to provide for his family’s financial security. He was successful in completing his memoirs, however he died a short time later from the cancer.
Grant’s Cottage still sits atop Mount McGregor, although there is now a minimum security prison sitting nearby, and you actually have to pass through the grounds of the prison in order to reach the two-​story cottage. Kind of odd, but certainly a point for conversation!
On a recent trip, we drove up the mountain, passed through the prison security, and found ourselves sitting on the porch of the cottage while overlooking the Hudson Valley, the Adirondack Mountains, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Back in the day a famous hotel was located nearby, and the hotel guests would ride a narrow-​gauge railroad from Saratoga Springs up to the Hotel Balmoral. President Grant used to sit on this same balcony every day while reading the newspaper, and waves to the passengers on the railroad.
The first floor of the cottage is open as a museum, and the caretakers have preserved the wallpaper, furnishings, and artwork of the times. You’ll also find a tremendous amount of Civil War photos and the memoirs of President Grant. It’s a fascinating stop for people with an interest in history, plus a spectacular view of the Hudson River Valley and surrounding mountain ranges.

Ulysses Grant only lived here for a brief time, but I still rate this as a must-​see for Presidential enthusiasts. The staff here is truly dedicated and knowledgeable about their subject matter. I visited during the off-​season and they opened the site just for me.

On July 23, 1885 former president Ulysses S. Grant, suffering terribly from throat cancer, died in this house high up on Mount McGregor More than 125 years later the Grant Cottage is virtually unchanged from that day. For example, the floral arrangement from 1885 is still there! Browned and fragile but nevertheless still in the same spot as it was when it was delivered. Much more of Grant’s personal affects and his handwritten correspondence from his stay here is on display.
Strangely, the cottage is on the grounds of a minimum security prison so visitors must pass through a security checkpoint. However, this is a minor and painless inconvenience.
The atmosphere here is serene and respectful. The tourguides are knowledgeable and sensitive. There is nothing tacky or touristy.
Mount McGregor is a bucolic and verdant spot about 20 minutes north of bustling Saratoga Springs. Today Grant has largely been forgotten but for hardcore Grant and presidential scholars the Grant Cottage is a MUST.