Complete information about visiting the General Grant National Memorial is now on National Park Planner!
Ulysses S. Grant was the commanding general of the Union Army at the end of the Civil War in 1865, and four years later, the 18th President of the United States, taking office in the wake of Andrew Johnson’s less-than-stellar stint as president. Grant was liked by both Northerners and Southerners, and when he died of throat cancer on July 23, 1885, his funeral was one of the largest events in New York City history. Fitting a national hero, his fellow countrymen decided that no mere grave would do, and thus the idea for a massive memorial was hatched. Construction began in 1892 and the mausoleum was dedicated in 1897. When completed, 8,000 tons of granite had been used to build the 150-foot-tall mausoleum, the largest in the United States. While no person needs a tomb this size, the public at the time obviously thought otherwise—the mausoleum was funded totally by citizen donations and not public money.
The General Grant National Memorial consists of the mausoleum and a visitor center located in a separate building. Guests can browse through a Ulysses S. Grant exhibit area and attend Ranger lectures on Grant and the construction of the mausoleum.
ULYSSES S. GRANT DOCUMENTARIES
DIRECTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
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Last updated on April 13, 2026
